SUNY Oswego’s Music Department will offer a fast-moving fundraising show with its annual “Collage” concert, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 1, in Tyler Hall’s Waterman Theatre.

The show is open to the campus community and the public, with donations welcome to support the Music Department Excellence Fund in a general seating arrangement.

"'Collage’ is one of our favorite ways to bring our department together,” said music faculty member Robert Auler, who started the concert series and continues to serve as faculty coordinator. “It's a truly collaborative, multi-faceted show including large ensembles, student soloists and faculty appearances."

“People can expect to hear music across a wide range of genres and time periods, and from every ensemble that our music department has to offer,” said Mackenzie Shields, a senior dual major in music and in journalism, who serves as the student production manager.

“The fast-paced show moves quickly as a spotlight shifts from performance to performance without applause,” Auler said.

“In addition to the college ensembles, select student performers and faculty members will be presenting their work to the public,” Shields added. “These performances range from a jazz combo to Mozart to original electronic compositions.”

“It's a great way to showcase the breadth and the excellence of our students," Auler noted.

Student opportunities

Shields noted that this is an example of a show that provides opportunities for many students, both on the stage and behind the scenes. For this concert, Shields serves as the key liaison between the department and the student performers, handling many pieces of logistics.

“It's not the most glamorous role on the team, but somebody has to make sure it all happens,” Shields explained. “This role is part of how I'm helping with community service to the department through the music honors fraternity that I am in, Mu Beta Psi.”

As a student on the department’s performance track and often appearing on stage, the behind-the-scenes work has been a new and rewarding experience.

“This is a great moment to step back and work on some of the background components, and work directly with many of the music faculty, who are all just really amazing, hardworking people that I've spent my years here looking up to,” Shields noted. 

“I'm really excited to also be performing in the concert: this is my favorite concert that we do all year,” Shields added. “I feel like it's the most collaborative experience that the music department has.”