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MISHAWAKA, IN – This week’s Artists of the Week is vocal performer Ashlin Townsend, a Music Education major with a focus in vocal music, and pianist Bekah Scott, a Piano Performance major; who both recently performed in their joint Junior recital.
Townsend has been performing since second grade, she recalls this memory,
“In second grade [I was] in a group called Storytellers. I dressed up as a snowman and had to sing and act. I remember this so clearly because I forgot my lines, which is every performer's worst nightmare,” said Townsend.
Scott has been playing piano since she was seven, for nearly fourteen years.
Townsend recalls her most memorable moment at Bethel, “Last year's performance with the Concert Choir in Carnegie Hall [was the most memorable moment]. Arriving in New York City and seeing Carnegie Hall was already amazing, but actually being inside, onstage, performing? It was truly an honor,” said Townsend.
Scott recalls her most memorable moment at Bethel, “Honestly, [my favorite memory is] just hanging with my roommate Ashlin and messing around in practice rooms. Sometimes making good music and sometimes making...music,” said Scott.
Townsend spent most of her childhood in Rocky Ford, CO, but moved to Plymouth, IN her junior year of high school. She graduated from Plymouth High School in 2017. She chose Bethel because of its “small and beautiful campus.” When she graduates, she plans to be a music teacher.
Scott grew up in Mishawaka, IN, but moved to Pensacola, FL for two years (‘14-’16). She graduated from Elkhart Christian Academy in 2017. When she graduates, she plans to become a piano teacher, as well as working at a school as an accompanist for the choir and teach private lessons to students.
When asked why she chose Bethel, “I wanted to go to Bethel since I was in middle school. I wanted to go to a Christian school and someplace close to home. I fell in love with the music department when I visited in high school as well,” said Scott.
When recalling their recent recital, “Bekah and I forgot about our recital hearing date… the second day of classes this semester (Friday)… However, we managed to get through the hearing, leaving us both relieved for a short time at least. The next couple of weeks leading up to the recital, I felt fine. It was the night of the recital that I got very nervous. Waiting for my turn to go on stage and perform was the most nerve-wracking part. Overall, I feel like the recital went really well. Bekah was definitely amazing, and no I'm not being biased just because she's my best friend. She really is amazing at piano,” said Townsend.
“I was extremely nervous, but I fought through the nerves. I shake a lot when I'm nervous and I had a few brief moments of hesitation, but I recovered and kept playing, and that's what counts. Most of my pieces (all but one solo and a duet with my professor, Rob Rhein) were memorized. That added to the stress, just trying to remember everything and keep my spot in the pieces. I exceeded my expectations for myself but I'm definitely still perfectionist, so I know I still have lots of room for improvement. I'm so thankful to everyone who came and supported us. Looking forward to working on my senior recital for next year,” said Scott.
Townsend is also a student worker in the Music Department, as well as a music theory tutor.
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