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In this performance, Jonathan performs one of Prokofiev’s most famous works that is typically performed by narrator and orchestra. However, Nesbitt does something that has rarely been done by professional pianists, let alone undergraduate ones; namely, he takes on both roles (narrator and orchestra). Playing from Prokofiev’s original piano version that was subsequently rewritten for orchestra by the composer, Jonathan displays remarkable theatrical skills. The combination of musical and acting abilities displayed is rare in pianists. Only a handful of audio recordings exist where pianists attempt to perform both roles, and there are none available by undergraduate-level pianists. As such, this video submission highlights creative work that is unique internationally. The genre of “speaking pianist” is sometimes encountered within more recent music written for piano, but it is seldom attempted at the undergraduate level because of the holistic demands it places on the performer. Graduating from a liberal arts and sciences campus that encourages exploration and skills beyond one’s primary discipline, Nesbitt was cited by jury members grading this performance for his boldness and professionalism in bringing together two of the Fine Arts disciplines—that of drama and music.
The Dolores River in Southwestern Colorado is a mountain stream in southwestern Colorado. The semi-arid environment downstream of McPhee Reservoir has a low annual precipitation and a high inter-annual variation. The impoundment of McPhee Dam along the Dolores River has affected the duration and magnitude of peak discharge events, which, in turn, has had downstream impacts. Few published studies have quantified groundwater dynamics in riparian aquifers and dam controlled streams, and this study furthers the knowledge in this field. Three study sites along the Dolores River, one upstream of McPhee Reservoir and two downstream, were analyzed in this study using a transect of three piezometers at each study site. Piezometers were installed 2-3 m below the surface, and were observed from May to October 2010.
All observed piezometer levels downstream of McPhee Reservoir resembled the dam release hydrograph. The duration and magnitude of high flow events were the key factors in effective recharge of the riparian aquifers. Longer duration dam releases created higher groundwater levels and more gradual drawdown times than shorter duration monsoon precipitation events of equal magnitude. In addition to these large scale recharge events, daily water level variations of 2-5 cm were observed in each well. These well variations are thought to be related to significant diurnal air temperature fluctuations and associated evapotranspiration. The measurements obtained from this study provide important information regarding the effects of dam management on groundwater levels in riparian aquifers. This information will become increasingly critical with anticipated climate change in the region.