It’s an annual concert where guitar strings and vocal cords meet in perfect harmony.

Nine duos from the Guitar and Voice Departments performed in a unique collaboration concert October 30 featuring works by Franz Schubert, Vincenzo Bellini and Federico García Lorca.

The concert is “always one of the most exciting events for us,” said Junhao Ma, a student guitarist studying with professor Meng Su. “The guitar has a warm and expressive tone, so it matches the singer’s voice really well. It often feels like we are having a conversation,” Ma added.

Guitar student Junhao Ma.

Ma was matched with vocalist Kyra Leetz and the pair performed Federico Garcia Lorca’s Nana de Sevilla, with both students calling it a great performance. “I feel so grateful for my partner Junhao who is such a sensitive guitarist," Leetz said. "It was so fulfilling to bounce creative ideas off of each other and really make music together.”

For teachers, the concert is also one they also look forward to: “This collaboration is one of the delights of the year,” David Tanenbaum, the chair of the guitar department said. Guitar and Voice department faculty work together to match singers with guitarists, and help them decide which musical works to perform.

Guitar Chair David Tanenbaum works with a student.

The collaboration not only has a rich history in repertoire, but is a great learning experience for both musicians. “Guitarists learn to listen intensely, and to be rhythmically flexible around the singer's breathing and phrasing,” Tanenbaum said, adding that Voice students “can learn that they don't have to strain to be heard when working with guitar.” 

The longtime partnership was created out of Tanenbaum's desire to collaborate with other departments so that SFCM guitarists don't have to feel siloed off from their peers, as may happen at other schools. “There are benefits on both sides of this collaboration,” he added. 

Voice student Kyra Leetz.

For preparation, every duo gets coached by the Guitar department faculty, with singers getting coached by their respective teachers. The pairs also play for Tanenbaum's ensemble class to prepare for the recital.

For students like Leetz, the experience lets them step out of the typical realm of their department performances  “It is so rewarding to make music with colleagues that you wouldn’t normally work with,” she said.

“My favorite part was the ending,” Ma added, “When Kyra’s voice slowly faded and mixed with the guitar sound. It created a very beautiful and peaceful feeling.”

Learn more about studying Guitar at SFCM
Learn more about studying Voice at SFCM.