Damian Goggans' Freshman Recital
Our concert season ended with Damian Goggans on stage in Fairchild Chapel, in his first full recital at Oberlin. Damian played some really interesting solo repertoire, along with some of his chamber music selections from this semester’s Ensemble concerts, creating a highly listenable program of great diversity. He got the largest crowd of the season—a testament to his large following! The crowd was both rapt and at times rowdy, in the best way, lending an air of celebration to the evening.
Damian Goggans plays solo in Fairchild Chapel
His opener was a short work by Thomas Flippin, who’d been in Oberlin earlier in the semester with his duo partner, Chris Mallett. The piece was entitled Witch Dance.
Nisha Caiozzi sings with Damian Goggans at the guitar
Immediately after this brief solo, soprano Nisha Caiozzi joined him on stage for a polished and moving rendition of three songs of Rodrigo. Nisha’s lovely voice, soaring in that glorious space, and supported by Damian’s authoritative basses, especially in that ravishing song, Adela, with his sixth string tuned to C#, was indelible.
A work of special import to Damian followed. In a special Mentorship program, run by the Guitar Foundation of America, Damian had had regular (Zoom) meetings with Chris Mallett in the year before coming to Oberlin. (Chris is not only a GFA Board member; he is also an Oberlin alum). During those meetings, Chris arranged a special piece for Damian, a work originally for piano by another Oberlin alum (1908!), Nathaniel Dett. Damian conveyed the piece’s austere melancholy beautifully.
Next on the program was the Variations on a Theme of Handel by Giuliani, played with lovely tone and musical shaping.
After that, another special project saw light of day during this program. A unique work, written by Thomas Flippin and commissioned by the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society, featured two movements, the world premiere of which Damian was to play this June. He gave a sneak peak on his Oberlin recital. Arrangements of Negro spirituals, Damian presented each of them by singing a stanza of the original song, a cappella, before playing the arrangement. The effect was moving and haunting. Nice move, Damian!!
Damian Goggans and Kailah Robbins in Fairchild Chapel
Next, flutist Kailah Robbins took the stage to play the famous Entr’Acte by Ibert. The musical sympathy between the players was much improved from their first outing with the piece, and the room lifted the sound up marvelously. The effect was terrific.
The concert ended with the delightful Suite del Plata of M. D. Pujol. Damian showed some of his best playing in this piece, by turns soulful and rhythmically intense. His rousing Candombe brought the audience to its feet for a lengthy standing ovation. Bravo, Damian, for a memorable concert—the first of many here in Oberlin!
