Peter Loewenstein ’24 brings family guitar legacy to performance on Thursday
When brass and guitar students present a recital Thursday, one of the guitarists brings a long family legacy of the instrument to his performance. Peter Loewenstein ’24 of Oshkosh will perform both in the guitar ensemble and as a soloist. The concert will begin at 4:30 p.m. in Demmer Recital Hall, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts.
Loewenstein says music has always been a part of his life. He started singing at the age of 11 and played piano for 10 years. He was always aware of a special guitar handed down through his family since 1889. The guitar was first owned by his grandmother’s uncle, Eddie Bell, who owned a guitar shop in New York City. It was passed on to his grandmother Judith, then to his mother, Ripon Professor of Biology Memuna Khan.
A year and a half ago, he started taking classical guitar lessons with Adjunct Instructor of Music Christopher Cramer, and he took a renewed interest in his family’s instrument. It hadn’t been played in many years, so Loewenstein had it restored.
At Ripon, Loewenstein is majoring in music with a minor in environmental studies. He sings with Concert Choir and Chamber Singers and plays with Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo, in addition to Guitar Ensemble. Although he has pursued other interests since he started at Ripon, he now is firmly focused on music.
“Guitar is a niche thing to study, and it takes a lot of work and dedication to learn it. But everybody likes the music, all generations and all ages. Music is the lifeblood of human civilization. It breaks the bonds of discrimination. Music is what truly makes us human. I like sharing with others because it brings them joy.”
He added, “I’ve always been on this path and kept coming back to it. We have a super music department, and the professors here are top-notch. I’ve come to appreciate the amount of passion they show for music. I have pretty much dedicated the rest of my life to music.”
Loewenstein plans to earn a master’s degree in music theory and guitar performance, then become a professor.
Related Posts
Halle Hadel ’25 and her dog, Eve, bring home Award of Merit from Westminster dog show
Halle Hadel ’25 of Ripon, Wisconsin, and her Siberian husky, Eve, received an Award of Merit earlier in May at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog […]
Jessie Lillis ’13 returns to Ripon for summer residency, presentation of Shakespeare plays
When a series of free performances of plays by William Shakespeare is presented in the Ripon/Green Lake area this summer, Jessie Lillis ’13 will be […]
Review of exhibit featuring work of Rafael Francisco Salas published
A review of Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas’ recent exhibit was published May 9 on Shepard Express, a Milwaukee publication. “Cruces|Crossroads” was on view […]
Ripon College forms new chapter of Iota, Iota, Iota honor society
Ripon College has formed a new chapter of Iota Iota Iota (Triota), the national women’s and gender studies honor society. Initiation of the inaugural 17 […]