Allegheny Trombone Ensemble and Jazz Band - Personal Statement Example

They rounded up the first half of the concert with another good performance, the Hooper and Magliocco piece "So, You Wanna Play Trombone," After an interlude, the Allegheny College Jazz band opened with Carl Strommen's "The Opener", this lively start ensued for the rest of the performance as the Jazz Band continued with "I Remember Clifford" by the soloist Mike Faix, Christina Dastolfo's "In the Wee Small Hours". The concert closed with a standing ovation after the performance of "Superstition", a Mike Tomaro piece.

An encore performance of Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus" was given by the Trombone Ensemble. Concert 2: Recital IV with Pianist Alec ChienMy experience with a Jazz band and the Trombone experience was rivaled by an earlier episode at Pianist Alec Chien's performance of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas. The concert which took place at Allegheny College's Shafer Auditorium was a sixth in a seven-concert series featuring, Chien who was Artist in Residence at Allegheny College. Professor Chien's demonstration of his mastery of Beethoven's work started a little after the pre-announced 7 pm because the turnout had been underestimated and provisions had to be made to accommodate the eager guests.

The last in the series of events is scheduled to be concluded with another free concert in the spring of 2008 at the same venue. The program started with Sonata Number 5 in C Minor, Opus 10 Number1; Chien standing briefly under the lights, bowed briefly before he sat, his delicate touch running through the keys as he concluded this number reminded me of my very first reaction to Beethoven's work; listening, hardly breathing and startled. Chien progressed with Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Opus 10, No 2, and Sonata No 7 in D Major, Opus 10, No 3.

He delivered with pomp and a nostalgic finality Beethoven's last piano sonata, the Sonata No 32 in C Minor, Opus 111. Chien's performance was greeted by three standing ovations. The concert which was to celebrate Allegheny College family week left me motivated, spirited, and saddened. For me, Beethoven's Sonata's seemed to indicate familiar despair prevalent in today's world. Chien himself seemed completely taken over by mixed emotions as he took a bow before the applauding audience.