Magnificent, captivating, humorous and delightful. These are all words that describe the performances in "The Feminine Voice," a musical collage of works from female composers, poets and lyricists which took place last Friday in the Music Recital Hall. The evening's performance served as a great date night event or a cultural enlightening experience. One felt important and part of the upper crust in being able to witness such high-caliber performances. It felt like going to the opera with a side of comedy and modernity mixed in. "It was amazing. I was surprised…I'm glad I came," says George Castillo, a first-year electrical engineering student. Songs such as "Two Beautiful for Words" from the Broadway play "The Color Purple" were sung with heartfelt conviction and longing by Sherinda Bryant, a fifth-year business and music student. The hard work, originality and creativity of the student performers was evident throughout the night, as the audience was moved by the emotion in singers' voices and their laughter was aroused in lighter-toned songs, such as "Susanswerphone," a song about a telephone operator and the man she has fallen in love with, but will never see. "The feminine voice is very powerful," said Jaclyn Lara, co-director of this year's Vagina Monologues. "I was proud to listen to and enjoy the works of these female composers." Guitar riffs and piano melodies were on display as students showcased their lyrical and instrumental talent. Faculty member and pianist Janet Noll, an accompanist for the majority of the vocal arrangements, had a graceful and superb style that exemplified a rendition of E.E. Cummings' "Springtime." Original songs were also performed, such as "A Song for the Office," a hilarious tale of a pirate duo whose self-interests befall their partner's fate. Candice Brown and Matt Matsumoto whose aliases are "Pirate Candace and the Peg Leg" delightfully performed this song. Students spent hours of their own time selecting their songs and preparing for the performance. "I've always wanted to perform ['Journey to the Past']," said Cindy Varghese, a third-year music and marketing student. "Music appreciation is what I hope students get from tonight's performance." The concert was hosted by the Charles Lindsley Memorial Vocal Scholarship Fund. Director and performer Susan Burns said the purpose of the scholarship is to honor students who have significantly contributed to music and performance at Cal Poly within the last year. The fund began in 1994, one year after the death of its namesake, Charles Lindsley, a founding member of the music department.
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