Applauding William Paterson Universitys Concert Performance - Essay Example

Here Your Here Your Organization Here Here Applauding William Paterson s Concert Performance As the school’s Concert Band and Wind Ensemble played such favorites as Allegro Giocoso and Folk Song Suite, there were elements of strong orchestral harmony throughout the duration of their performances, which provided a competent musical event. No tangible discrepancies were noticed in relation to keeping up with the conductor’s tempo, suggesting a group which has practiced and rehearsed to remain harmonious.

However, the Wind Ensemble appeared struggle through I Am – Richard Boysen, Jr. which may have been due to the difficulty of the piece as it is associated with a saxophone player who died in a car accident. The violent clashing of symbols to represent the accident’s hideous disgrace really emphasized the importance of the contemporary concert piece. Percussion dominated much of this series of performances, which added grandeur and excitement to the music. I have often thought that cymbals are often some of the most important instruments in the concert performance, as a slightly off-tempo clash can interrupt the harmony of the music.

This performance lacked nothing in relation to maintaining the appropriate pace. Cymbals are used to represent a variety of emotions, perhaps as a stylistic tribute to history or as a remembrance piece to an influential person of interest. When the cymbals are designated within the musical piece to represent majesty, percussion must maintain a stern posture as they clash the devices together. This particular concert performance had a very dignified cymbals player who represented, with body language and expression, the intention of the composition.

There is an old adage which suggests that music is what binds people together, and this was abundantly obvious during these performances. In a university environment where chatter and hysteria are the routine norm, witnessing the silent adoration of the performers on behalf of the students, faculty, and general public validated the adage. People actually appeared to be mesmerized by the sounds, activity, and competence levels as the band remained keenly aware of the pace by which the conductor wished them to move.

Their wind instruments piped out in unison as required by the composition, as the crowd waited eagerly for the climax of the piece and its grand finale. When music changes behaviors, it is a powerful performance. Singing as part of the performance during I Am spiced up the performance from that of traditional symphony to contemporary creativity. Many within the audience commented on how the human voice enhanced the performance, as it was somewhat obscured from being the focus of attention to an effect of the band.

Utilizing human vocals as part of an instrumental piece showed that this type of musical event is adaptable to new sounds and compositions, which I believe brings new perspectives on music as an art form rather than entertainment. Though many of the compositions played during the performance were unfamiliar, the band was able to elicit positive emotions in nearly every aspect. Though there were several musicians who did not appear to be enjoying their contribution to the performance, for the most part the band appeared to be unified toward presenting a quality musical event.