On Nov. 23, Sam Stoltzfus, music major, will be giving her senior composition recital. In addition to showcasing her composition skills, the performance will also feature Stoltzfus as a vocalist alongside a number of Goshen College students and community members. The recital will be at 4 p.m. in Rieth Recital Hall.
The performance will be split into two distinct sections. The first half, described by Stoltzfus as being “rather heavy,” will focus on themes of violence, loneliness and the cyclical nature of Stoltzfus’s creative process. In the second half of the recital, the focus will shift to dragons. Stoltzfus has spent the past several years planning and worldbuilding a series of high fantasy books, several of which will feature dragons quite prominently. This has served as a source of inspiration for her piece “Vyros.” While only movements one, two, four and five will be performed this weekend, Stoltzfus plans on eventually publishing the complete six movement piece.In preparation for this recital, Stoltzfus said that she has learned a great deal. “I’ve been composing for almost a decade, but it wasn’t until college that I ever started composing for anything other than string instruments,” she said, describing how the process has pushed her and how she has grown as a composer during her college career.
