Senior Recital “Wind and Rain” Spans Classical, Folk, and Blue Grass Music

Apr 9, 2026 8:00 AM

Frostburg State University's Department of Music, Theatre and Dance is pleased to announce Chassady Redhead’s senior violin recital titled “Wind and Rain.” The performance will take place on Sunday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of the Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. The recital is free and open to the public. Attendees unable to join in person may watch the live stream by visiting www.frostburg.edu/concerts. 

Accompanied by Dr. Joseph Yungen on piano, the program will feature works spanning classical and folk traditions, with special guest artists Evie Swartz (viola), Sydney Hector (violin), and the bluegrass ensemble Backbone Bluegrass (Nick Mellen, guitar; Morgan Tichnell, banjo; Peter B. Lewis, bass).

The recital program includes:
  • Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24, “Spring” by Ludwig van Beethoven (I. Allegro; II. Adagio molto espressivo; III. Scherzo – Allegro Molto; IV. Rondo – Allegro ma non troppo), with Joseph Yungen, piano

Intermission

  • Prelude (from Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano) by Dmitri Shostakovich, arranged by Levon Atovmyan, with Evie Swartz, viola; and Joseph Yungen, piano
  • Appalachia Waltz for Two Violins by Mark O’Connor, with Sydney Hector, violin
  • St. Anne’s Reel (traditional) and Wagon Wheel by Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor, performed by Backbone Bluegrass: Chassady Redhead, violin; Nick Mellen, guitar; Morgan Tichnell, banjo; Peter B. Lewis, bass

The evening will highlight Redhead’s versatility as a violinist, from the joyful classical elegance of Beethoven’s “Spring” Sonata — composed during his early period and reflecting the influence of Haydn and Mozart — to the haunting lyricism of Shostakovich’s Prelude (drawn from his film score for The Gadfly), the folk-inspired beauty of O’Connor’s Appalachia Waltz, and the energetic traditional and contemporary sounds of bluegrass.

Redhead, a 2022 graduate of Allegany High School, has been on the Dean’s List every semester at FSU. She has studied violin with current FSU instructor Dr. Shawn Wang, as well as earlier FSU instructors Dr. Qian Zhong and Dr. Talya Schenk, and previously with Mrs. Patricia Aaron. She is a member of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME). Upon graduating on May 21, 2026, Redhead plans to pursue a Master’s degree in the MAT program at FSU and become a music teacher.

The Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center is located at 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532. For more information, contact the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance at music@frostburg.edu or 301-687-4109.

For media inquiries or to request an interview with Redhead, please contact the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.