On the evening of Monday, April 22, the seats of the Jameson Recital Hall will begin to fill, voices murmuring excitedly as the crowd settles in. Once the house lights dim, those voices will fade to silence and senior Grace Chang will take the stage.
Chang, accompanied by Dr. Mary Ann Wilder on the piano, will sing several songs from different composers and musical periods, including the works of Handel, Puccini and Brahms. For two special pieces, she will be joined by Dr. Jerram John on cello, for a French opera, then later by Haden Hebenstreit, singing tenor, for Time to Say Goodbye.
Many of the pieces that she will sing are from the Romantic and late-Romantic periods, like Brahms and Massenet. “I just love the music from the Romantic era period specifically because there are unique aspects to it; there is a lot of chromaticism, but also like a dreamy feeling to it, which can bring the lyrics to life.”
As a Music major with a Vocal Performance emphasis, Chang has been working towards her senior recital during the entirety of her time at Asbury, but truly honing in on the 16 pieces over the past six months. The soprano has been seriously pursuing operatic music since early 2020, when she began singing lessons–an opportunity she calls a provision from God.
“It would have been very hard, or almost impossible, to pursue a career in this way if it hadn’t been for God’s provision,” recounts Chang. “I couldn’t have done any of this without God. He has sent so many people to help me along the way; he sent me a very passionate and skilled teacher who taught me for almost nothing.”
For Chang, this recital is more reflective on those who have gotten her to this point, especially God. “At Asbury, there’s been professors who have been so personally invested in me, not only in my music, but in myself,” Chang explains. “The amount of growth and help that I have received from God and the people that God has sent me has shaped my music altogether.” Her music is not simply hers, or the composers’, but a gift from God that she can steward for others. She is aware that, in music especially, exact imitation of another is impossible, which fuels her love for music and its unique qualities.
“I think singing is very special because it comes out of you. It’s not an instrument that is separated from your body, not like an object; it comes from you. Who you are and what you feel is directly reflected in the music that you sing,” Chang said.
Anyone who hears her story or hears her sing can attest to her passion for music, her love for God and her desire to share the gift God has given her with others. The emotion required for many of the songs she will be singing will be fulfilled, as she has grown not only in her singing but in her character and identity in God.
All are welcome to join in Jameson Recital Hall prior to the recital, which begins at 7:30 p.m., for a small reception in Jameson with mocktails and Korean snacks. Then, over the course of an hour, Chang will take her audience through various musical periods, touching the hearts of those present.
Featured image by Canaan Yan.