The Collegian

Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: Arts

Brandon Irish lives a life of academic dualism. A dual art and music major for the last five years, Irish is now ending his Hillsdale College tenure with the rare feat of a senior voice recital and a sculpting exhibit 10 days apart.

"It was hard at times climbing two mountains at the same time," he said. "At times it felt like I was living two lives between art and music."

Irish will first finish the majority of his art major with a sculpting exhibit on Sunday, April 27. Following this, his senior voice recital at 7 p.m. on May 7 will finish his music major.

Irish said that despite this hectic schedule, he could not envision his life without both singing and sculpting.

"I think of sculpture and opera as a sort of yin and yang in my life, both acting as a nice reprieve from the other," he said. "My biggest challenge artistically is finding a balance between the two."

Teacher of Voice Melissa Osmond said she has seen Irish's doubled workload keeping him busy, but maintains that all the work has never dampened Irish's love for singing.

"He manages very well despite everything going on in his life right now," she said. "I think people will like the variety of singing pieces in his upcoming voice recital."

Irish said his recital will contain 15 pieces with a 16th piece reserved for an encore. He said his choices span a range of classical music and musical theatre compositions. The recital will also feature three languages:?German, English and Italian.

"Each piece I'm singing has something different to say," he said. "It is going to be a blast as there's so much variety there."

Irish said he is especially excited for three pieces. The first is Schubert's "Erlkonig," which features a "galloping" piano accompaniment by pianist junior Jessica Bastion. The other two are a pair of memorial pieces composed by Fin Zi:?Shakespeare's "Come Away Death" and "Fear No More the Heat of the Sun."

"The two Fin Zi songs are for my friends John Burke and Dylan Lindgren, both of whom died from cancer this year," he said. "Hopefully my music walks people through certain places and helps them deal with life."

Still, Irish said he considers singing an extroverted art form - "essentially controlled screaming."

He said he began the art as therapy from his often grueling singing sessions.

"I'm fascinated with the abstract constructions of creation," he said. "Sculpting is a way of seeing beauty in the world and reinterpreting its design, rhythm, and personality."

Former housemate and choir member Trevor Scoles '06 said he fondly recalls Irish's sculpting exploits.

"Brandon is incredibly devoted to sculpting," he said. "He once did a sculpture, and deciding the clay in Michigan wasn't good enough, ordered some fine Italian clay and picked it up from Chicago instead."

Be it sculpting or singing, Irish said his art is meant foremost for expression. With his upcoming joint talent exhibitions, he said he hopes his work will move an audience member or two.

"I hope simply communicating an object's beauty that I've seen in nature will accurately convey a message to a viewer or listener," he said.

"The world will always present itself for your betterment."

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