San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX

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  • Cellist Julia Bruskin performs at a previous Juilliard Joins Texas State concert. (Photo by Chandler Prude)

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February 22, 2012

Juilliard Joins Texas State

Joint concert returns to Evans Auditorium for fifth year

San Marcos — The concert, Let Freedom Ring: Juilliard Joins Texas State for a Common Experience in the Arts, will take place at Texas State University in Evans Auditorium on Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

This year's theme focuses on the First Amendment and will feature two guest artists, actors Barbara Chisholm and Eugene Lee, who will portray Molly Ivins and Martin Luther King Jr. respectively.

The annual concert is unique in many respects, says Texas State alumnus and current Juilliard professor Dr. Wayne Oquin. Oquin founded the program for the two schools in 2007.

First, he says, is the format. The performance blends the performing arts in a synthetic manner. A monologue is woven into the music and dance giving the concert a seamless experience.

“The result is that the different artistic media affect each other; the words of a monologue will influence the music it immediately precedes, and so on,” Oquin said.

The lighting is also unique. Evans Auditorium was recently renovated with state-of-the-art lighting and sound.  The possibilities for lighting are considerable.  Designs are conceptual in nature.  They are not only visually interesting but they give each piece of music its own world to inhabit. 

The sets change quickly in the dark.  Texas State's Gaila Raymer is given the responsibility of lighting designer.  She also works year round on the event as production manager.

"Juilliard Joins Texas State is, without a doubt, the biggest event on my stage each year,”  Raymer, lighting designer and production manager at Evans, said. “This is because it is the only event that offers dance, drama and music in one evening, combined with the caliber of talent, filmed with a minimum of four cameras, including a jib - and an artistic director who requires perfection (Dr. Oquin).  From a technical standpoint, it is quite challenging and a great experience for the student technicians who assist me."

The program is also devoted exclusively to modern art.  Some of the music performed is rarely played outside of new music havens such as New York and Boston, Oquin says.  If one were to look at some of the avant-garde composers who have been performed in San Marcos over the past six years, the list is impressive:  Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez, George Crumb, György Ligeti, Magnus Lindberg, Arnold Schoenberg, Charles Wuorinen, and Iannis Xenakis.

These composers have all been featured in past years as have more traditional 20th Century composers such as Bartok, Britten, Copland, Ives, Debussy and Ravel.

Traditionally, students in the Texas State School of Music will collaborate with the Juilliard artists at a certain point in the program.  This year, Texas State and Juilliard will join forces on Oquin's Tower Ascending for Wind Ensemble, consisting of about 60 instruments.

"The collaboration between The Juilliard School and Texas State University is beneficial for both sides, and we are very grateful to our Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Wayne Oquin to take literally hundred of hours per year out of his very busy schedule (of more-than-full-time teaching and composing) to direct these annual 'Juilliard Concerts,’”  Dr. Nico Shuler professor of music at Texas State University, said.

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