Faculty and Guest Recital to Celebrate Work of Carrie Jacobs-Bond, Turn of the 20th Century Composer, and Guest Composer Joan Epstein, Tuesday, April 4, 8 p.m., Kulas Recital Hall Story by Linda Shockley
	RELATED Women's Studies and Conservatory Host Guest Composer/Musicologist Joan Osborn Epstein on Monday, April 3 and Tuesday, April 4		Stephen Aron, teacher of classical guitar, and his frequent collaborator, soprano JoNell Aron, often perform and record together. They learned about the music of Carrie Jacobs-Bond, almost by chance. "When we were preparing a 1995 vaudeville recording - Shine on Harvest Moon - we visited Ann Arbor to receive a coaching from the great duo of William Bolcolm and Joan Morris. After listening to us, Joan recommended that we explore the music of Jacobs-Bond as she thought JoNell's voice was perfect for it. "And she was right. We fell in love with the music, so much so that we undertook an exhaustive search to purchase original sheet music. It took a long time - a year and a-half- to obtain all the pieces but it was certainly worth the search. We find this music so compelling that it seems amazing to us that it hasn't 'been discovered' already." He adds, "There have been a few selections included on recordings by major opera singers and others, but, to our knowledge, no comprehensive retrospective has been done. "The music possess an honesty, and a directness of expression, which is beguiling. It's music from the pre-ironic age. It's hard to do music like this without tongue-in-cheek. But we do it deadly serious. I remember one recording that seemed to have been done with a wink, and it was dreadful. Some people might hate the sentimentality, but I think an audience member who arrive with an open mind, will become a fan."
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