McDaniel College students perform in annual fall music concerts

November and December are jam-packed with musical performances featuring McDaniel students, which are free and open to the public. Check out the full schedule of upcoming concerts at McDaniel College.

The orchestra is seated onstage playing their instruments as the conductor leads the group. — The Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert on Saturday, Dec. 5, celebrates women composers and performers.

During November and December, McDaniel College’s Music Department hosts musical performances featuring McDaniel students that are free and open to the public. For more information about the upcoming performances listed below, visit www.mcdaniel.edu/music-events.

Student Solo Recital

The Student Solo Recital on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. in Levine Recital Hall 101, features vocal, violin, and piano soloists performing a variety of music spanning from classical to contemporary.

Students involved study under McDaniel Music faculty members Rachel Andrews, staff accompanist; Nicholas Currie, senior adjunct lecturer of Music; Kyle Engler, senior lecturer of Music; and Waka Osifchin, senior adjunct lecturer of Music.

Digital sign with a photograph of a piano and the information of the recital

Students performing include:

Claire Benton, sophomore American Sign Language major from Ashburn, Virginia
Kyle Coale, junior Social Work major from Westminster, Maryland
Andrea Dechosa, sophomore Chemistry major from New Market, Maryland
Laila Hunt, junior Biology major from Nottingham, Maryland
Kaitlyn Miller, senior Biology major from Gaithersburg, Maryland
Nov O’Donnell, senior Theatre Arts major from Newark, Delaware
Sean Quigley, sophomore History major from Rockville, Maryland
Abigail Russell, senior Philosophy major from Walkersville, Maryland

College Choir & Green TerrorTones Concert

The McDaniel College Choir and Green TerrorTones a cappella ensemble present their fall concert on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. in Baker Memorial Chapel. Both the McDaniel College Choir and the Green TerrorTones are under the direction of Senior Lecturer Kyle Engler.

The McDaniel College Choir performs various works, including Eric Whitacre’s "Sing Gently," "Seeking Light" by Brandon Williams, Jobim's "Meditation" arranged by Mark Hayes, "Echo" by Rob Dietz, and Arian Wong's "How To Say Goodbye" about losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease.

Selections to be performed by the Green TerrorTones will feature works by Laufey such as "Bewitched" and "From the Start,” Kristopher Fulton’s “Perseus,” and a mashup of “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield with the Bach Prelude in F.

Digital sign of a photo of a choir singing along with the information of the concert.

Students in the College Choir include:

Hector Aker-Cohen, junior Cinema major from Derwood, Maryland
Sophia Braun, junior Mathematics and Computer Science major from Laurel, Maryland
*Linda Brown, senior Sociology and Theatre Arts major from Rosedale, Maryland
Allyson Crites, sophomore Elementary Education major from Bel Air, Maryland
Danielle Cummings, first-year History major from Woodbridge, Virginia
Greelpy Ferreira, sophomore from Laurel, Maryland
*Rebekah Fraser, sophomore Criminal Justice major from Fredericksburg, Virginia
Lizbeth Funes Menendez, junior Business Administration and Accounting major from Silver Spring, Maryland
*Aedan Gannon, junior Psychology major from Westminster, Maryland
*Allyson Gray, first-year Health Sciences major from Parkville, Maryland
Corry Greene, first-year Computer Science major from Severn, Maryland
*Mia Hall, sophomore Health Sciences major from Westminster, Maryland
*Leo Hill, junior Writing & Publishing major from Catonsville, Maryland
*Thomas Jackson, junior Psychology and Philosophy major from Ellicott City, Maryland
Emma Janisch, senior English and Writing & Publishing major from Saint Louis, Missouri
*Declan McGinnis, first-year Psychology major from Laurel, Maryland
*Nov O'Donnell, senior Theatre Arts major from Newark, Delaware
Sydney Perry, junior Elementary Education major from Sykesville, Maryland
*Nick Ramirez, sophomore Early Childhood Education major from Damascus, Maryland
Chloe Raymond, senior Sociology major from Kensington, Maryland
*Abigail Russell, senior Philosophy major from Walkersville, Maryland
*Kaitlyn Rytter, sophomore Early Childhood Education and American Sign Language major from Frederick, Maryland
Laylana Smith, first-year Psychology major from Elkridge, Maryland
*Hailey Stafford, first-year Biology major from Hampstead, Maryland
Josh Swinney, senior American Sign Language major from Simi Valley, CA
*Logan Wagner, first-year History major from Hanover, Pennsylvania
Laylana Smith, first-year Psychology major from Elkridge, Maryland
*Emalynn Waugaman, first-year Elementary Education major from Frederick, Maryland

*Students who also comprise the Green TerrorTones.

Student African Drum Ensembles

The Student African Drum Ensembles perform Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. in Roj Student Center's Naganna Forum.

The program features the traditional African songs “Kuku,” “Macaru,” "Mengani,” and “Lambaa," under the direction of Senior Adjunct Lecturer Pape Demba "Paco" Samb.

Digital sign with a photo of African drums being played and the information for the event.

Students performing in the two ensembles include:

Hector Aker-Cohen, junior Cinema major from Derwood, Maryland
Kevin Batchelor, junior Marketing major from Rosedale, Maryland
Reese Beck, senior Biology major from York, Pennsylvania
Mike Biront, senior Business Administration major from West Chester, Pennsylvania
Mackenzie Bott, senior Health Sciences major from Ship Bottom, New Jersey
Shaquay Clyburn, sophomore Psychology major from Clinton, Maryland
Dillon Gallagher, senior Art major from Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Justin Gaskin, junior Kinesiology major from Randallstown, Maryland
Dallas George, junior Kinesiology major from Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Brendan Glaser, senior Communication major from Rockville, Maryland
Abby Goodman, senior Kinesiology major from Severna Park, Maryland
Marques Griffin, senior Cinema major from Columbia, Maryland
Peter Hagen, senior Accounting and Business Administration major from Ellicott City, Maryland
Cody Johnson, junior Computer Science major from Columbia, Maryland
Alexis Keller-Posen, senior Kinesiology major from Nottingham, Maryland
Jonah Lublin, senior Psychology major from West Chester, Pennsylvania
James Morrissey, junior Business Administration major from Lakeside, Ohio
Charles Mudd, senior Marketing major from Deale, Maryland
Zach Olvey, senior Biology major from Columbus, Ohio
Kathryn Panowitz, senior Biomedical Science major from Hampstead, Maryland
Sophia Smith, senior Psychology major from Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Cash Stanton, senior Business Administration major from Woodbine, Maryland
Abby Stum, senior Kinesiology major from Frederick, Maryland
Jamey Travers, senior Mathematics major from Sykesville, Maryland
Reagan Wilson, senior Business Administration major from Chester, Maryland
John Wolfe, junior Criminal Justice major from Sykesville, Maryland
Aidan Wolsey, senior Actuarial Science major from Baltimore, Maryland

Jazz Night

Lecturer in Music Brian Frazier directs Jazz Night on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., in WMC Alumni Hall’s Mainstage Theatre. The concert features diverse styles of jazz, including big band swing, bebop, Latin, funk, rock, and blues.

The program includes “Six by Six” by Doug Beach; “Someone to Watch Over Me” by George and Ira Gershwin (arranged by Dave Wolpe); “Tank!” by Yoko Kanno (arranged by John Wasson); “Sao Paulo Nights” by Gregory Yasinitsky; “Work Song” by Nat Adderley (arranged by Erik Morales); “Come On, Come Over” by Jaco Pastorius and Bob Herzog (arranged by Mark Taylor); “Front Burner” by Sammy Nestico; “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” by Charles Mingus (arranged by Andrew Homzy); “From the Start” by Laufey and Spencer Stewart (arranged by Mark Taylor); and “Walk the Dinosaur” by Randy Jacobs, David Was, and Don Was (arranged by John Wasson).

Digital sign with the information for the event

Students performing include:

Jeffrey Caballero, first-year Psychology major from Silver Spring, Maryland
Gianna Corrieri, sophomore Kinesiology major from York, Pennsylvania
Paco Crespo, first-year student from Takoma Park, Maryland
Chris Cull, senior Political Science and History major from Westminster, Maryland
Aedan Gannon, junior Psychology major from Westminster, Maryland
Kaitlyn Gebhardt, sophomore Psychology major from Laurel, Maryland
Leo Hill, junior Writing & Publishing major from Catonsville, Maryland
Natalie Hutchinson, senior Cinema major from Herndon, Virginia
Maggie Johnson, sophomore Nursing major from Laurel, Maryland
Matthew Lyons-Bennington, sophomore Psychology major from Rockville, Maryland
Ben Maners, sophomore Psychology major from Rising Sun, Maryland
Connor Marchant, sophomore Cinema major from Wilmington, Massachusetts
Breanna McKee, junior Elementary Education major from Mount Airy, Maryland
Ramar McPhail, first-year Environmental Studies major from Dundalk, Maryland
Josh Morgan, senior Business Administration major from Bel Air, Maryland
Silas Pearson, sophomore Political Science major from White Marsh, Maryland
Seth Rosas, first-year student from Studio City, California
Dylan Smith, junior Art major from Baltimore
Gray Wheatley, junior English major from Federalsburg, Maryland
Moziah Williams, freshman Philosophy and Psychology major from Montgomery Village, Maryland

Dave Motter and Nick Reider, both adjunct lecturers in Music, along with community members will join the students on stage during the performance.

College Band Concert

On Friday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. in WMC Alumni Hall's Mainstage Theatre, McDaniel students, as well as McDaniel faculty members, alumni, and community musicians, perform during the College Band Concert. The College Band is directed by Senior Lecturer in Music Linda Kirkpatrick and performs musical selections by contemporary composers, including several holiday selections.

A highlight of the concert is “Minor Alterations No 2: Carols from the Dark Side” by David Lovrien. Other selections include Gustav Holst’s “First Suite in Eb,” “Voices of the Sky” by Samuel Hazo, and the concert suite from The Polar Express. The band also plans to perform an arrangement of “9 to 5” as a tribute to Dolly Parton.

Digital sign with photograph of sheet music and an instrument laying on top, along with the information for the event

McDaniel students performing include:

Kailani Becker, first-year Business Administration and Theatre Arts major from Baltimore
Ryleigh Butz, first-year History major from Lutherville Timonium, Maryland
Liam Curry, first-year Computer Science major from Westminster, Maryland
Delaney Evans, first-year Criminal Justice major from Bel Air, Maryland
Stephen Fedorchak, junior Business Administration major from Odenton, Maryland
Kaitlyn Gebhardt, sophomore Psychology major from Laurel, Maryland
Ryan Gervasi, senior Environmental Studies major from Street, Maryland
Ben Maners, sophomore Psychology major from Rising Sun, Maryland
Josh Morgan, senior Business Administration major from Bel Air, Maryland
Silas Pearson, sophomore Political Science major from White Marsh, Maryland
Dylan Smith, junior Art major from Baltimore

McDaniel alumni also perform, including Allison Wyper Ashby ’09, M.S. ’14; Courtney Donovan ’99; Esther T. Jones ’14; Debbie Seidel ’84; James Tarr ‘80, and Betsy Meade Turner ’02, M.S. ’08; along with Music department faculty members Rachel Andrews, Brian Frazier, Jeff Hiner, and Robert Sirois.

Other performers are Carroll Community College student Aidan Fehr; Westminster High School student Blake Harrison; and community musicians Schoen Altland, Jeff Baker, Emily Chaffer, Dave Crampton, Collin David, Travis Dixon, Faith Folderauer, Nicole Helie, Grayson Mace, Gordon Masters, Jeffrey Ripps, Marjorie Roberts, Mark Runkles, Lynne Scherbarth, Ashley Sier, Frank Starobin, and Erin Welch.

Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert

The Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert takes place Saturday, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m. in WMC Alumni Hall’s Mainstage Theatre. Directed by Linda Kirkpatrick, senior lecturer in Music, with assistant director Cindy Rosenberg, a Carroll Community College music faculty member, the Westminster Symphony Orchestra includes McDaniel and Carroll Community College students, Music faculty, and community musicians.

The upcoming performance highlights musical selections by women composers and features women soloists, including Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s Overture in C Major; movement one of Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor; Cécile Chaminade’s Concertino for Flute and Orchestra; movement one of Alexis Alrich’s Marimba Concerto; Amy Beach’s Romance for Violin; and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”

This concert is funded in part by a Community Arts Development Grant from the Carroll County Arts Council and Maryland State Arts Council.

Digital sign with a photo of the orchestra performing and the information for the event

McDaniel students performing include:

Andrea Dechosa, sophomore Chemistry major from New Market, Maryland
Stephen Fedorchak, junior Business Administration major from Odenton, Maryland
Khristine Gomez, junior Psychology major from Dumfries, Virginia
Payten Littlejohn, junior Biology and Spanish major from Hanover, Pennsylvania
Silas Pearson, sophomore Political Science major from White Marsh, Maryland

Other performers are McDaniel Music faculty Rachel Andrews, Nicholas Currie, Brian Frazier, Jeff Hiner, David Motter, and Robert Sirois.

Community musicians include Mara Ahlquist, Georgia Andrews, David Apple, Jeff Baker, Nicole Bradbury, Sarah Caprarola, Susan Cloud, Collin David, Hannahlore Debenham, Tiffany DiBlasi, Kent Goble, Brooke Green, Jennifer Harper, Robin Harrison, Nicole Helie, Jennifer Hoff, Grace McNeal, Jennifer Rende, Ashley Sier, Frank Starobin, Kate Strom, Ethan Warfield, and Erin Welch.

Carroll Community College students Ryan Brown, Micah Seligman, and Lily Simantel and Westminster High School student Oella Balint also perform.

Gospel Choir Concert

The Gospel Choir performs Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. in WMC Alumni Hall's Mainstage Theatre. The Gospel Choir will be performing traditional and contemporary gospel music, spirituals, and holiday favorites under the direction of Senior Adjunct Lecturer Shelley Ensor and accompanied by Alice Dorsey.

According to Ensor, “Join us to sing and dance your way into the holiday season! [The Gospel Choir] will have you clapping your hands and tapping your feet. We will also offer some holiday selections that will definitely get you in the holiday season!”

Digital sign with a photograph of the gospel choir singing and the information for the event

The choir consists of McDaniel students:

Nicholas Airing, first-year Physics major from Taneytown, Maryland
Siyon Barthlett, sophomore Biology major from Pasadena, Maryland
Claire Benton, sophomore American Sign Language major from Ashburn, Virginia
Linda Brown, senior Sociology and Theatre Arts major from Rosedale, Maryland
Paco Crespo, first-year student from Takoma Park, Maryland
Lizbeth Funes Menendez, junior Business Administration and Accounting major from Silver Spring, Maryland
Sommer Hill, senior Biology major from Owings, Maryland
Thomas Hunter, first-year Elementary Education major from Fulton, Maryland
Cadence Jones, first-year student from Crofton, Maryland
Cassandra Marable, first-year Social Work major from Owings Mills, Maryland
Lyndie McConaghy, junior Criminal Justice major from Columbia, Maryland
Ramar McPhail, first-year Environmental Studies major from Dundalk, Maryland
Marvel Nwabufo, junior Psychology major from Abuja, Nigeria
Taylor Parker, junior Social Work major from Elkridge, Maryland
Liana Samuel, sophomore Nursing major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Monet Smith, junior Writing & Publishing major from Randallstown, Maryland
Adelyn Stark, first-year Art major from Ashburn, Virginia
Sarah Wetherson, sophomore Nursing major from Westminster, Maryland

McDaniel Music faculty member Glenn Caldwell; alumni Jordan Greene ’24, coordinator of Student Engagement and Kate Jacob ’22; and community musicians Mike Aubin, Michael Armacost, Shawn Dennison, Lenny Foust, and Chris James, also perform.

Nov 12, 2026