By Sarah Daniels, Staff Writer
Erica Messinger ’24 performed their senior recital on Nov. 20 at 2:30 p.m. in Paul Recital Hall.
The first song, “Trillium,” was written by Elizabeth Brown, and Messinger dedicated the song to “all of [her] past and present music teachers” that have informed her decision to major in music education.
The next song was “Fanmi Imèn,” composed by Valerie Coleman, and had themes of family woven into the music; hence, Messinger dedicated the piece to their family.
Expressing her gratitude for her family in the program, Messinger wrote, “I would not be on this stage today without [their] never-ending support and I thank [them] immensely.”
“Maya,” the third piece in the recital, was written by Ian Clarke and accompanied by Juno Braten ’25 on the flute. The piece was dedicated to Messinger’s friends from Gettysburg College.
Erica Messinger ’24 (Photo Courtesy of Erica Messinger)
Messinger dedicated the next piece, Amanda Harberg’s “Feathers and Wax,” to themself: “I simply must acknowledge that I could not have made it this far without myself. Though my journey is far from over and though I may never reach it, I will never stop chasing the horizon.” This piece was Messinger’s favorite to perform in the recital.
Messinger said, “[That] piece is so cool and so much fun to perform and I had a blast performing it at my recital!”
The final piece, “Tarentelle for Flute, Clarinet and Piano,” was composed by Camille Saint-Saëns, and Messinger was accompanied by Jason Cebulski ’24 on clarinet and adjunct instructor for the Sunderman Conservatory Kevin Gorman on piano. This dedication was for Cebulski, and Messinger wrote that he stood “by me through the good and the bad, the laughter and the tears, the pretty and the ugly.”
Messinger reflected on her culminating performance with confidence: “I feel quite satisfied with my recital. I am really proud of the result, and I feel it was a great ending to all the work I have put in for the past few months.”
As a child, Messinger was surrounded by music.
“I was always very musical, and I grew up watching my older brother play saxophone in band, so I knew I also wanted to play an instrument,” she said.
In 4th grade, Messinger chose their instrument of the flute, writing, “I was naturally drawn to the flute due to its beautiful and elegant sound, and it was also a very reasonable size for me, who was a small child at the time, to hold.”
When discussing the impact music had on her, Messinger said, “Music has always been such a huge part of my life, and I cannot possibly imagine having a happy future without it.”
This love for music has also manifested in Messinger’s academic pursuits.
“I decided to major in music education because my own music teachers have been such huge inspirations in my life, and I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I absolutely love to teach and I hope to instill a love for music in my students the same way that my teachers did for me,” they said.
When discussing their plans for post graduation, Messinger wrote, “My plans are to start working as a teacher. I am hoping to work either as an elementary general music teacher or a middle or high school band teacher.”
