Kristen Merlin Performs in the AMU
By Mac Williams
@m_williamsm2
Williamsm2@findlay.edu
On Friday, Feb. 10, 2017 The University of Findlay brought in an artist that placed fourth on NBC’s six season of The Voice, Kristen Merlin. Merlin is a singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee, and performed from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the AMU. During the performance, she covered many famous songs from various genres, and included some original songs as well. According to Mackenzie McMaster, a member of the Student Activities Board, these kinds of concerts are open to the community and are free of charge.
“It’s free and open to the community, we invite people to come in and get lunch inside the Cave and then it is a come and go as you please type of event,” McMaster said. “We want as many people to be able to be able to see the concert so we allow people to come and go based on their own schedule needs.”
According to McMaster, there are usually four concerts held during the year for students as part of the Music Bach’s Concert Series.
“We usually hold two concerts in the fall and two in the spring, but next year we are planning to hold six events overall, three in each semester,” McMaster said. “All of the concerts that we do are located in the AMU atrium so students should be able to find it very easily.”
According to McMaster, there currently aren’t any guests lined up for next year’s concerts. However, members of the Student Activities Board will be attending a conference in March in hopes of booking guests for the upcoming concert series.
“It is always a little more challenging for us to book the more well-known acts since we are such a small university, but recently with Kristen Merlin we are starting to book better acts,” McMaster said.
According to McMaster, the number of people who attend the concerts is hard to measure, given that people can come and go as they please.
“I would say that we normally average about fifty people just hanging out in the AMU during these performances,” said McMaster. “It usually just depends upon who we have performing that day.”
According to the Student Activities Board’s website, the next concert will be held on Mar. 24, 2017 from 11:30-1p.m. in the AMU, and will feature The Mulligan Brothers.
Sources: [Interview, Mackenzie McMaster, recorded, 2/10/17]
https://www.findlay.edu/offices/student/student-activities/Music-Bach’s-Series