Class of 2015: Corinne Klemenc

Double major in the Hodgson School of Music (B. Mus. in music education and B. Mus. in composition), Corinne Klemenc shares her experience as one of the 15 in 2015:

The best experience that I had at UGA was what I call my Super Senior Recital. This last spring, I decided to leave the School of Music with a bang by combining all of my learned skills into one recital instead of just having my 30-minute required senior composition or clarinet recital. My Super Senior Recital included five of my own original pieces, which were what I was graded on, a 15-minute advanced piece of clarinet repertoire, a nine-minute large chamber ensemble piece that I decided to conduct and “Clapping Music,” which is a piece written for two clappers. 

The goal of my recital was to celebrate my friends and faculty members who helped me to become the best musician that I could be. I included 30 members of the School of Music on my recital, and I had about 80 people show up to support me and all of their friends. With all of those people combined, I managed to gather almost a quarter of the School of Music population together for a musical party.

A typical recital comes with side effects of nervousness, stress and anxiety to do perfectly, but the atmosphere of my recital seemed different. Being surrounded by so many friends was magical for me, and for everyone else.

Indeed. And extending that magical feeling to your entire undergraduate experience is what a university degree should be about. Congratulations to Klemenc, D. Ray McClellan, Adrian Childs and other faculty members in the Hodgson School who I know take great pride in her accomplishments. I'll take license to mangle the maxim: When great students are ready, outstanding teachers are here.