By Chloe Nott

Quincy University music professors and instructors took to the stage September 12 at the Connie Niemann Center for Music. The event was presented by the QU Division of Fine Arts and Communication as part of the Arts Quincy Sunday Music Concert Series.

As the light flowed through the stained glass windows, music filled the room from the mellow sounds of the marimba to the dramatic emotions of an aria.

Pieces were performed by Bill Machold, Christine Damm, Kristin Ramseyer, and Sara Devine. Laura Kammerer accompanied several pieces on piano.

Machold is an assistant professor of music and director of bands. In addition to teaching music theory and percussion, he directs the Hawks marching band, pep band, and symphonic band.

Machold performed two pieces on different instruments. The first piece was a popular solo marimba piece by Paul Smadbeck that Machold arranged and performed on the marimba with sequenced accompaniment. The second was an original solo snare drum piece called “Visually Speaking”.

Damm is an associate professor of music and division chair of fine arts and communication. In addition to teaching several courses, she directs the Hawks Express Jazz Band and instructs woodwind.

Damm performed two pieces, a solo second on the program and later a duet. Her first piece, Concerto for Clarinet, was accompanied by Kammerer. The second was an 1828 Franz Schubert piece performed with Ramseyer.

The recital was a rare opportunity for Damm and her colleagues to perform publicly.

“I love performing but I think it’s really important for our students to see how hard we work and what it takes to put on a performance. We practice, we put in the time, and it’s also fun to show off for our students as well so they know that we can perform,” Damm said.

Ramseyer is the newly appointed director of choirs and assistant professor of voice. Ramseyer performed a solo piece from “Susannah” called Ain’t it a Pretty Night. She also performed the final item of the night with Damm, Der Hirt auf del Felson.

Adjunct professor Devine performed a piece on flute called Poem by Charles Griffes.

The concert was free and open to the public. Five more music events are currently scheduled for the semester, including the QU Choirs concert, QU Jazz Band concert, QU student recital, Madison Brueck Junior recital, and the QU Choirs Christmas concert.