The Collegian

Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Arts

Media Credit: Myles Sandrian Wyse and Gautsche play the piano together.

The two players bend intently over their instruments, Debbi Wyse at her black grand piano and Kristi Gautsche over her brown upright. Both stare fixedly at their music, distracted by nothing in the basement room of Howard Music Building.

But Gautsche suddenly interrupts her melody as the page-turner's arm blocks her view of the sheet music.

"I can't see!" yells Gautsche, and both players collapse into laughter. After they finish laughing, they resettle their music on their stands and themselves on their benches, and return to their music.

Wyse, a professor of piano at Hillsdale College, and Gautsche, who plays for Hillsdale Methodist Church and various community events, will perform their 23rd annual duo piano concert at 8 p.m. on February 1 and 2 in Howard.

"It's the best example our students can have," Music Department Chairman James Holleman said. "They have a very busy teaching schedule, and they still find time to perform. Also, "it's a cheap way for the college to get a lot of great performers."

"I checked this at home with the metronome," Gautsche said looking at a page of music.
"Yeah?" says Weiss, putting away the Bach and pulling out a rag by William Bolcom, a composer living in Ann Arbor.

"And I think we've been going 124 [beats per minute] on the presto part," Gautsche said.
"Well, that explains it," Wyse said laughing.

As they roll through the first notes of the song, Wyse and Gautsche look at each other: their eyebrows rise with arpeggios, and their posture falls with bass notes. Their style is lighthearted, but not lacking seriousness.

They laugh and chat through the difficult spots of their songs, but regain their furious glares the moment a song abjures its comedy.

And their abilities are wide. They trip lightly through a Bach sonata, clearly playing its technical measures.

They masterfully play both the laughing phrases and angry, bass-driven movements of Grieg's Norwegian dances.

They carefully and joyfully play the strange and modern rag music of Bolcom.
"Actually, that one still needs a little work," Wyse said.

Both Wyse and Gautsche said the treasure their time preparing for the concert.
"We're friends, but we're so busy we don't spend that much time together," Wyse said. "So this is really great."

And they say they share interests besides music, as well.

"Chocolate!" Gautsche said, as the women displayed the empty box of truffles and half-gone bag of Hershey's Kisses as evidence of their weeks practicing together.

Holleman said they need two shows to entertain their large community following.

"Wyse is incredibly good at bringing out the passion in music, and the feeling behind it," said sophomore Monica Way, one of Wyse's students. "I'll be there."

See more music department photos at the Collegian Flickr account.

Hillsdale College Collegian 2008

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