{"id":34846,"date":"2023-03-14T23:46:43","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T05:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/cochran-clair-reunite-to-honor-womens-history-month-with-vocal-recital\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T02:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:21:15","slug":"cochran-clair-reunite-to-honor-womens-history-month-with-vocal-recital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/cochran-clair-reunite-to-honor-womens-history-month-with-vocal-recital\/","title":{"rendered":"Cochran, Clair reunite to honor Women\u2019s History Month with vocal recital"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Shannon
Shannon Cochran returns to Farmington for voice recital and \u201cCelebrate Sondheim\u201d with former mentor. (Photo courtesy Shannon Cochran)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Shannon Cochran will be joined by her childhood mentor, Margaret Clair, for a recital titled \u201cThe Female Gaze\u201d to celebrate Women\u2019s History Month. The novel music piece will be performed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at San Juan College\u2019s Connie Gotsch Theatre.<\/p>\n

Soprano Shannon Cochran and mezzo-soprano Margaret Clair will be accompanied by pianist Levi Brown. The trio will display their finely honed talents for regional music aficionados.<\/p>\n

Cochran said in a phone interview that rehearsals are going well, and things are shaping up for a \u201creally lovely night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even if an attendee isn\u2019t versed in classical music, Cochran said some of the selections will be recognizable from television commercials or movies. She will lend voice to some of the newer female composers who have not received as much exposure or had their work performed as often. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of nice to have that balance,\u201d Cochran said.<\/p>\n

The performance poses the question of how women might write for themselves through their own eyes.<\/p>\n

Margaret Clair, Director of Henderson Fine Arts Center at San Juan College, said that as a longtime performer she didn\u2019t even think about women composers not getting their due.<\/p>\n

\"Margaret
Margaret Clair will join Shannon, former student, for a couple of selections on their special night together. (Courtesy Margaret Clair)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cIt didn\u2019t even dawn on me that I was saying and singing the words written by a man about how someone feels,\u201d she said. \u201cMost of the classic songs, operas or arias, are written by men, so we\u2019ve seen everything through that lens and I didn\u2019t even question it for such a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clair received operatic training with Blanche Thebom, who was the leading mezzo-soprano at the Metropolitan Opera for 25 years. Most of Clair\u2019s performing was in regional opera in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with several European tours.<\/p>\n

As an eclectic performer, Clair has delved beyond opera into operetta, recital and musical theater. Her endeavors include performance work with recording, voice-over, jazz and composing.<\/p>\n

Cochran is now based in Cincinnati, Ohio, but she and Clair first met when Clair directed several choirs Cochran participated in as a child. Cochran now travels and performs in musicals across the country. She plans to move to New York City later this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Shannon\u2019s recital \u2026 she\u2019s really at the top of her game now,\u201d Clair said about her former student, who now holds a doctorate in musical arts voice performance. \u201cThe student becomes the master,\u201d Margaret wrote in an email.<\/p>\n

Clair and her husband, Randy West, who manages Farmington Civic Center, moved to Farmington four years ago. Clair has a master\u2019s degree in voice and has taught voice performance at Iowa Wesleyan University and privately.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did a bunch of composing when I was in college as part of the composer\u2019s workshop,\u201d Clair said. Cochran will perform a piece called \u201cBali,\u201d which was written by Clair. The piece is based on a Balinese scale consisting of five notes, a pentatonic scale that has an island or Asian feel.<\/p>\n

Cochran said the program will be structured by language: Italian, French, German and English. Songs by male composers will be followed by songs written by female composers. By showcasing them side-by-side, the goal is to provide insights on the subtle nuances of how the two genders express themselves musically.<\/p>\n

Between the language sets, Cochran will introduce composers and provide background on her reasoning for choosing certain songs.<\/p>\n

The idea for the recital sparked between the two vocalists last October when Cochran and her former teacher shared a dressing room during Four Corners Musical Theater Company\u2019s production of \u201cSweeney Todd.\u201d They discussed how they could bring classical music vocal recitals to the college.<\/p>\n

Cochran said they talked about different composers, songs they loved and the idea for celebrating Women\u2019s History Month by highlighting female composers.<\/p>\n

With the question of \u201chow might women write for themselves through their own eyes?\u201d in mind, Cochran was inspired to create a program of unique musical exploration.<\/p>\n

Cochran performed recitals, one on German art form, when earning her doctorate in music performance. Her intent with this recital is to challenge the discerning \u201cears\u201d of the listener.<\/p>\n

Overall, the hope is that the audience will hear the nuances and complexities that distinguish female from male composers. Cochran said she desires, through her work, to help both to flourish and thrive independently.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cThe
\u201cThe Female Gaze\u201d will take place at Connie Gotsch Theatre March 28. (Herald file photo)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The recital will attempt to address and answer the question of how the work of female composers differs from male composers by juxtaposing the male and female viewpoint.<\/p>\n

Clair explained that some of the most performed classical works are by male composers writing from their perspective about the experiences of women. This raises questions about point of view, attitude and accuracy when analyzed.<\/p>\n

Conversely, \u201cThe Female Gaze\u201d is based on the female view of art and life.<\/p>\n

The performance explores possibilities for more potential nuance, dimensionality and complexity when women write about their own experiences.<\/p>\n

Feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey coined the term \u201cthe male gaze,\u201d which represents not only the gaze of a heterosexual male viewer, but also the gaze of the male character and the male creator of the film.<\/p>\n

The female gaze is the female perspective in works of art and literature, opposite the male gaze. This feminist theory term refers to the gaze of the female spectator, character or director of an artistic work. More than gender, the female gaze addresses the issue of representing women as subjects who have agency<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Movies such as \u201cRebecca\u201d and \u201cStella Dallas\u201d are examples of early films where the narrative is told through the female protagonist\u2019s point of view. This genre of film evolved into romantic comedies and dramas such as \u201c27 Dresses\u201d and \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada,\u201d which attempt to represent the desires of female protagonists, and subsequently the desires of the female viewer.<\/p>\n

Cochran anticipates a lively post-show discussion of the performance. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of really exciting things happening in Farmington, and I\u2019m just so impressed by the facilities here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s always wonderful to come back here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been here four years and I\u2019ve not seen a vocal recital,\u201d Clair said, \u201cso I think the classical music lovers are a little bit hungry for that genre.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets for \u201cThe Female Gaze\u201d are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, military and employees. Students are free with ID.<\/p>\n

Tickets are available online<\/a>, at San Juan College Bookstore and at the door the night of the performance.<\/p>\n

Clair, Cochran and Brown are also core members of the city of Farmington\u2019s Four Corners Musical Theatre Company. They are in rehearsals for the upcoming production of \u201cCelebrate Sondheim<\/a>,\u201d which runs March 23 to April 2<\/p>\n

.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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