Fall lunch concert series

For the time being, they remain in hiding in Fannin Performance Hall's many practice rooms. In a few weeks, they will set foot on the small stage set up in the middle of the cafeteria. Fret not, faithful Subway patrons. Richland College's musical ensembles are prepared to entertain and rescue you from your lunchtime boredom and woes.

The Lunch Concert Series is the brainchild of Derrick Logozzo, director of instrumental music. The lunchtime concerts began last spring and the music department has since organized six weekly performances in the cafeteria each semester.

"When I was applying for this position, my interviewer asked me, ‘What would you do to engage the Music Department students more with the rest of the campus?'" Logozzo said. "The concerts are a way for music students and faculty to be more integrated with the campus and to reach out to their peers."

Richland is home to 18 performing ensembles, including symphonic, jazz, world music and chamber groups that play brass, woodwind, percussion and string instruments. When deciding on which ensemble gets to perform, Logozzo said he makes an effort to represent different performing groups that will also represent different genres of music. He also considers performances that are suitable for the chosen venue.

Directors give participating students grades based on their performances, as the lunchtime concerts are part of the ensemble course performance load. Aside from performing in the cafeteria, the ensembles also provide entertainment for functions and campus events organized by the Office of Student Life.

"The turn-out [for the concerts] has been really good since people are eating lunch anyway," Logozzo said. "It's a win-win situation because the rest of the campus is [entertained] and our students and faculty get good practice time in a more informal setting before hitting the performance hall stage."

The first concert will be Oct. 20 and will feature a mix of contemporary rock, jazz and world music from the Fusion Band.

"[The concerts] are a great opportunity because you get to perform for an audience in a unique setting," music student Jordan Laurence said. "It's like a mental game. The more you surprise students with your musical ability, the more you're motivated to practice and perform well."

A diverse musical line-up with performers who aim to create a more inviting atmosphere may be the key to turning lunch into a time both students and faculty can look forward to this fall.