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Last Friday evening at 91����, students and faculty gathered on both campuses for the annual Fall Concerts, followed by student-versus-tutor games of Trivial Pursuit.

New England

For the fall concert in St. Frassati Student Center, the New England campus welcomed the Madison String Quartet, which performed a program titled “The Master and the Prodigy: Haydn, Mozart, and the Birth of the String Quartet.” Before each piece, one of the members gave a brief introduction and discussed the work’s composition, noting how each artist inspired — and was inspired by — the other. Upon introducing Haydn’s “String Quartet Op. 20, #4,” musicians Rebecca Harris-Lee and Gerall Hieser noted Haydn’s juxtaposition of calm, methodical pieces that reflected refined society with more vibrant, fun pieces. 

Members of the audience were engaged in the beautiful performance, glad for the opportunity to delight in the soul-ordering harmonies of classical music. They met the final quartet with a resounding standing ovation, and before the crowd dispersed, the musicians treated it to one more piece: Shostakovich’s famed “Waltz No. 2.”

This finale was followed by a hearty round of applause before students and faculty took a moment for light refreshments. Then, all gathered for the annual game of Trivial Pursuit. This year, students started off strong, answering niche questions quickly. Unfortunately for them, this streak couldn’t last: The tutors soon matched the energy with correct answers of their own. After hours of back-and-forth, the game came down to a sudden-death round, where the tutors managed to come out on top, for the third year in a row! 

California

On the West Coast campus, cellist Larissa Fedoryka introduced the night as “Painting with Music,” a series she performs around the country to share her love of music with listeners. The pieces she performed in St. Cecilia Hall’s Fritz B. Burns Auditorium included “The Swan” by Camille Saint-Saëns, “Waltz No. 2” by Dmitri Shostakovich, and Bach’s “Ave Maria.” 

Miss Fedoryka emphasized the listener’s role as an essential component of any performance, introducing each piece with a discussion of its history and context, and giving listeners advice on how to fully engage with and enter into classical music. “There is no other art form that requires you to be in the moment — and that’s where God is,” Ms. Fedoryka said. “Hopefully, with these tools of classical music, you’ll be more likely to turn on classical music and see where God is trying to meet you in it.” Her performance concluded to thunderous applause, followed by a highly demanded encore. 

Following the concert, all proceeded to the coffee shop, where a lively game of Trivial Pursuit ensued, as the students faced the tutors. The spokesmen were Aidan Cooper (’27) for the students, and Dean Michael Letteney for the tutors. Although the students had the advantage in numbers, the tutors proved themselves older and wiser and ultimately took home the victory. Despite the defeat, the students were joyous, and all continued to socialize until late into the evening. 

More photos from New England ...

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... and California!