Senior year can be hectic for students in every academic department, but one music major is going to have to work extra hard if she wants to complete both her junior and senior recitals this year.

It is rare that a music student chooses to do both recitals in one year because both require a large amount of preparation.

Senior Di-Tu Dissassa held her junior recital Sunday and performed five piano pieces. She said she thought the concert went “all right.”

"I don't think you can ever reach perfection in music," Dissassa said.<br/>Dissassa said her favorite piece she performed was an African work titled "Dusk." She said "Metamorphosis 2" by Philip Glass also was enjoyable.Dissassa said her favorite piece she performed was an African work titled "Dusk." She said "Metamorphosis 2" by Philip Glass also was enjoyable.
Dissassa said her favorite piece she performed was an African work titled “Dusk.” She said “Metamorphosis 2” by Philip Glass also was enjoyable.

Dissassa said she practiced a lot over the summer and talked to Trilla Lyerla, chair of music department, to help her prepare for her debut recital.

Dissassa said her original plan was to do her junior recital at the end of last year, but her other obligations and her lack of experience playing the piano forced her to push it back.

“She (Lyerla) has been really patient with me,” Dissassa said.

Lyerla said when Dissassa started at Baker she struggled with reading sheet music. She said Dissassa has studied piano all four years.

“Her growth has been astronomical,” Lyerla said.

The junior recital is not required, nor is it graded, but a lot of students choose to do it to get themselves ready for their larger recital at the end of their senior year. Lyerla advises her students to spend about two hours every day practicing for their final recital.

Along with the recital, the students must write a paper about the compositions they will be performing. Lyerla said the assignment is much like a senior seminar paper.

For Dissassa’s senior recital, Lyerla envisions a baroque piece, a classical piece, a romantic piece and either a 20th century or contemporary piece.

Lyerla said Dissassa’s great challenge last year was the repertoire she was expected to perform. Every year, the material gets increasingly more challenging.

“She is one of the busiest women on campus,” Lyerla said. “She is an RA (resident adviser), she is very involved in Mungano and she is a very good student, so she works hard in all of those areas.”

Sophomore Scott Ireland was Dissassa’s stage manager during her recital Sunday. Ireland listened to her back stage and thought she had a great variety of different pieces.

“I thoroughly enjoyed her concert,” Ireland said.