Kristina Rex ’11 took the stage for her Senior Recital this Saturday.
The seats in the sunlit Timkin room filled up quickly with an anticipating audience.
Rex stepped onto the stage with a pink dress that complemented her bright smile, followed by Christopher Walter, Instructor in Music, who accompanied Rex on the piano during the entire recital.
Rex began the program with two French pieces “Clair de Lune Op. 46 No.2” and “Les Roses d’Ispahan op. 39 No. 4” by Gabriel Fauré. The pieces had a soothing effect that held the audience’s attention.
Then she went on to perform two German pieces “Wir Wandelten” and “Die Mainacht” by Johannes Brahms.
Rex’s clear and ringing voice carried the audience through “Wir Wandleten” with grace, hitting the high notes with a soft and sweet tone.
The next song, Claude-Michel Schönberg’s “On My Own” from the musical “Les Misérables”, brought an exchange of energy between Rex and the audience.
Rex explained that “On My Own” was one of her favorite songs since her childhood.
Her love for the piece showed through clearly with her strong performance of the piece that not only showcased her technical skills, but also her ability to express the emotions from the song.
The mood of the recital shifted suddenly when Rex sang a theatrical song, “Nothing” by Marvin Hamlisch.
She gave the playful song her own touch by adding in her own name to the humorous dialogue. This addition did not take away from her vocal performance but instead added a free-spirited quality to the piece.
Rex invited Patrick Brady ’11 to join her on the stage to perform Stephen Schwartz’s “As Long As You’re Mine,” a selection from “Wicked.”
From the first note it was clear that the duo shared a unique and powerful dynamic. Their voices complimented each other’s beautifully, especially when they harmonized at the climax of the song.
The performed pieces undoubtedly reflected her ability to take classic songs and make them her own with her strong yet sweet voice.
One of the many highlights of the concert was when Elizabeth Carrolo ’11 joined Rex on stage for a stirring rendition of “For Good” by Stephen Schwartz.
Their heartfelt performance had depth and sincerity. Mandi Thran ’11 said, “It conveyed a huge amount of emotion in it between Rex and Carrolo. You could definitely hear it, and you could see it, and it was the one that really procured a strong emotional response from me.”
During the latter half of the performance, Rex sang “Memory,” a song by Andrew Lloyd Webber, from the musical “Cats.” Though of the melody went particularly high, this did not pose a problem for Rex.
“Midnight Train to Georgia” by Jim Weatherly displayed Rex’s aptitude as a singer, as she was able to cover many genres, from classical to soulful pop.
Brady found this song to be his favorite from the recital and said, “I really loved ‘Midnight Train to Georgia.’ That’s one of my favorite songs…and I was singing along in my seat.”
For the finale, Azure came up to support Rex with an a cappella performance. The group provided smooth harmonies for Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man” while Rex sang the solo charmingly.
Rex’s performance ended with a full house of enthusiastic applause and cheering.
The audience was impressed with the way the repertoire spanned across multiple genres, showcasing her versatility as a singer.
As a distinguished singer on campus, Rex, who is co-head of Azure and a veteran of Gospel Choir and Chorus, plans on continuing her singing in college by taking voice lessons and performing in musicals and a cappella groups.
