The Hartt school’s very own Associate Professor Robert Barefield is preparing to take the stage on Friday, September 18 for a very emotional and moving concert.
Professor Barefield is a baritone soloist as well an associate professor of voice at the University of Hartford’s own Hartt School.
The performance encompasses American songs that are mainly focused on loss, love, as well as longing.
Not to mention that it includes three pieces created by the renowned composer, Scott Wheeler.
These three pieces are based off of poems written by Professor Barefield after he suffered an unexpected tragedy in January of 2014.
He states, “I am both thrilled and grateful to have collaborated with Scott Wheeler, whom I believe to be one of the great composers of song working today. He has transformed my poetry into music that is universal, uplifting, and profoundly beautiful.”
At the beginning of the new year in 2014, Professor Barefield and his partner, Stephen Mazujian traveled to Cambodia, a country located in southeast Asia.
While visiting the country the couple visited a temple in the nation’s capital, shortly after reaching the top of structure Mazuijan suddenly buckled and fell to the floor and became unconscious, and later passed away.
Grief stricken by this event Barefield turned to writing poetry as a way to cope with the event. One of his poems, “ Angkor Wat” recounts the tragedy.
These and his other poems were turned into pieces of music by Scott Wheeler and are incorporated into a collection called,” Songs to fill the void”.
The collections of songs will be performed on Sept. 18 2015 by Professor Barefield himself.
In attendance will be both members of his family as well as Mazuijan’s family.
In addition to the performance, a fund has been set up in Stephen Mazuijan’s honor. This fund has been created to provide masterclasses for classical voice students at the Hartt School.
“This is a highly personal performance for me, perhaps the most important of my life, because it honors my extraordinary partner Steve,” said Barefield.
It is sure to be an extremely beautiful, moving and emotional concert.
If you are interested in attending this once in a life time concert, the performance will take place on Friday Sept. 18, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in the Millard Auditorium on the University of Hartford campus.
This event is completely free of charge, in addition to being open to the public.