CONCERT ATTENDANCE REPORT 1
ConcertAttendance Report
ConcertAttendance Report
The performance took place in the Wharton Center for Performing Artsat Michigan State University. It was scheduled to take place at7:30pm on the 28th of April, 2016. I had anticipated this concert asthe last attendance was quite thrilling. Therefore, I expected a showwith such vibrancy that was portrayed in the posters and ads. Truly,my expectations were met with an amazing performance that night. Theentire program comprised of three different performances, and theconcert was titled Wind Symphony. The concert followed thelist as show below:
Summer the Heroes (1996), composed by John Williams and arranged by Paul Lavender.
Ballad for band (1946), composed by Morton Gould and conducted Arris Golden.
Symphonic Songs for Band (1957), composed by Robert Russell Bennett.
All of the above performances were music ensemble that comprised ofdifferent classes and sets of instruments, all played withexceptional mastery of skills.
The compositions (Summonthe Heroes)performed on the first half of the concert came from the one-movementorchestral compositioncontaining some elements of Roman and Greek-like historicalattraction. The performance lasted over six minutes. It had a uniquetouch of “antiphonal brass choirs.” From my memory, it dawned onme that it is one of the best compositions of orchestral ensemblessince it offered a distinct taste of depth, progression anddevelopment that is not part of most short-versioned tracks. Theopening statement laid a foundation for the distinct brass gesturesand continued to complex and dissonant harmonies. Afterthat, the percussion and woodwind instruments joined the ensemble asthe piccolo ended the piece in a crescendo.
The compositions (Ballad for band)performed on the second half of the concert was based on the Negrofolklore, spiritual style and uniqueness. This performance followed aspiritual, emotional and rhythmic expression. It was approximatelyeight minutes and ten eleven seconds of thrilling piece. This sectionunfolded at an unhurried pace, with a quiet lyricism and a linearrhythm. The tone was also smooth as we were set in a relaxed mood. Onthe hand, the tempo was moderate. The attack sound from thewoodwind and brass instruments mixed with the potential vibrato wererather interesting as they heightened a sense of suggestibilitywithin the audience. The instruments had a warm temperature and asoft sound dynamic.
The compositions (Symphonic Songs for Band)performed on the last portion of the concert was based onthree movements, that were Serenade,Spiritual, and Celebration. TheSerenadehad a feeling of strumming within a strong hemiolathatdiminished as the main melody entered. Onthe contrary, the Spiritualwas simple enough to justify its title. The Celebrationevokeda feeling such as the one engulfing a circus act. Theinteraction of the brass, woodwind, was well articulated and incongruent with melody preferred. In the Spiritual section, the flutewas smooth and rather subversive in the background, while the timbrewas homogenous with the cornet and thus they produced arelaxed rhythm, resulting to asimultaneous major and minor tonality, as theCelebration section entered.
Since I have attended a number of performance that included musicalensembles, I was expecting a concert with full attendance. At first Ithought that the concert would not include all families of musicalinstruments, however, I was shocked as I was able to note that atleast, all musical instruments were involved in each set. I enjoyedthe concert because the performers exemplified such a perfectworkmanship as they handled and played the instruments in unity: theconcert hall was aesthetically prepared, and the stage was engaginglyset. Everything was put into place before arrival of the audience.
The second piece of the concert was similar to the orchestralperformances of contemporary opera, where diverse instruments areused for musical purposes.
Learning from the listening sessions in class, I was able to identifythe common elements of music in this concert. Rhythm was theoutstanding element in all compositions. It is arguably one of themost significant part of music. Rhythm drives music, and keeps it inprogression. It is often said that “without rhythm, there is nomusic.”