Season 15 kicked off with “Bells Are Ringing,” a wide-ranging program that welcomed composer, pianist, and recording artist Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal to the stage and showcased the vocal artistry of Colleen Daly Eberhardt.  Our opening concert featured the sounds of bells pealing from within the church in Ruiz-Bernal’s original musical setting of the poem by Edgar Allan Poe, as well as from the new campus carillon and refurbished 1889 Chapel Bell Tower.  

The Performers:

Colleen Daly Eberhardt:

Although Colleen Eberhardt doesn’t come by singing naturally—she was raised in a family of athletes—singing comes to her in a natural way. Musical performance was a calling that Colleen accidentally stumbled upon, singing her first solo at Christmas Eve Mass at the age of eight. In an email interview, Colleen reflects on the dedicated teachers who saw and developed her potential, her introduction to opera, and what roles rank among her favorites and sit at the top of her wish list…

To gain some insight into Gabriel’s background, initial interest in music, composition process, and current projects, we asked the prodigiously talented musician a few questions. First, Gabriel shares the story of how his father acquired the family’s first piano, the instrument that would eventually launch his career and that of his sister Celia.

Next, Gabriel talks about “The Bells” and “Magnificat,” two original works on the October 4th program, and hints at a few surprises for the afternoon.