Claude Debussy's search for immediate, evocative sounds removed from musical tradition has much in common with that of the Impressionists. Ambivalent about the label for himself, Debussy's oeuvre can only at times be understood as sharing an impressionist aesthetic. This program examines Debussy's journey toward his “musique à moi,” from the celebrated early string quartet, through the well-known Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, to less familiar works: Deux danses, juxtaposing Debussy's eastern and medieval influences; Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire, his most Wagnerian in style; and Trois Poèmes de Mallarmé, among his very last works. Ranging in forces from solo vocal to choral and orchestral, the program features SMTD students with performance faculty Amy Porter, flute, and Caroline Helton, soprano, and alumni Amy Ley, harp, Jennifer Goltz, soprano, and Rachel Lauber, conductor.