Faculty recital a chance to inspire students
The Albuquerque-based New Mexico School of Music will begin a yearlong celebration of its 10th anniversary with a faculty recital.
In 2005 the school started with 35 students.
“Today there are more than 500 students and 35 faculty members,” said Tatiana Vetrinskaya, the school’s founding director.
Vetrinskaya said the school is the leading private musical arts center in New Mexico.
“We teach talented students with distinguished faculty who are outstanding performers,” she said.
Eighteen faculty members will perform in the Feb. 8 recital at UNM’s Keller Hall.
“It is important for students to hear their teachers perform because students can be inspired to see teachers on the stage,” Vetrinskaya said.“It’s a different experience than meeting with them one-toone in studios.”
She recalls her own experience as a young student. When she heard her piano teacher perform for the first time, “it changed my life. Because after her performance I wanted to play like my teacher played and be a professional musician.”
Vetrinskaya became one. She also teaches piano at the school.
The school has students with a range of musical abilities playing a variety of instruments.
The teachers performing at the faculty recital include percussion instructors Abel Cuevas and Paul Palmer, pianist Jim Balagurchik, a trio comprised of soprano Kimberly Robinson, clarinetist Mike Herrera and pianist Sam Jacobs, the duo of harpist Julietta Rabens and pianist Abigail Muñoz, saxophone soloist Jennifer Macke, flute soloist Lauren Harris, baritone Nathaniel White, violinist/ violist John Yuan and the New Mexico School of Music Guitar Quintet. The quintet’s members are Chris Walker, Joseph Duran, Melissa Rios, Sabino Iturbe and Garrett Holslag.
Yuan is the recently named chair of the school’s Orchestra Department.
“Other events this year may include solo recitals of students and faculty. The climax of the anniversary will be a large celebration in October with students, faculty and student alumni,” Vetrinskaya said.