Faculty members from the music department took the stage Oct. 8 with the Standard Java session on Iowa Hall Stage. A new house band featuring choir director Fred Kiser, director of instrumental music Chris Navarrete and piano instructor Julia Andrews made its debut in front of a small crowd of students.
They performed songs from the Great American Songbook, inspiring the name Standard Java.
“I think it’s important for all of us as faculty to perform,” said Kiser, “for us to do the things that we are teaching. This was just an opportunity for a great collaboration to come together and do a little performing.”
“We’re just trying to get together as faculty, play together from time to time,” said Navarrete.
“We’ve been hanging out because I’m fairly new,” said Andrews, “I just met these guys and one thing led to another and before you knew it, we were like ‘we gotta play somewhere.’ So this is hopefully the first of many.”
According to Andrews, it was the group’s first time playing together as a group. She said she has jammed with Navarrete before, and she plays for the Kirkwood Choir led by Kiser, but they had never gotten together to play as a trio before this event.
“It was actually pretty low-key,” said Kiser. “We all know how our own instrument works, so we’re kind of comfortable in our own style and abilities.”
Kiser compared playing with the others to a game of pickup basketball. “It’s a pickup basketball game with guys or girls that you kind of know how they’re going to play,” he said.
He described how they each knew how the others would play, similar to how different basketball players have their own style of play, and as the performance went on, they adjusted and learned to play off each other, coming together as a cohesive unit.
All three members are looking to perform more often going forward. They all have their own goals for the event as they continue to become more comfortable as a group.
Kiser is looking to expand the song selection, mesh more with the others and sing more often moving forward.
“I foresee adding to the bandstand as we start getting this rolling a little bit more,” said Navarrete. It’s fun for us too. I know we have a lot of great pedagogues in the department, but also performers, so I can see us exploring different configurations on the bandstand.”
Andrews emphasized her excitement to see Kiser and Navarrete not only perform on stage but also interact with students. “That’s pretty freaking awesome that they would give that gift to the kids,” she said.
“I feel totally motivated having heard Fred [Kiser] sing and play and Chris [Navarrete] play. It’s just pretty exciting.”
Navarrete said they have not yet chosen a name for the faculty band but are open to suggestions.
He added that he encourages students to swing by Iowa Stage every time they perform to grab coffee and listen to music.
The next Standard Java performance will be Nov. 5 at 10:10 a.m. in Iowa Hall. Students are invited to Jazz Jam on Oct. 28, at 11:15 a.m. in Iowa Hall.
Categories: Art & Life
