Baldwin performs senior trumpet recital 

Alyssa Tyler copy editor  

Erica Baldwin, senior in music education, performed her senior recital this on Sept. 25 in the Sharon Kay Dean Recital Hall. Baldwin performed six pieces on three different instruments: piccolo trumpet, B-flat trumpet, and flugelhorn. 

“Today was my senior recital, this shows all of the work that I’ve put in the five years I’ve been here. This is like my gift to the music department,” Baldwin said. “For music ed majors, you have to put on a senior recital, and you practice your music for a while. Since I chose to do mine earlier in the year, I have been practicing my music since January. And I’ve been working on it, picking up some new pieces over the summer, just really working it out.” 

Baldwin chose all the music that she performed at her senior recital. Her repertoire included Trumpet March in E Major by Jean Baptiste Lully, Sonata for Cornet and Piano, Op. 18 by Thorvald Hansen, March in E Major by Johann Sebastian Bach, Morceau de Concert Jean G. Pennequin, Someone to Watch Over Me by George Gershwin and arranged by Joseph Turrin.  

“Going through and looking at past repertoire, things I have played in the past. Looking towards things that can challenge me for the future, what I can show off, like my ‘bread and butter,” Baldwin said. 

When it came to the performance, only a select few people knew of Baldwins plan of singing the last song, “Someone to Watch Over Me.” 

“My favorite to play was probably the E-Flat march on piccolo, but after seeing everyone’s reaction I think my favorite one was ‘Someone to Watch Over Me. I didn’t tell anyone I was singing; it was a surprise. I didn’t tell my parents either, so only very few people knew about it. As in my teacher and those who have been in rehearsal,” Baldwin said.  

During the performance, Susan Marchant, director of choral activities and professor of organ, accompanied Baldwin on the organ for some of the pieces. 

“She is a real cornerstone of the program. She’s involved instrumentally, vocally, organizations, you name it. I mean she is the heart of everything we do here,” Marchant said. 

The recital was available to watch via live stream, but due to technical difficulties, the live stream was not fully available. Baldwin archived the recital 

“I love them, and I appreciate them so much. I am shocked at how many people decided to show up. I am blessed to have this many friends, I also had a ton of people watching on the live stream, had a lot people from work watching, had had a lot of people who couldn’t make it today that were watching. So, it means a lot to me that a lot of people care to watch,” Baldwin said.  

After seniors in music education perform their senior recital, they typically go into student teaching the next semester. 

“I am looking forward to student teaching next year. I get to do student teaching next semester and then get to go out to the world and do a job. I am excited for high school band,” Baldwin said. 

Erica Baldwin, senior in music education, plays the frugal horn during her senior recital at Mcray Hall on Sept. 25. Baldwin also sang during the recital. Alyssa Tyler