Music and Art students in their senior year at Gustavus have been working hard throughout their school careers to improve their skills. The annual senior recitals and senior art exhibition are these students’ opportunities to display how they have grown as artists and achieved their goals.

“The art program here is really great. Gustavus has a great community for it.”—Maren Legeros

Hanna Enright, a Theatre Honors major, and Amber Evenson, a Biology major with a Music minor, will be performing their senior vocal recital together on April 18 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Bjorling Recital Hall. Both musicians are mezzo sopranos and have been singing together since their first year at Gustavus. Their recital will include solos from both and two duets. This recital is free and open to the public.

“Amber’s a really good friend of mine. We thought it would be fun to perform together,” Enright said.

Evenson has been involved with music since 5th grade and hopes her involvement will continue throughout her life. In high school, Evenson was involved in band and choir and was a member of the Minnesota All State Choir. She plays both the piano and the clarinet, was a member of Chapel Choir her first year at Gustavus, and has been a member of G-Choir since her sophomore year.

“My music career at Gustavus has made me feel really accomplished. Gustavus has challenged me to want to be a better performer and to have connections with other musicians,” Evenson said.

Enright’s music career at Gustavus has helped her grow as a musician. Through her private voice lessons, she has learned how to better balance solo versus choral singing, which are very different styles. Enright has been involved in music for a long time; playing the piano since 3rd grade and taking cello lessons for a while when she was younger. But it is vocal music that she enjoys the most.

“I’ve always really loved singing. It is something that’s always been a part of my life,” Enright said.

“My career at Gustavus has made me feel really accomplished. Gustavus has challenged me to want to be a better performer and to have connections with other musicians.” —Amber Evenson

Both artists have grown and learned a lot at Gustavus. They are looking forward to presenting their final recital to the community, their fellow students, and to their family and friends.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself through music. I want my recital to showcase what I’ve been working on over the past four years,” Evenson said.

“There’s something really powerful about music,” Enright said. “It’s really satisfying. It’s kind of a little way to say thank you to my teachers and directors who’ve really helped me grow as a singer. Ultimately, it’s kind of a celebration.”

Studio Art major and Theatre minor Maren Legeros will be among the Art students featured in the Senior Art Exhibition in the Hillstrom Museum of Art, May 2-31.

Legeros grew up in an artistic family, her father is a sculptor. She has somewhat followed in his footsteps with her interest in art, focusing mainly in theatrical makeup, but also works with acrylic paint, paper cut art, and printmaking. Her work to be featured in the exhibit will be photographs of her theatre makeup creations.

“I’ve always loved art. It can talk about things that you can’t put to words. Art and art history is like a dialogue. It reaches across time to give emotion and I think that’s incredible,” Legeros said.

Legeros is looking forward to the opportunity to participate in her first professional gallery show. She is expecting feedback from her fellow students and the Gustavus and St. Peter communities that come to see the exhibit.

“The Gustavus community as a whole has fostered so much amazing dialogue. I’m really excited to have that feedback,” Legeros said.

“Art and art history is like a dialogue. It reaches across time to give emotion and I think that’s incredible.” —Maren Legeros

At Gustavus, Legeros has been able to grow and improve as an artist. Her courses have taught her in a scholarly sense and has also prepared her for a career as a successful, independent artist after college.

“The art program here is really great. Gustavus has a great community for it and I’m really appreciative of that,” Legeros said.

All senior recitals and the senior Art Exhibit are free and open to the public. So make sure to take some time out of your spring semester to check out this Gustie talent!

-Kim Krulish