De Anza College music department faculty members performed works from J.S. Bach, Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdis, to original jazz piano pieces on May 10 at the Choral Hall.

Grace Lai played flute with student Antoni Ostrowski on piano as they performed the Flute Sonata by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.

Benett Zussman, adjunct instructor of music department, played J.S. Bach’s renowned cello piece Suite No.1 BWV 1007 on guitar.

Paul Setziol, emeriti instructor, student Ruriko Katsuragi and David Newton, physics professor, performed Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi’s work Simon Boccanegra.

Setziol said this is an “extremely powerful, very dramatic [and] compelling opera.”

Jim Schneider, adjunct instructor played his original jazz piece “Through the Lens of Time” on piano. The piece was influenced by famous Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins.

“In the back of my mind, I always worried that maybe I stole something from him. But I haven’t found it yet,” said Schneider.

The second performance in his repertoire was Águas de Março (Water of March), by Antônio Carlos Jobim, a Brazilian bossa nova composer.

Schneider said one of the great things about this song is Jobim can improvise three notes, playing with the rhythm and the order of notes in so many different ways.

“He can deal with just three notes,” said Schneider.

Last performer, Mason Razavi, adjunct music department professor played two jazz pieces with his electric guitar.

“I really enjoyed it. Two of my instructors were in it. I just like hearing different kinds of music,” said Anna Strong, 62, music major, after hearing the recital.

“It was nice. It was a little bit casual which is kinda relaxing in the wide scope of music,” said Paul Setziol, music department professor.

“It’s tough because of the budget cut, we lose people, or people retired. They are not replaced,” said Scheider. “It’s harder and harder to be here, but doing the best we can.”