Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will host its annual Composers Symposium showcasing compositions by OBU students. The symposium will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus.

The first half of the concert features chamber music, and in the second half the Ouachita Singers will perform, under the direction of Dr. Gary Gerber, chair of OBU’s Division of Music.

The participating student composers include: Joel Coleman, a junior music theory/composition major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Kassie Johnsen, a sophomore music theory/composition major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Tyler Kemp, a senior music theory/composition major from Bolivar, Mo.; and Christina Wood, a senior piano performance and music theory/composition major from Longview, Texas.

“The symposium's purpose is to provide an opportunity for our student composers to have their works presented in a public performance,” said Dr. Patrick Houlihan, OBU professor of music.

Each composer has spent at least a semester working on the compositions, drawing inspiration from various sources.

“Mainly this performance gives confidence, experience and ultimately the drive to write more compositions,” Kemp said.

Students said they found inspiration through different sources such as nature, emotion or books they have read.

“The choral piece I’m having performed is adapted from Job and chronicles the book as a whole,” Johnsen said. She added that her grandfather read the book of Job to her as a child, and he was the inspiration for her composition.

“Hearing your piece of music performed on stage for the first time is amazing; there is nothing like it,” Wood said. “It helps you know how to improve your music in future compositions.”

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be led by Dr. Patrick Houlihan. For more information, contact Houlihan at [email protected] or (870) 245-5130.

By Lara Overman