Renowned composer and concert-trained pianist Amanda Harberg performed in Edwards Recital Hall featuring original works with faculty members and students on March 15. 

The event was organized by Assistant Professor of music Eric Schultz, the director of the Edwards Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE). The project promotes students to diversify a traditional musical repertoire through a wide range of backgrounds. 

“Every teacher will hand you a list of certain things you need to have studied, and what you’ll see on lists is that it is amazing music, but certain demographics are just not represented,” Schultz said. “It’s not even a close issue– this is an issue of the complete exclusion of entire communities from this list.” 

The [Represent]atoire Project has been familiar with Harberg’s work since its recital debut in April 2022, with this being her first in-person appearance.  

Schultz said the project has involved a great deal of work and brings many benefits to further the school’s and student’s music libraries; a collection of pieces easily accessible free of copyright charge. 

“Every ounce of effort that we put towards this project has come back to us tenfold, so I have no hesitation in giving all of my effort to this,” he said. 

Events included a preconcert reception sponsored by both Femme Fest and CCU’s Women’s and Gender Studies faculty, ending the night with a Q&A seminar to learn about the music’s emotional origins. 

Professor of music Phillip Powell talked about some of the chamber music Harberg created and performed during the show. 

“Miss Harberg has written pieces that fit the hand really nicely, so it is actually fun to play them,” Powell said. 

Powell went with Harberg’s narration of “Sadie’s Birthday Adventure,” which included a small ensemble telling the story of a dog’s day-long celebration, for the audience to participate. 

Harberg referred to her style as a collaboration of improvisation of unique classical tradition, jazz and American popular influences from other living composers to help both the instruments and personalities shine. 

Growing up with a lack of female composers in history books and mainstream media, she believes in the [Represent]atoire’s mission. 

“When young people see me doing what I do, I hope they will realize they too can do this, and it is open to everybody,” she said. “I hope to make meaning with the music we will be playing together and to inspire people on some level by giving something for people to be excited about.” 

Harberg debuted a new work called “Oh’ Snap!” commissioned and sponsored by the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts for clarinet, and a Steinway Spirio Player Piano to capture the live performance’s passion and power accurately. 

[Represent]atoire promised to try and bring a prolific, living composer to campus every year, hinting at having ideas for future performances. 

“We at Coastal can serve a role in helping introduce new music to a wider audience, and that is the noble thing I think part of what the University should be doing,” Schultz said.