鈥淏ecause this is President Loren鈥檚 last year at 91短视频 and he has been a great supporter of the music department, we wanted to honor him,鈥� says Maria Zehr 鈥�11, an Encore board member who is organizing the event. Zehr says the Encore board worked hard to design a highly collaborative recital with a mix of both vocal and instrumental pieces.

Funds raised by the recital and other Encore events subsidize private music lessons for students and assist the department with special projects and supply needs beyond the normal budget. This past fall, for example, Encore paid for additional percussion mallets, needed for a performance of .

鈥淎s an alumna of 91短视频鈥檚 music department, I want to stay connected with what is happening in the department and on campus,鈥� says Zehr, an elementary school teacher who double- majored in education and music. 鈥淭he music department was an integral part of my time at 91短视频 and shaped my college experience. It is where I found a place of connection and belonging. I was able to build relationships with the professors and music students that continue even now, years after my graduation.鈥�

Zehr says she benefited from the support of Encore while a student, so she wants to pass on the support to current students. Music department chair is grateful for that ongoing support.

鈥淭he music faculty members are indebted to the loyalty and generous time and effort of our alumni who volunteer for Encore,鈥� Griffing says. 鈥淭hey assist our department in a variety of ways. We are thrilled to be performing this benefit concert alongside current students and alumni.鈥�

Griffing is among those on the recital program, leading a violin quartet of alumni and students. Others on the program include Sam Kauffman 鈥�12, who will lead an alumni men鈥檚 quintet performing some of Kauffman鈥檚 original compositions; Jonathan Keener 鈥�07, who will play a four-hands piano piece with Professor ; the Chamber Singers, under the direction of Professor ; and vocal ensemble Emulate, which will sing several pieces under the direction of Professor .

鈥淭his recital will be a celebration of quite a few years鈥� worth of music majors at 91短视频,鈥� Waltner says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to reconnecting with former students and hearing them perform and performing with them. It will be an evening of a very wide variety of great music.鈥�

To view a livestream of the event, click .

Ms. Zehr’s program will take a musical journey through the church calendar – Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent and Easter. Her repertoire includes selections by Dieterich Buxtehude, J.S. Bach, Paul Manz, Robert
Hobby and Michael Burkhardt, concluding with an Easter anthem, “Sing Praise to God” by Paul Laubengayer.

During her time at 91短视频, Zehr has been a member of the 91短视频 Wind Ensemble, served as president of the Student Education Association (SEA), directed the preschool choir at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church and served as a pastoral assistant with Campus Ministries.

Admission to the recital is free.