Fine Arts department feature: Laura Miller

By Kira Roberts, Layout Editor

Students at SNU are required to host recitals as partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Music Education with Vocal Emphasis.

Junior vocal music education major  Laura Miller performed in her junior level recital on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 in Cantrell Music Hall.  Laura is a mezzo-soprano and a student of Professor Rebekah Ambrosini.

DaLeesa Flick accompanied her on the piano.  Student Jose Palacios backed her up with the cello for one song while fellow vocalist Amy Snyder sang alongside her in a duet called Laudamus Te.

Tanner Aubrey also performed several pieces on the piano and the University Singers finished the evening.

Laura said she heard the University Singers when she was in 9th grade at their vocal jazz festival and knew she wanted to be in a group like that.  After auditioning at other state and regional universities, nothing seems to fit quite like SNU.

“I know for certain SNU’s music program has been the perfect place for me to grow and discover how I will change the world around me through music,” Miller said.

As for students on campus, Miller said, “You should get involved because it’s something you can delight in, whether it’s piano, guitar, or voice lessons, being in a choir, or auditioning for the musical.  College can be overwhelming and sometimes we lose our passions in the midst of our major.   Music is something everyone can learn and enjoy. Yes, EVERYONE.  It is a delight and good for the heart.”

When it comes to prospective students looking at majoring in music, “it has been a great place to learn and have a diverse and well rounded education.  In many other schools, professors are very divisive with each other and selfish with their students.  However, at SNU there are so many ways to perform and one can sing and perform a range of styles.  The music faculty is truly of the highest quality.”

Miller said that music has allowed her to find something beautiful and convey it to others.  According to her, majoring in music sometimes makes one lose the beauty in music.  However, she said that it’s been great to rediscover that this year and realize why music matters to her, why she thinks it’s important to the world around her, and how she will use music to impact the people around her for the glory of God.

“Each professor has impacted me different ways at different times.  When I first got to SNU, I knew Jim Graves was the best and went to Bible Study at his house every Sunday night.  It was a place where I knew I belonged.  The willingness in his heart to connect with his students outside of class is truly a blessing.  This semester because of my recital I have also gotten to know Daleesa Flick and Rebecca Ambrosini.  Those women have also been an incredible encouragement in my life and it has been wonderful getting to spend so much time with them and seeing the investment they have made in my life.

“I’m really looking forward to the SNU Jazz Festival on Monday, April 8th.  It’s totally free and we bring in talented area high schools and world-class jazz musicians to put a concert together with the University Singers.  YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS, PEOPLE!

“If you love music and want to hear some more free concerts, every year music majors are performing their senior and junior level recitals.  The quality is always top notch and the students put so much work into it.  Also, there are campus concerts all the time with the band, choirs, guitar ensemble, and other various performing groups.”