UWSP Alumni Return For Premier Performance

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Alumni, Holly Janz and Michael Keller, performed a unique opera style act with dramatic staging on Sunday, Jan. 29.

Previous performances of the show include Concordia College in September and  two days before appearing at UWSP they performed in Madison.

A native of Marshfield, Janz received her Bachelor of Music from UWSP, Master of Music from the University of Colorado and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas with high honors. She is now the associate professor of voice at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Mezzo-soprano, Janz, was coached by pianist, Keller when she was a student at UWSP where she learned how the vocalist and pianist perform together in collaboration.

Repertoire for the show is staged as opposed to a typical standing and singing performance. They use props which contribute to the dramatic, opera-like atmosphere.

The performance includes slow music, which can tire the audience. However, Janz and Keller are taking an approach that includes a 20 minute piano solo by Keller so that Janz can rest and change costume.

“It’s really nice as a pianist to not have to do a whole program of solo music and for the singer to have a break. It’s collaborative,” Keller said.

The second half is a comical compilation based off of letters from the question and answer column, Miss Manners. The composer took several of the questions and answers from the column about how to behave properly at a theatrical or musical event and set them to music.

Both performers are excited to impact their audience in new ways and Keller is excited to see previous students.

“Some of the people that I know are coming are family members of mine that don’t have a lot of experience,” Janz said. “I think that they will maybe not know exactly what to expect but will hopefully be encouraged to continue to see things like this.”

Both performers speak into what they have learned throughout their careers.

“You don’t have to make a career of it, but to be an advocate, to be a supporter,” Janz said. “That’s part of what we do, to develop and encourage those people too.”

Janz has returned to UWSP to perform about five times now and is especially excited to give something back to the students. She sees students that remind her of herself and offers advice.

“Where you are right now is not the finished product,” Janz said. “This is only the start or the base and you can only keep on learning and developing once you leave this place.”

Even after retirement, Keller finds life through playing music.

“Sometimes I’m astonished that music is still so healthy for me. I know so many people who retire from music and they never play again. I’ve been lucky to have the opposite experience. It feeds me,” Keller said. “That’s the wonderful thing as a musician, when you retire, you can keep doing what you’re doing.”

 

Katilyn Wanta

Reporter

kwant593@uwsp.edu