Student Recital

'Alex Irwin & James Krom: Art Songs of Love, Memory, and Hope' is a MM Composition joint recital that explores the art song genre in many forms, from piano-vocal collections to purely instrumental art songs. Traditional texts, classic poetry by Robert Frost and Walt Whitman, contemporary poetry by Matthew Galbraith, and even fully original texts all contribute to an exciting and collaborative program that features talented student performers from across CMU’s School of Music. We hope you enjoy!

Alex Irwin, composer,

James Krom, composer,

Paul Yeater, voice

John Makara, piano

Joseph Bates, violin

Izzy Healy, viola

Roy Baek, cello

Evelyn Davenport, piano

Billy Holtz, viola

Nick Fagnilli, piano

Program:

Alex Irwin Orion

James Krom For Once, Then, Something

Alex Irwin The Foglamp Quartet

James Krom 4 Betrayals of Christ 

Alex Irwin The Whitman Sampler: Art Songs from One Man to Another 

James Krom To Comfort Me 

Alex Irwin is a composer, violinist, and tenor from Norman, Oklahoma, currently pursuing a Master of Music in Composition at Carnegie Mellon University. He has a particular interest in writing for the voice, with a focus on art song, musical theatre, and choral music. His compositions have been commissioned by the University of Oklahoma Men’s Glee Club, the OU School of Music voice faculty, the OU School of Drama, and the Sooner Theatre, and his work has been featured internationally at the 2023 International Music Festival of the Adriatic in Italy and Slovenia. He recently received an Honorable Mention from Calliope’s Call 2025, an international art song competition, for Time Does Not Bring Relief, his setting of Edna St. Vincent Millay’s Sonnet II.

Recent projects include music and arrangements for Ritchie: The Day Before the Music Died, a new play by Dr. Robert Con Davis-Undiano, workshop readings with the Akropolis Reed Quintet and a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra string quintet, and premieres of The Voice of the Sea with the CMU D-flat Singers and December Roses for soprano Rebecca Clark at the University of Michigan. In addition to composing, Alex works as a freelance arranger and performs regularly as a violinist with Mariachi Orgullo de America and the Irish band Puffins in the Kitchen.

James Krom is a PA-based composer and pianist currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in composition at Carnegie Mellon University. He mainly composes chamber and orchestral works, with a focus on storytelling through programmatic music. James’ undergraduate experience at The Catholic University of America led to many of his first premieres, including Night Ride Before a Duel for symphony orchestra (Vidin Sinfonietta, Bulgaria, Summer 2023), Alleluia for concert choir (CUA, D.C, Spring 2024), Prayer of St. Francis for chamber orchestra (CUA, D.C, Summer 2024), and Wolf Rocks Expedition for youth orchestra (WYSO Philharmonic, PA, Fall 2024).

James’ recent compositions include Earth-Sky Adoration for reed quintet (Akropolis Reed Quintet reading, PA, Spring 2025) and Commence for string quintet (PSO string quintet reading, PA, Spring 2025). Current projects include Scherzo & Adagio for symphony orchestra (CMU Philharmonic, PA, Spring 2026) and Different Shades of Green (and Red) for chamber ensemble. You can enjoy or critique many of James’ pieces on his website or YouTube channel.

Cost: Free and open to the public; No tickets required. 

Tickets: