Faculty members from the Hayes School of Music presented Igor Stravinsky’s “A Soldier’s Tale” on Tuesday, bringing the seldom-performed work to the App State community. The production marked a rare instance of faculty from various disciplines collaborating on a single project, merging music, narration, and theatrical storytelling.
Assistant professor of saxophone, Charlie Chadwell, observed that the extensive collaboration was a distinctive element of the performance. Chadwell noted that faculty members typically perform as soloists, duos, or in smaller groups, making this larger joint effort unusual for the department. The performance united faculty artists from across the department, including those specializing in voice, strings, percussion, brass, and woodwinds.
For Chadwell, who is in his first semester at App State, the concert provided a unique opportunity to hear many of his colleagues perform live for the first time. Although he had studied "A Soldier's Tale" previously, he had never experienced a live performance of the work. Chadwell highlighted his enjoyment in watching the ensemble communicate and seeing the musicians "play off each other and just to see them working in synchrony" throughout the performance.
Before the performance, Jacob Kopcienski, assistant professor of musicology, provided an introduction, detailing the historical context of Stravinsky’s composition. Kopcienski explained that the piece was conceived in 1918, a period characterized by World War I and the profound political and cultural changes brought about by the Russian Revolution.
"A Soldier’s Tale" narrates the story of a soldier who encounters the devil, delving into universal themes such as wealth, identity, loss, and temptation. Stravinsky originally designed the work as a portable theatrical production, intending for its combination of music and storytelling to be easily presented to diverse communities during wartime.
Lisl Kuutti, the community engagement specialist for the Hayes School of Music, who assisted in promoting the concert, commented on the work’s infrequent performance. Kuutti attributed this rarity to the inherent difficulty involved in staging the intricate production. While Kuutti had prior experience with Stravinsky’s music and had even performed some of his compositions, Tuesday’s concert was only the second time she had witnessed "A Soldier’s Tale" performed live. Kuutti described her experience, stating, "I found it kind of hypnotic," and added that she "was really in the story." Her favorite aspects of the performance were the three distinct dances featured within the work: the tango, waltz, and ragtime.
The presentation allowed the App State audience to engage with a work that continues to resonate more than a century after its creation, thanks to its compelling blend of music and narrative. For the participating faculty performers, the event provided a valuable chance to collaborate across different areas of the Hayes School of Music in a public performance that is seldom brought to the stage.
