Ty Chiko & Ya-Ju Chuang Recital

Written by Alejandra Gaspar and Kaila Gatti

Faculty recitals are the perfect opportunity for students to watch their favorite professors in action. On April 2, Dr. Ty Chiko, the director of vocal music, and Dr. Ya-Ju Chuang, a collaborative pianist at IAA, performed “Mahler & The Music of Black Liberation” at the Dendrinos Chapel.

The performance opened with the selection of “Memories” from “Memories of Home,” chosen by Dr. Chuang. Her playing perfectly embodied the feeling of nostalgia that many of our students are feeling as this academic year comes to an end. During the concert she stated that she chose the piece because it reminded her of home. 

After this opening number, Dr. Chiko began his set with Mahler’s Rückert Lieder. The Rückert-Lieder (Songs after Rückert) is a collection of five Lieder for voice and orchestra or piano by Gustav Mahler, based on poems written by Friedrich Rückert. All of the compositions had a theme of love, loneliness, and sorrow, which was exceptionally portrayed by Ty Chiko’s acting. Through the intricate lighting done by Clyde Sheets, the Director of Interdisciplinary arts. 

As the concert continued, Dr. Chiko performed seven art songs all composed by Black composers such as H. Leslie Adams, Betty Jackson King, H.T. Burleigh, and Dave Ragland, all of whom, as described in the program notes, draw important themes of resilience, spirituality and resistance in the face of oppression through their music. These pieces and the Rückert Lieder combined share similar themes of hope and liberation despite their time differences and the cultural differences of each composer.

Dr. Ty Chiko is a teacher who leads by example. His concert was entertaining but also very educational. His acting, musicianship, and hard work were evident. These are all things engraved in his students because he wants them to keep working. He feels passionate about pushing his students to use their music for change. By choosing these selections, he successfully reminded his students to use the past to think about the future.