Damian Goggans' Senior Recital
Damian gave his final recital last night in The Birenbaum, a special room beneath the recently rebuilt Hotel at Oberlin, intended for performances and featuring a (now inactive) bar. A black box-style space, it has terrific lighting and sound systems. I’d long looked forward to having a student perform there; this was the first. Damian attracted his usual full-house to this concert, the fourth of his solo programs here. (Check out his previous recitals: Damian’s Freshman Recital, Damian’s Sophomore Recital and Damian’s Junior Recital). He played primarily selections derived from his research project into classical guitar works by Black composers, but included a small number of standard repertoire pieces as well (full program at the end of the post).
Damian Goggans sings a Spiritual on stage at The Birenbaum in Oberlin
The Cleveland Classical Guitar Society had commissioned from composer/guitarist Thomas Flippin a series of études based on spirituals. The project was completed when Damian made video recordings of all 14 pieces, complete with singing the songs and delivering short “sermonettes” about each piece. His recital featured six of them, each preceded by the song on which the guitar pieces were based. For programming purposes, he split them into three groups of two pieces each. He sang with a strong expressive voice, in a way which felt deeply heartfelt and compelling. The Flippin compositions landed cleanly and confidently.
Damian included two movements of Bach’s third Violin Sonata, the Largo and Allegro Assai. He played the Largo beautifully, and while the Allegro met with some difficulty, he ended solidly and the audience erupted.
Justin Holland, the Black American guitarist and composer who attended Oberlin nearly two hundred years ago and made Cleveland (Damian’s home town) his home for much of his life, was featured next. We heard Holland’s arrangement of ‘Tis the Last Rose of Summer, an 18th century Irish song.
After another set of Thomas Flippn’s Études, Damian ended his first half with the Dyens chestnut, Tango en Skaï. The audience went crazy.
Damian opened his second half with his third set of Flippin pieces, then gave the first performance of a piece he commissioned from a fellow Conservatory student, Calvin Ray-Shawler, called The Life and Time of No One In Particular.
Damian takes a bow
For his final set, the Haitian Suite by Casseus, Damian invited to the stage “Papa” Assane M’Baye, a Senegalese drummer with a long list of professional accomplishments across the US. He’s founder of the Cleveland-based TamTam Magic, a performing ensemble made up of African drummers and dancers. He sat with Damian and played the djembe, a West African hand drum, to great effect. Raising the temperature considerably on Casseus’ Haitian style music, the duo brought the concert to a rousing end. The audience leaped to their collective feet at once, congratulating Damian on a successful and fascinating performance.
Damian plays with Papa Assane M’Baye
The performers share a first bump while the audience gives a standing ovation
Celebrating the occasion with family and friends
The author, the performer, and Damian’s first teacher, Erik Mann, Director of the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society
Thanks Damian, for a terrifically entertaining and compelling program. It was truly one of the most varied and interesting guitar programs we’ve had. Congratulations on your many successes and good luck on your next adventure, to start soon at Oklahoma City University. You’ll be missed!
