On April 10, at 3 p.m., violinist Mailyn Iribar will take the stage at the Howard Performing Arts Center to perform her final solo recital on campus, one of the requirements to complete her degree in Music Performance at Andrews University. Her recital, which she has titled “Reflections,” will feature works by Jean Sibelius, Blythe Owen, Jessie Montgomery, Paul Schoenfield, Amy Beach and Richard Strauss.
The first piece on the program is titled “Mazurka,” Op. 81 by Sibelius. This work is quite joyful and bright compared to many of Sibelius’ more serious and dark works, and it is what drew Iribar to the piece. “I just really like the piece, it’s short and fun, so I thought it would be a great opener,” she said
Last summer, Iribar had the opportunity to participate in a research project on Blythe Owen’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 12, so it seemed fitting to play the first movement of this work for her recital. Owen was a professor of music at Andrews University from 1965 to 1981, teaching piano, theory and composition, and even playing cello in the orchestra.
As Owen is a lesser-known composer, this work has not been previously recorded, and it has rarely been performed. Iribar stated that though this makes learning the piece more challenging, it also allows her to create her own musical ideas. “I’m building my own interpretation from scratch,” she said. “I wanted to see how it felt to interpret Blythe Owen’s music.”
Several of the current Andrews University Department of Music professors had the opportunity to meet Owen while she was alive, including Kenneth Logan, who will be accompanying Iribar on this piece for her recital. Iribar expressed that being able to work with Logan while preparing this piece has given her a new perspective on the piece, incorporating her research into bringing this work to life.
The next work, Rhapsody No. 1, was composed by living composer Jessie Montgomery. Iribar stated, “I love her pieces and her composition style,” expressing her excitement to play this piece. Montgomery’s own program notes state that this piece was meant to be played as both an etude and as a solo work, and is inspired by the solo violin works of Eugène Ysaÿe.
Iribar, who was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, explained that the next piece, Schoenfield’s Four Souvenirs, “really represents who I am.” The work consists of four movements, each based on a different music and dance style—the “Samba” from Brazil, an Argentinian “Tango,” a New York City-inspired “Tin Pan Alley,” and a country-fiddle music “Square Dance.” Iribar added that this piece reminds her of the diversity present on the campus of AU, a rich mix of countries and cultures coming together to form a beautiful whole.
After a brief intermission, Iribar will play two final pieces. The first, Amy Beach’s “Invocation,” Op. 55, Iribar explains as a “prayer.” She stated, “As I play it, I can recall all the moments where I’ve seen God moving in my life, especially these last four years.” She explained that she hopes people will connect with this reflective, worshipful idea as she plays.
To finish the recital, Iribar will play a piece that has been meaningful to her since the beginning of her college experience, Strauss’ Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18. “I heard it my freshman year, and I fell in love with the piece…I didn’t want to graduate without playing it.” Strauss wrote this piece at a time when he was falling in love with Pauline de Ahna, whom he would later marry, putting his passion for her into the sonata.
When Iribar told her violin professor, Carla Trynchuk, that she wanted to play the Strauss Sonata for her recital, Trynchuk warned her that it might be hard to find a pianist to tackle such a difficult accompaniment. Luckily, pianist Aiko Ayala generously offered to learn the part. Iribar stated, “It’s really hard for the piano, so I admire her courage to take that on,” adding how the collaboration between the violin and the piano is what really brings the piece to life.
Alongside preparing for this recital, Iribar has had to balance a 17-credit semester, flying to various universities across the country for graduate school auditions, and competing for the Nerenberg Award and Farwell Trust Award in Chicago (where she won first place), all within the last three months. She expressed, “I try to be super efficient with the time that I have, being really intentional with what I want to achieve musically,” but also admitted that it has been quite stressful to juggle these many responsibilities. Despite these pressures on her time, Iribar feels prepared and excited to share this music with her audience.
The theme of her recital is “Reflections,” which Iribar explained “originally started as a joke,” after she chose a photo of herself looking in a mirror for her recital posters. However, after thinking about it some more, Iribar realized that this title was exactly what she had been looking for. “I want to share my experiences and the reflections I’ve had over these four years, not only in my music, but in my personal life, my relationship with God, and the friendships I’ve made,” she said. “I want to invite the audience to reflect on those important things in life.”
After she graduates from Andrews University, Iribar plans to attend graduate school for violin performance in the fall. Though she does not know exactly where her life will take her, she is excited to see where God leads her and to “just keep sharing music” as much as she can.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.