(Story by Megan Maricle-Roberts ’14)
On Sunday, April 21, the Gustavus Department of Music will present baritone Stephen Hilding’s senior voice recital accompanied by pianist Karl Grant and assisted by a number of fellow musicians. The recital will be presented in Björling Recital Hall at 1:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
Stephen is a senior music major from Hudson, Wisconsin. He is the son of Jon and Juli Hilding and graduated from Hudson High School in 2009. Stephen is a member of the baritone section of the Gustavus Choir, under the direction of Gregory Aune. He is a Björling Scholar at Gustavus and studies with Dr. Jeffrey Hess. Following graduation, Stephen will attend Luther Seminary in St. Paul.
The first part of the recital consists of solo vocal performances by Stephen, accompanied by pianist Karl Grant. He will begin with Bright is the Ring of Words, a work by Ralph Vaughan Williams. This is followed by Pietà, Signore by an anonymous composer, and George Frideric Handel’s Ombra Mai Fu. Two works by Franz Schubert follow: Der Wanderer and Im Abendrot. The last solo is The Rovin’ Gambler by John Jacob Niles.
For the second half of the recital, in a break from the normal senior recital format, Mr. Hilding will present four songs in which he will sing and play guitar assisted by fellow musicians. Stephen, accompanied by Cole Peterson also playing guitar, will open the set with two works, John Wyeth’s Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, and a Littrel, Powell, Hall, and Chapman composition, By His Wounds. Stephen will continue with a solo work for voice and guitar, an African-American Spiritual titled Give Me Jesus. The final piece of the recital will be performed by Stephen and Cole on guitars, accompanied by Karl Grant on bass guitar and Caleb Marxhausen on drums. The song is Martin Smith and Stuart Garrard’s My Glorious.
The Gustavus Department of Music is pleased to present the senior baritone recital of Stephen Hilding in concert on Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. in Björling Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public.