This time of the year is filled with sights, smells and sounds that are unique to the holiday season. These sensory experiences often cause us to wax sentimental; to reflect on things past and look forward to things ahead. Waubonsee Community College’s music department contributes to these moments through its series of holiday concerts.
The department hosted five concerts and recitals throughout December. With several different types of ensembles, the musical variety is broad with something likely to appeal to every musical taste. These performances featured different kinds of music of the season.
On December 3, the Waubonsee Chorale and Chamber Choir hosted a winter concert in the Auditorium on the Sugar Grove Campus. The performance featured a mix of contemporary and traditional holiday and seasonal songs, as well as musical adaptations of poems by familiar poets. Of particular note was a set of three songs performed in barbershop quartet style by four brothers who are all students at Waubonsee.
Johnathan Heuman, a sophomore at Waubonsee and graduate of Kaneland High School studying both music and information technology, is one of those brothers in the barbershop quartet. He also sings in the chorale and the chamber choir.
In his time at the college, Heuman has developed into an accomplished vocalist, according to Holly Schmidt, adjunct faculty member and director of the Waubonsee Chorale and Chamber Choir.
The connection to faculty members is something that Heuman values about his experience at Waubonsee.
“The music teachers do more than teach. They inspire. They have the freedom and flexibility to teach what and how they want to,” he said.
Not only does he appreciate receiving that kind of inspiration, but he tries to provide it to others by teaching his own students. He has taught voice lessons to middle school students and plans to do much more of that after he graduates from Waubonsee at the end of the spring semester.
Heuman loves and appreciates the freedom that comes from the art that he studies. He sees learning and development as a process. Which is one of the reasons why he chose Waubonsee as the starting point of his academic journey.
“I felt like I would be able to learn and grow here and explore things. Even if it meant not doing so well in a class or two. Which did happen but because of the relatively low cost of classes, I was able to continue on,” Heuman said.
Waubonsee offers an Associate in Fine Arts – Music Performance and an Associate in Arts – Music. The college also offers a Certificate of Achievement in Audio Production Technology. There are also many ways and opportunities to take individual classes. Visit www.waubonsee.edu/music to learn more about classes and programs.
