MCC Virtual Winter Concert: Part I

The Muskegon Community College Winter Concert, featuring virtual performance by MCC students, faculty and staff, has been divided into two separate videos, each premiering on a different day in May.

The first video debuts on Tuesday, May 4, at 6 p.m. on MCC Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as on the MCC website at www.muskegoncc.edu/music. The second video, which will be shared on the same channels, will be unveiled on Thursday, May 6, at 6 p.m.

The MCC Wind Ensemble opens the first video with “At Morning’s First Light,” by David R. Gillingham. Then MCC student Sabrina Haverkamp, a flautist, is joined by MCC Music Instructor Nick Palmer on piano, for a performance of “Andalouse” by Emile Pessard. The MCC Jazz Ensemble closes the first segment with “Avenue Swing” by Mike Collins-Dowden.

The second video installment again features the two ensembles. The Wind Ensemble plays “Evening Song (Abenlied)” by Josek Rheinberg and arranged by Shelley Hanson. The Jazz Ensemble follows with two selections – “Be Cool” by Bob Turner and “Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise” by Sigmund Romberg with an arrangement by Paul Baker.

“In this very strange year that we all have experienced, our music has been able to endure­,” noted MCC Music Director Daniel M. Meyers, who chairs the Arts and Humanities Department.

“In fact, we have persevered and learned an amazing amount about ourselves, as well as how to make music, both literally and figuratively. Many of these musicians have never ever met one another since we have been virtual the entire academic year. They are also seeing this for the first time and finding out who else made this music with them.”

Quentin DuPont, a MCC student musician who assists Meyers in the Music Department, devoted hundreds of hours in compiling and editing the individual performances into the two videos.