CMP major John Church’s senior show included pieces from numerous musical periods, ranging from the middle ages to the 1950s. “I tried to represent the styles of music I have spent the most time with both as a student and as a performer,” Church said.

There was no order. Invitations—spoons—were left in Susanne Miller’s office for any curious party. The menu consisted of Quiche, Chicken Wings and Peeps. The more than 20 students who showed up weren’t sure what was in store for the night—sometimes even the event organizers weren’t sure. In other words, the March 31 celebration of Coffee Spoons in O’Shaughnessy Performance Space was quintessential Creative Writing Department. Coffee Spoons, the little loved online literary magazine, was started as a direct response to Glyph. One of its founders, Brandon Brown, views it as a place where all students, regardless of majors, can get their work out there for the world to see. But, in the magazine’s short existence, very few have paid attention. “It’s been hard this semester,” he said, citing the hectic schedule of the typical SFUAD student and a lack of a solid marketing plan. Regardless, Brown, Melinda Freudenberger, Marina Woollven, Amaya Garza and Serafima Fedorova, the Coffee Spoons staff, continue working. Each staff member wears many hats; between proofing, publishing, web design, event planning and peer editing, everyone does everything. “A lot of frazzled meetings,” Freudenberger admits. The Coffee Spoons event was meant to get more people talking about the magazine, but for Brown, it was mostly about bringing people together. “The whole deal is to get people in a room talking,” he said. “Maybe I’m a sap, but that’s how I feel.” Freudenberger agreed. “There is a sense of secrecy in the writing department,” she said. “Which is unnecessary. Other majors don’t have that fear.” No one at the event had that fear. Attendees were given a physical handmade copy of The Coffee Spoon, a collection of the first two issues from the website, and many gave readings. Writing majors Andrew Koss and Charles Simon, with...

Musicians gather for sound checks at St. Francis auditorium. They are preparing for the day’s concert in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach’s 330th birthday, and come from all backgrounds: amateurs, students and professionals. SFUAD Contemporary Music Program major John Church sits stage left with a shotgun mic aimed at his mandolin. Over spring break, Church said he was pretty nervous about the upcoming performance. “As time goes on it dwindles, but it might start back up again.” Two men roll a grand piano across the wooden stage. Scattered spectators populate the auditorium’s creaky pews. The pianist takes his seat and warms up for his performance of Kreuz und krone from Bach Cantata No. 12. Fitzhugh de Gogorza Cline stands in front of the piano, practicing her vocals for the Aria. World class oboist Gerald Fried rounds out the trio. Fried is most well known for composing the scores for the original Star Trek episode, “Amok Time,” the television mini-series Roots and several of Stanley Kubrick’s films. Church expected to see him at the March 21 performance, but was unsure of who would be joining Fried on his piece. “He’ll probably be accompanied on the piano by [SFUAD Contemporary Music Program instructor] Deborah Ungar or someone else,” Church says. That someone else turns out to be Oscar-winning film composer and jazz pianist Dave Grusin. It’s enough to make any budding musician nervous. Cline walks down a set of wooden stairs adjacent to the stage. The hem of her black dress flutters around her boots. Church hammers out the Prelude to Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. “Who would’ve thought?” Cline says. “What’s that?” Church asks. “Who would’ve thought that Bach would sound so good on the mandolin?” “Oh, thank you. Your voice sounds wonderful as...

Contemporary Music Program student John Church discusses his path toward and goals with music.