Faculty Art and Music Showcase
Rachael Freeman
-Staff Writer-
The sound of the bass guitar was the instrument resonating throughout the room on Friday, Sept. 23 at the Faculty Art and Music Showcase. The elements of bluegrass, blues, reggae, rock, country and jazz were apparent in the bands tune.
Meramec professors Gary Gackstatter, James Ibur and his band Alien Souls united to perform their first instrumental and vocal ensemble, accompanied by an assortment of art.
Gackstatter, coordinator of music and Ibur, associate professor and coordinator of ceramics at Meramec, showed their artistic talents from the moment guests arrived at Humanities West room 102.
Guests were greeted as they entered the room by an array of Gackstatter’s ink drawings, and Ibur’s clay doumbek drum, bottle drum and large abstract bowl. Guests were not only able to appreciate the art by sight and sound.
“I thought it was great mix of music. The addition of the art to me was spectacular. I think this was a great event for Meramec,” said Lamar Fitzgerald, the assistant for the music department.
Those present were seeing two teachers embrace their love for music and share their gift of art. This showcase was anticipated for a year by Gackstatter and Ibur.
“Well, a year ago I [told Gackstatter] I play music a little bit,” Ibur said. “[Gackstatter said], ‘well come on in the room and let’s play,’ [so] we played.”
Ibur was recapping the moment the ideas of showcasing first arouse.
“Gary ended up playing with my [music style] and I ended up playing on his [music style] with my band. It was really cool,” Ibur said.
Ibur and Gackstatter said they were both proud of their performance. They were accompanied by percussionist Mike Reifsteck, vocalist J.J. Skiver, bass player Tony Zerbolio and percussionist Ron Sikes. This collaboration created the sounds for the evening.
Kate Gurley, 4 years old, showed her admiration for Gackstatter and Ibur’s music. Gurley twirled and danced throughout the evening as Dorothy Bardwell, Jean Rocchio and Rosann Duane from the Rose Hill House, a Lutheran Senior Service glanced from afar.
“Dorothy said to me ‘Well I’ll tell you if I don’t like it’. She was pretty opened minded,” said Debbie Corson, Vice President of Student Affairs Office. “I think it helped to have the little girl playing, dancing and jumping around.”
While Gurley danced to her heart’s content, Gackstatter, Ibur and Alien Soul entertained the audience throughout the evening. Linda Tope, an audience member, said the show touched her heart.
“I like how [Gackstatter] would set up the song so we could appreciate the song even more. [The introduction about] his teacher back in Oklahoma, being a former teacher [myself], touched my heart to know that he wrote a song for her,” Tope said.
The showcase was a way for them to encourage students and the community to appreciate art.
“Music has life and I want to live,” Ibur said.
Both teachers have years of experience under their belts. Both said it was time for them to express what they love and stand behind what they do.
“[It is about] standing for originality, standing up for creativity, [and] making it available for students to see that the faculty members actually do what they are talking about. We are not just people behind a desk,”Gackstatter said.
