Kassia and Friends II, a recital put on by the UW-Plateville faculty vocal chamber ensemble named Kassia, wowed audiences with many different pieces of music.

Photograph by Stephanie Coren


Margaret Cornilis, Sharon Jensen and Susan Day perform during the the Kassia and Friends II recital on Jan. 31.

Music selections were by artists that lived ranging from the 1600s to the early 1900s, such as Mozart and Gershwin. The performance was held during the afternoon Jan. 31 in the Center for the Arts.

The ensemble is named after a ninth century female composer, Kassia, who was a poet and composer. She spent most of her life in a convent because her exclusive intelligence was an embarrassment to her fiancé. Kassia and Friends II was put together to highlight the talents of women in the arts uniting words and music.
The performers included Rebekah Demaree and Susan Day, sopranos, Sharon Jensen, piano, Paul Brenner, viola/violin, David Cooper, trumpet, Allen Cordingley, saxophone, Margaret Cornils, flute, John Marco, clarinet and Terry Dillon, piano.

“I thought the concert was wonderful,” said sophomore music major Katie Haberlie. “It was nice to see the collaboration of the vocal and instrumental departments.

“Being a music major, I am required to go to the concert but the music is so beautiful and full of variety that I just love and appreciate going to it,” Haberlie said.

Susan Day and Rebekah Demaree co-founded the ensemble in 2006 and were excited to put on this year’s performance.

“We had such a positive response after last year’s ‘Kassia & Friends’ recital, both from our audience and our colleagues,” Day said. “Becky and I wanted to share another concert of chamber music and our colleagues graciously agreed.

“It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to express our creativity and artistry through music. The program gives the audience a comprehensive musical experience. Not only does this program pair solo voice with instruments, it also illustrates the collaborative nature of our music department at UW-P,” Day said
About 45 students and Platteville residents were in attendance.

“I like the second half the best because the songs were more modern,” sophomore chemistry and criminal justice major, Chantelle Blanchard said. “The women’s voices were phenomenal and the musicians were wonderful as well.”