By Ashlee Larrison
GCU News Bureau
It’s not often you hear a clarinet, viola and piano in a trio performance, but Grand Canyon University clarinet instructor Tim Haas wanted to group together different instruments in an ensemble performance. On Wednesday night, Haas and two of his guest performers, Dr. Mary Harrah on viola and Sherry Lenich on piano, will take over the GCU Recording Studio for the "Chamber Music Masterworks" fall faculty concert.
The College of Fine Arts and Production instructor and his fellow musicians will bring to life “Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano” by Max Bruch and “Kegelstatt” by Mozart.
“You’re going to hear two incredible pieces of music,” Haas said of the concert, which will be live-streamed on GCU TV. “Both Mary and Sherry are just fantastic musicians also. … It’s just going to be an evening of really good music that I think everyone will enjoy.”
The clarinetist said the concert will allow GCU students to see their instructor play in a concert environment.
“I feel that it’s really important for my students to hear me play,” Haas said. “I want to expose them and all the other musicians here in the department to different kinds of music and give them a chance to hear some stuff that they’re not going to get to hear elsewhere.”
The recital also allows the audience to see that music can be so much more than just a school-time interest and can be something that lasts a lifetime, Lenich said.
“I think it’s important for them to know that you can make music your whole life and that it’s an ongoing thing,” Lenich said. “To watch their teacher or mentor doing this and continuing to learn new music and continuing to collaborate with other people, I think it’s huge.”
A composition showcasing the combination of sounds from the clarinet, viola and piano is not one audiences hear often, and that is what Lenich says makes it special.
“It’s a fairly unique combination of instruments. There’s not a lot music written for this combination,” she said. “The beauty of the viola and the clarinet together and then the independence and interaction of each part, it’s fun.”
Lenich will bring her 52 years of musical knowledge to the performance alongside Haas and Harrah. The trio performed together for the first time over the summer. Then when Haas needed musicians to bring his musical vision to life, Lenich and Harrah were all in.
“I was happy to do it because I enjoy working with both of them,” Lenich said.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Concert attendees will be treated to snacks after the show.
IF YOU GO
What: “Chamber Music Masterworks” fall faculty concert
When and where: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, GCU Recording Studio
Admission: Free
Live stream link: https://youtu.be/Le-eIaVZJIM
Event Page: https://events.gcu.edu/event/masterworks-chamber-music/
Contact GCU staff writer Ashlee Larrison at [email protected] or at 602-639-8488.
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