GENTRY: And now, Great Art at Eastern from the Portales campus of Eastern New Mexico University. I’m Jeff Gentry, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, here on KENW, your Public Radio Network. Today. My guest is Dominique Barrera, a Junior Music Education Major. Thank you for joining me today.
BARRERA: Yeah, of course.
GENTRY: So, Dominique, you are one of very few students who are in chamber singers, and the marching band, and everything else: Wind Symphony, symphonic band. So how do you pull off being a highly trained instrumentalist on trumpet as well as a soprano?
BARRERA: I think honestly, it’s just about the people that I’m around because, like my professors are constantly pushing me to be better, but they’re not like super stressful. So, they- they make sure that and try to focus on what can help us out. I think the scheduling of it all can be a little bit stressful. ‘cause, there are some classes that are back to back with that. But they are pretty accommodating like Mr. Seifert is like, OK, if you’re going to be late, it’s fine. I know that you’re in. Like chamber. And then they’re like on the other side I’m gonna be in Wind Symphony, I’m. I’m gonna be late to voice studio. So, Dr. Beinlich is pretty accommodating with that. So they understand that we’re going to be apart of all these ensembles. And they also have to accommodate so that we can do that ‘cause they want us to be involved.
GENTRY: Well, I mean, to me, you’re talking about the time management part, and I’m talking about the talent part. You came to college able to do these things and it’s- it’s kind of like somebody being the star basketball player and the star football player. And you know, occasionally you have people who are multi-sport athletes and- and I’m just really impressed with your ability to do all of that.
BARRERA: Thank you.
GENTRY: And I’m I’m not done yet. I’ve also seen you play guitar in church. So how many instruments are we talking about?
BARRERA: OK. So, I guess technically my three main instruments would be voice, guitar, and trumpet. But I can pretty much pick up any instrument and figure something out. Like I played French horn for a semester in high school. I play the piano a little bit. I write songs so I- I kind of figured things out on my own there.
GENTRY: See you just gave it away because my next question was, and I promise we didn’t talk about this. I was gonna say with all that talent, do you have an interest in songwriting?
BARRERA: Yeah, I do. I- I have probably around 26 of my own original songs at this point.
GENTRY: And so what kind of genres are we talking about?
BARRERA: I have a few different ones I- I don’t know. I would consider it mostly pop, but I do have a couple where it’s a little bit more indie. I have one that sounds a little bit more country and then a couple more. That’s like a little bit rap, sort of.
GENTRY: Right, Well, when I talk to you more, you know when we’re off- Out of this studio about songwriting ‘cause, it’s a fascinating thing and- and to me people who can create melodies.
BARRERA: Yeah.
GENTRY: And- and put words to those melodies are very special people. That’s that’s very exciting. So the Spring Choir concert takes place on April 30th, featuring the Chamber Singers and the University Singers. What are you most looking forward to on April 30th?
BARRERA: Well, I’m sure most people know that the Chamber Singers went to New York, so. I enjoyed that trip a lot and I enjoyed the music, the musical selections that we did, and I think that’s what I’m probably most excited about most of all.
GENTRY: And you were not on a street corner. We’re talking about Carnegie Hall, right?
BARRERA: We- we performed a Carnegie Hall yet. But I’m most excited about being able to perform those songs again. But for like everyone that supported us in getting us to New York, so I feel very excited and grateful for that.
GENTRY: So, it’s a concert of gratitude, I suppose. So, you’re doing Vivaldi’s Gloria.
BARRERA: Yeah,
GENTRY: Is that something you’re looking forward to?
BARRERA: Yeah, it’s- it’s beautiful and we usually have doctor Massicotte who plays the piano for us, but we are gonna have a small little, I think, five person orchestra. So we were we were very grateful to have him for us in rehearsals and he's gonna play for the rest of the concert. But we’re also excited to work with some of our own other professors in it.
GENTRY: Right. You got Tracy Carr on oboe, Sidney Schuler on trumpet. And you alluded to the Eleganza string quartet from Miami.
BARRERA: Um hum.
GENTRY: So, they’re coming in to perform. This is a- a stacked program.
BARRERA: Right.
GENTRY: So, what- What do you know? Do you know anything about this group, the string quartet?
BARRERA: I know that they’ve been around quite a bit, but I don’t know anything super- super deep into detail with them.
GENTRY: Great. Well, thank you, Dominic Barrera, for coming into today’s show. Remember, listeners that Six Stories Tall is the play opening tonight at University Theater Center, then the Spring Choir Concert is on April 30th at 7:00 PM in Buchanan Hall at ENMU in Portales. You can find all the Great Arts at Eastern at enmu.edu/FineArtsEvents. I’m Jeff Gentry. Thanks for listening on KENW, your Public Radio Network.
Spring Choral Concert
Jason Paulk, conductor
with Miles Massicotte, accompanist
Buchanan Hall, Music Building (MB)
Saturday, April 30 | 7 p.m.
