On Jan. 23, 1970, Joseph Messenger, Iowa State clarinet professor, presented his first faculty clarinet recital at ISU.

Throughout his career, Messenger has made a name for himself not only with his astounding clarinet skills, but also his varied repertoire list. In 30 years of recitals at ISU and across the nation, Messenger has rarely played the same piece twice.

“I feel that live music has a certain special quality that recorded music cannot capture,” Messenger said. “Albums and the radio and the like can only do so much for the listener. That is why I don’t like to repeat music.”

In a recital that will be presented almost 30 years later to the date, Messenger will be playing music he has compiled over the years.

The medley will include music from his very first recital in 1970, as well as some of his favorite pieces. Messenger will end his recital with an original piece that has never been performed in public.

Since his first recital in MacKay Auditorium, Messenger has performed in over 400 concerts in Ames, throughout Iowa and across the United States. Two trips to Mexico are also a highlight of Messenger’s concert career.

Messenger said his first recital was a memorable one. Squeaky floorboards, a blizzard raging outside and a ventilation system that had to be shut off before the crowd could hear the recital, were just a few of the problems he had to deal with.

WOI recorded the recital through telephone lines that were connected to tape recorders, which were not allowed to leave the station.

After the Iowa State Center facilities were completed, recitals were moved from MacKay to Fisher Theater and Benton Auditorium in the Scheman Building. In 1980, recitals were finally moved to the acoustically excellent Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall in Music Hall.

In 1970, the music program was in its birthing stages, with two years under its belt and only 20 music majors. Students studying music could not graduate with a degree in music. Instead, all music majors graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree.

Nearly 40 years later, the music department has grown tremendously. There are 130 music majors and a Bachelor of Music degree is available to students. Messenger, a newcomer to the staff in 1970, is now outranked in seniority by only one other ISU faculty member.

Messenger has been pleased with the evolution of the music program and his career.

“I have really enjoyed playing some part in introducing audiences to music that they may not have heard,” Messenger said. “I think that there are certain elements of music that exist in all music. A lot of people ride off classical music as being dull or bland. But I think that someone with open ears and an open mind may very well find something that they like.”

The upcoming recital will open with the “Hillandale Waltzes” by Vicor Babin, the first piece ever played by Messenger. The waltz tells the story of the Hillandale Mansion located in Washington D.C. where the Babins stayed after their immigration to the United States in 1947. Pianist William David will accompany Messenger during this piece and during the other works included in the medley.

On the second piece, titled “Trio,” Messenger and David will be joined by Brett Seebeck, adjunct instructor of horn at ISU and principal horn player with the Des Moines Symphony. “Trio” is a dramatic, sweeping work in which the piano is the dominating instrument.

After intermission, the third piece will be played by Messenger and David. The two will play “Sonata,” a piece by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, an Italian composer who lived in Beverly Hills.

The final work of the evening will be “Morceau de Concert” by Victorian composer James Watterson. Watterson was a British army bandmaster.

Messenger’s 30th anniversary recital will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. The recital will be held in the Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall in Music Hall and will be finished before the Super Bowl begins.