The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, a relaxing atmosphere and good music are the typical features of a student café.
Dr. Matthew Vali’s Applied Voice students are bringing a melodic vibe to Starbucks-sipping students with a live performance this semester at the Bone Student Center at Illinois State University.
“As a professor, I always try to make sure that when I teach an artist, I give them a chance to perform,” Vala said.
Out of 28 Musical theatre students looking for opportunities to perform, “Live at the Bone” was born. Four concerts will be held at the Starbucks Stage in the Bone Student Center during the spring semester, each show featuring different music and artists.
The first concert in the series took place on February 1 and featured a selection of songs that musical theatre students had been practicing in their individual singing lessons. They sang musicals, pop and jazz, with several songs coming from the upcoming spring musical, In pieces.
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Applied voice student Molly Fritz was one of the artists performing live at “Live at the Bone” in February.Mia-Belle Shannon, a sophomore majoring in musical performance and theatre education, sang two songs during the first performance of Live at the Bone.
“I usually get a little nervous before I go on stage, but once I’m there, it all goes away,” Shannon said. “After the show, I’m grateful for the experience and excited to show everyone these songs for the musical in March.”
The approximately 40 attendees expressed their joy with cheers, smiles and noisy applause between sips of coffee.
“I think the Bone Student Center is a handsome space that we renovated as a common area,” Vala said. “I’d like to see it grow over the semester and have the ability to incorporate different things.”
Musical theatre students Zoe Irving and Stella Coughlin were in the audience, showing support to their performing friends and classmates.
“I really liked everything, but I really liked Mia-Belle’s last song. With all the power she put into it. It was so magical to hear her live,” Coughlin said.
Irving will sing at the next Live at the Bone concert.
“It was a great show, full of talented performers,” Irving said. “I’m excited to see how this show at Bone translates to the main stage.”
Vala said the main goal of these performances is to bring the Illinois State community together, showcase student talent, allow them to experience a live performance and create a fun atmosphere reminiscent of a college cafeteria.
“Maybe someone from your psychology class, someone you wouldn’t expect to be there, will come and twirl during the performance. It’s a conversation starter,” Vala said. “I always tell my students that one of the most significant things in our lives is being seen. College is tough enough, so having a place where we can break down some barriers and create community is a good thing.”
Upcoming performances
March 7, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m.: Most significant events In pieces musical
April 4, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m.: Cover artists like Adele, Lana del Rey, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga
May 2, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m.: Jazz and singer-songwriter performances
Performers in February
Chloe Baisa, Ava Brines, Molly Fritz, Aneesah Phillips, Andrew Miniature, Mia-belle Shannon, Autumn Nicole, Logan VanLerberghe, Lorelei Wernecke and Olivia Wexler.
