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Dr. Caston performs in 70-minute faculty recital

Dr. Ben Caston (right), tenor and assistant professor of music, accompanied by Dr. Pierce Dickens (left), associate professor of music and the Quinelle McRae Sikes professor of piano, performed March 1 in a faculty recital in Gilder Recital Hall. (Photo by Nicole Mathis)

By Hayley M. Boisseau

News and Public Information, staff writer

MOUNT VERNON—Brewton-Parker College held a faculty voice recital March 1 in Gilder Recital Hall. Dr. Ben Caston, tenor and assistant professor of music, performed several selections from Handel, Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, as well as pieces from other composers. It was Dr. Caston’s first recital since joining BPC’s music division faculty. 

“It was a wonderful experience,” said Dr. Caston, who also admits there were some challenges, “(such as) having difficulty memorizing the French and German pieces” and finding practice time around his full-time teaching schedule.

Dr. Caston felt his choice of repertoire were ones that “everyone would enjoy” because of the diverse selections and over half the pieces were in English. The lyric tenor finished his program with a selection of spirituals from The Deep River Collection arranged by Moses Hogan. 

 “I am glad I chose to finish with these timeless spirituals,” he said. “The text speaks to me, is appropriate in many settings and I think the audience was able to connect to it.” 

Dr. Caston was accompanied by Dr. Pierce Dickens, associate professor of music and the Quinelle McRae Sikes professor of piano. 

As advice to his students and anyone learning music, Dr. Caston suggests, “Enjoy the process!”

Originally from Liberty, Miss., Dr. Caston resides in Mount Vernon with his wife, Rebecca, and son, Clay. He is a member of the Georgia Baptist Convention’s Sons of Jubal Choir, director of BPC’s Baron Ringers, choral director for Youth One Music Camp, and is serving as interim music minister at First Baptist Church of Perry.

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