Standing backstage as Duane Funderburk, DMA, dean of the School of Music, introduces “A Shostakovich Event,” Amy Halverson ’03 breathes a sigh of relief.

Finally, her hard work has come to fruition. Munson Recital Hall bustles with an attentive audience, and Halverson has done her homework. In a few moments, she will step out on stage and offer the crowd an intimate look into the life and music of her favorite composer, Dimitri Dimitriyevich Shostakovich. Despite the aura of completion in the air, Halverson thinks to herself, “Well God, this isn’t the end, is it?”

It all began with a story her conductor told when she was 14 years old. Simply handing sheets of music to the eager, young musicians of the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony would not do when it came to this composer. A proper introduction to Dimitri Shostakovich meant speaking of fear, anger, sarcasm, irony, and paranoia. Halverson was hooked: Who was this great musician?

The question set Halverson on a path that led her to Azusa Pacific’s contemporary music program and the opportunity to study the 20^th century composer in more depth. The answer became clearer after her October 2, 2001 event. The special concert presented the historical and cultural context that inspired Shostakovich’s music. In choosing to study Quartet No. 8 Op. 110 and Sonata for Viola and Piano Op. 147, Halverson built a perfect foundation from which to explore the life of the composer.

“A Shostakovich Event” utilized many media to tell the stories behind Shostakovich’s music. Three ceiling-to-floor screens projected photographs during the program. “I showed a picture of bombed-out Dresden during Quartet No. 8 to illustrate what the music was about,” said Halverson.

Perhaps the most exciting element of the event was the interview with Shostakovich’s former student from the Moscow Conservatory, Mikhail Boguslavsky. “Hearing firsthand from someone who knew the composer brought the project to life for us,” said Funderburk. For Halverson, Boguslavsky’s visit not only bore witness to the personality of Shostakovich, but also provided private viola lessons during his visit.

Contemplating pursuing a master’s degree in music emphasizing the work of Shostakovich, Halverson knows her future lies in teaching. After all, had not a passionate conductor introduced her to an intriguing composer named Shostakovich in a classroom?