David Peifer, professor of mathematics, at UNC Asheville’s math department hosted an annual spring math recital this past Friday, continuing a 30-year old tradition.
“I started this math recital because of the connection that math and music have. I think there’s a connection between math and music and people. A lot of math people play music,” Peifer said.
Prior to teaching at UNCA, Peifer taught at St. Olaf College, a liberal arts school that has a strong music and math scene. Peifer said they do a math recital there, which inspired him to host one at UNCA.
Since its beginning, the math recital has been hosted every single year with the exception of 2020. Peifer said the recital often allows him to see talents that some of his more quiet students possess.
“One time someone played a fiddle tune and then turned around and played a classical piece on the same instrument,” Peifer said. “Seeing people play things like that is amazing.”
Peifer shares his talents alongside his students. Every single year the recital has been held, Peifer has performed “I Shall Be Released” by Bob Dylan.
Elliott Phipps served as this year’s emcee. He had trivia questions – with candy as prizes for answering correctly – prepared for the audience in-between each performance.
“Last year I came and just kind of thought it was going to be a fun thing to do with my friends but we ended up having such a blast,” Phipps said.
After attending last year, Phipps said he pretty much forgot about the math recital until he became the course ambassador for Peifer.
“Seeing as I like to talk and don’t mind being in front of people I was offered this. I was put on a time crunch for sure, but I think I put it all together well, although I had no math, just trivia,” Phipps said.
Edward Domantay, a senior at UNCA who transferred here last semester, heard about the math recital from his friend Simon, who is in the math department.
“I heard about it from him [Simon] and then I kept asking math faculty about it since I hang out in the math lab a lot,” Domantay said. “It’s a very popular event over there.”
Domantay performed two pieces, “Make It With You” by Bread and “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac.
“It was great. Performing was fun and there were tons of talented people here. I would have loved to see more people perform but it was still fun,” Domantay said.
