As most people on campus retire for the day, Hugh Hodgson School of Music livens nearly every evening with recitals by students – and occasionally professors.

Most faculty present a full solo recital every year, said viola professor Mark Neumann, and others regularly perform internationally. Professors volunteer to perform the free recitals, scheduling them about a semester in advance.

“Performance is a professional duty and function,” Neumann said. “It is important to contribute to cultural life of the campus and community.”

Students are encouraged to attend and undergraduate music majors must attend 15 recitals every semester.

“I wish my students would come, but (faculty recitals are) not required,” said Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva, a violin professor who's played one faculty recital. “They will come if they respect their teachers and are interested.”

Azimkhodjaeva is scheduled to perform Wednesday.

Her performance includes 20th century music “to stylization of old music” and French romantic composers, she said.

Normally faculty recitals are not given titles, but Neumann has named his performance “The Russian Viola” because his program of famous and important Russian composers.

He will play two sonatas and two short pieces written by composers under the Soviet regime who told the musicians what type of music to write. This oppression can be heard in music that is “beautiful, yet somber,” Neumann said.