On Sunday, September 27th, Grammy nominated musician Dale Stuckenbruck and renowned pianist Heawon Kim invite you into the world of “Fantasy Excursions” in the Martha Street Culp Auditorium.
This performance features an incredibly diverse palette of sounds and colors in music while highlighting composers of different backgrounds and walks of life.
The idea for this performance finds its roots in uniting the community together both in celebration and exploration.
In terms of celebration, this concert serves as a moment of remembrance for Stuckenbruck’s late mother Ottie Mearl Stuckenbruck who unfortunately passed away during covid.
“We were blessed by her late age, but unfortunately because it was Covid time we were not able to celebrate her life the way many people would have wanted”, said Stuckenbruck. “So it was through my sister Jane Perry and Laura Hensley that we were able to do it on this day”.
While this concert will celebrate the life of someone who meant so much to her community, it will also explore themes of exploration of different voices and sounds in music.
One of the biggest selling points of this concert is the inclusion of Stuckenbruck’s uncommon instrument: the musical saw.
For most of his early life, Stuckenbruck grew up listening to his father play the saw as his mother would sing.
Growing up in Germany, he became accustomed to hearing the saw being played as it was a common instrument in his community.
“Everyone I knew at some point played the saw, so I didn’t think it was such an unusual instrument,” said Stuckenbruck. “I only realized after coming to New York that there were very few professional saw players.”
With it’s ethereal yet penetrating sound quality, as well as the promise of unique pieces and some new composers, this performance offers the audience a rare blend of innovation, intimacy, and an emotional journey.
Each piece was carefully selected to help explore themes of fantasy and imagination while also providing moments of reflection and healing.
With its focus on fantasy, Stuckenbruck hopes to help expand the ears and hearts of the audience, bringing us back to a time filled with community and creativity.
“Today, there’s such division in everything that’s happening today,” said Stuckenbruck. “Without necessarily saying anything, I want the audience to experience how common our bonds are through music and how much room there is to explore new ideas in classical music.”
Stuckenbruck would like to thank his sister Jane Perry and ETSU’s own Laura Hensley for making this performance possible, as well as his wife Heawon Kim for accompanying him on piano.
Feel free to experience this extraordinary concert on Sunday, September 27th for free in the Martha Street Culp Auditorium.
