Randal Rushing, Tenor

The University of Memphis presented "Randal Rushing, tenor, and John David Peterson, piano". At the concert, I heard something that I really never heard before. It was classical music. I really did not fully understand what these words meant, classical music. I looked this up and it told me that classical music was music composed between c.1750 and 1820, whose style was illustrated by emotional restraint, the dominance of homophonic melodies, and clear structures and forms underlying the music. The classical period saw the development of forms such as concerto, sonata, symphony and string quartet, and the piano replace the harpsichord as the most popular keyboard instrument. The greatest classical composers of this period were Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert.

I did like the performance. It was an outstanding performance that opened my ears to something new. It was great to finally witness such music in person. This to me, I believe takes great talent. Twenty-four songs were played one after another. These songs were "Good Night", "The Weathervane", "Frozen Tears", "Numbness", "The Linden Tree", "Flood Water", "On the River", "Backward Glance", Will o' the Wisp", "Rest", "Dream of Spring", "Loneliness", "The Post", "The Graying Hair", "The Crow", " Last Hope", "In the Village", "The Stormy Morning", "Illusion", "The Sign Post", "The Inn", "Courage", "The False Suns", and "The Organ-grinder".

The vocalist, Randal Rushing, said that those songs were some of his most favored and meant the most to him than all of the others he have ever heard. He said that many others may feel what he feel from the songs. He is said to be a gifted soloist of the concert and opera stage at home and abroad. He is a Professor of Voice, and Associate Director for Student Services. He has performed extensively throughout Germany, Switzerland, Central America, the Czech Republic, and the United States. Rushing received his American training and degrees from