Karen Lauffer, a master's candidate in the College of Music, plays violin during a recital Monday night. (CU Independent/Lee Pruitt)
Karen Lauffer walked on stage smiling at her audience. As soon as her bow hit the strings of the violin, her face filled with emotions embodying the sound she created with her violin, absorbing the audience in the music she formed.
Lauffer is a second year master’s student in violin performance and pedagogy, and music theory. She has been playing for 16 years but said she still feels nervous when she performs, though it didn’t show during her recital Monday.
To fulfill her master’s requirements Lauffer has to write a thesis and hold a recital. For the recital, Lauffer decided to play newer music, at least when it comes to violin pieces. She performed “Suite Italienne” by Igor Stravinsky, “Four Songs of Solitude” by John Harbison, “Sonata D-Moll” by Johannes Brahms and “Pampeana No. 1” by Alberto Ginastera.
“There is a set way of how you have to play older music,” Lauffer said. “When playing newer music there is a lot more freedom; you can decide how you want it to sound.”
Lauffer played a variety of sounds that bring to mind certain emotions. She gave the audience a sense of adventure, the feeling of pride and evoked despair with the sound of a crying violin.
“I get really emotionally involved,” Lauffer said. “It’s like being an actor. You have to change with the music; if there is a sad part you become sad. You have to change constantly. You have a different mood every couple minutes.”
During the recital all emotions were displayed on Lauffer’s face as she played. She became the music and embodied the emotion the music was portraying. This made the music come alive for the audience.
Lauffer was accompanied by Megan McElroy on the piano. McElroy is a third year master’s student in collaborative piano. Pianists are assigned to master’s students for their recital. McElroy said that she and Lauffer had to practice over the summer because the recital was so early in the year.
“[Lauffer] is a very lovely person to work with,” McElroy said. “She is very open musically and to ideas. She is very pleasant.”
It was interesting to see how the relationship between the piano and violin changed during the course of the recital. Sometimes it seemed to be a symbiotic relationship, other times it was more of a battle, and sometimes the piano was hardly noticeable at all.
The only disappointing part of the night was all the empty chairs in the Chamber Hall. Few people took the opportunity to hear live classical music and experience another side of academia. Lauffer said there is a free concert almost every month.
Lauffer said she started playing the violin because it was a popular instrument at the time when she first began taking an interest in music. Since then she has also learned how to play the viola, cello and a renaissance violin.
“Violin is difficult to start on but after about a year with it, you get a good sound,” Lauffer said. “Once you get the good tune it becomes more natural.”
Lauffer practices four hours a day outside of the playing time in her classes. She’s also in the University Orchestra, and although she is not currently involved in a band, she said she hopes to participate in one again.
Lauffer is also teaching students in CU’s College of Music.
“I really enjoy teaching, as long as the students are willing to learn,” Lauffer said.
Though Lauffer loves to play, she doesn’t compose any music of her own.
“I don’t have the patience to be a composer,” Lauffer said.
Allison Kim, a junior violin performance major, was in a studio class with Lauffer and was the page-turner for McElroy during the recital.
Kim said she admires the way Lauffer devotes herself to her music.
“[Lauffer is a] very diverse musician and she always plays with such passion,” Kim said. “I was sad that I didn’t get to enjoy the piece out in the audience.”
Kim and Lauffer performed a piece together called “Hunting the Bunyit” by Mary Mixter, a sophomore music major.
“It was awesome to work with [Lauffer],” Kim said. “She is good and talented and very easy to work with. She is also very open to others ideas.”
Lauffer said she hopes to teach violin for her future career as well as continuing to play.
“That’s what I really love,” Lauffer said, “the freedom of expression.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Brigid Igoe at brigid.igoe@colorado.edu.
