A furiously beating heart plus a bustling Mago Hunt Theater gets you an antsy but excited first-time UP concert attendee: me. Having not attended any campus concerts before, I didn’t know what to expect as I walked into Mago Hunt.
The UP Music program serenaded its audiences with a jam-packed weekend of performances by the jazz ensemble and combo, the University Singers, Bel Canto and Chamber Choir and the wind symphony on Oct. 3, 4 and 5.
This concert weekend was each of the music programs’ debut, and I was prepared to both critique and enjoy the shows — my journalist’s pen and notebook at the ready.
The first performance opened its doors on a Friday night to a full house in the Mago Hunt Recital Hall.
Jazz ensemble and combo concert
The audience hushed at the cue of the dimmed lights as the jazz combo stepped on stage.
The night began with an energetic opening, building up an audience hype that would last throughout the event. The opening song was “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard, according to a colorful pamphlet I picked up outside the recital hall.
The combo’s setlist also included pieces recorded by other legendary musicians in the jazz scene, such as “Footprints” by Wayne Shorter, a song that “might sound like sulfur,” according to alto saxophonist Alejandro Santana.
“Blues Five Spot” by Thelonious Monk came next, which felt like a flirtatious conversation between the alto and tenor saxophones at different points.
After a brief intermission, the combo musicians were joined by the Jazz Ensemble, or the “big band.”
Performing and fine arts professor Jessika Smith introduced the ensemble to the audience with a song she composed called “Silver Rush,” following it up with “Finderwimens,” composed by Matt Finders and arranged for the concert by Smith herself.
What enchanted me most, however, were the two songs that followed. Singer Keara Lowe stepped onto the stage and made us fall in love with “Perdido” by Juan Tizol. The song was a playful and romantic change in sound, and “Just a Closer Walk” was a traditional, classic jazz piece arranged by Smith.
Smith also wrote “Song For Ellen” to honor a late woman in her life. She told the audience she hopes the piece sounds like one of Ellen’s famous lemon meringue pies.
Following the more somber set, the jazz musicians concluded with a funky piece called “Hobo Flats,” composed by Oliver Nelson.
After the jazz concert was over, I couldn’t stop gushing over the performances. I didn’t want to part with UP’s jazz scene but I was looking forward to the next event all the same.
Choir concert
Saturday afternoon, many of the choir singers’ families could be seen walking into the Buckley Center Auditorium. No matter where I’d look, each family would be stealing glances at the stage, chatting and nodding in approval.
Conducted by Megan Elliott, the Bel Canto welcomed us into a magical experience with their spellbinding voices and featured pieces like “The Rose” by Ola Gjeilo, “Viva!” from Il re pastore by Mozart and “After the Rain” by Sarah Quartel.
Collaborative student pianist Paloma Wilson and collaborative pianist Evan C. Paul highlighted Bel Canto’s songs with their accompanying music, especially for “Viva!”, as the piece was brought to life by the voices and piano combined.
The Chamber Choir replaced Bel Canto to perform pieces like “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli and “Feller from Fortune,” a traditional Irish folk song arranged by Somers.
Both songs were conducted by David De Lyser, performing and fine arts professor and director of choral activities, who was delighted to tell us more about each piece.
“Earth Song,” he told the audience, started as a wind symphony piece, but the composer, Ticheli, realized it needed words, and thus it was adapted and written to be sung.
The University Singers satiated our want for more voices with four different songs: “Wanting Memories” by Ysaye M. Barnwell, “The Lighthearted Lovers” by Kirk Mechem and traditional songs “Londonderry Air,” arranged by Chilcott and “No Time,” arranged by Brumfield.
“Wanting Memories” was my personal favorite. As one of the song lyrics suggested, the choir implored the audience to see the beauty in the world through their music.
These pieces went from energetic, to dramatic and whimsical, to something more subdued before ending on a happier note with the last piece.
De Lyser brought the audience serenity as he introduced the final piece of the concert. The choir arrangement for “Prairie Waters by Night” brought the original poem to life, which let the audience see the world through a fantastical lens for a moment. In fact, the performance was so magical I wanted to write a poem about this poem right then and there.
After at least a minute of nonstop applause for the song, I overheard conversations and compliments as I left the auditorium.
Wind symphony concert
The musical weekend ended with the wind symphony concert, “Amped & Unbound.” This was possibly the most nostalgic concert of the three.
Held in the Quiet Side of Bauccio Commons, the concert invited the audience to an intimate setting with round tables. The performances featured soundtracks from movies, shows and video games.
Director of Bands Patrick Murphy conducted “A Sky So Boundless” by Katahj Copley, which started the evening with an epic opening. The sound made me feel like I was plucked right out of my seat and dropped into an adventure film.
For this concert, I noticed there weren’t many phones out, and I assumed attendees were content to experience the music without recording it. As a friend joined me at the table, however, I changed my stance on having phones out, as she made it clear some pieces were too good not to capture on video.
Such pieces included the video game soundtrack “Halo Theme,” conducted by Student Conducting Associate Mekhi Morlin.
Being a long time video game fan, nostalgia rushed through my veins upon hearing the theme song for “Halo” being played live. The intense percussion had me thinking Master Chief himself was going to show up to the Commons ready for battle.
The symphony brought a smile to my face with Yoko Shimomura’s “III. Kingdom Hearts,” conducted by Student Conducting Associate Daniel Leon. It easily brought me right back to my childhood with its Disney-esque sound.
“Intrinsic Light” by Cait Nishimura, a naturesque piece, soothed the audience with sounds of clarinets, flutes and the euphonium, but the vibe was turned on its head when Murphy introduced guitarist and composer Ryan Meagher.
Guest electric guitarist Ryan Meagher featured in UP Wind Symphony on Oct. 5.
The first song by Grammy-winning guitarist Steve Vai, “Lotus Feet,” had a dreamlike sound and an even dreamier electric guitar solo. The second Vai song, “Liberty,” screamed patriotic vibes with its crazy guitar riffs and intense percussion.
Though “Liberty” was a shorter piece, the excitement it brewed within the audience more than made up for it.
Student Conducting Associate Caprice Damon prefaced the final piece, “Doctor Who: Through Time and Space,” composed by Murray Gold and arranged by Robert Buckley, by surveying the audience for any “Doctor Who” fans. Her question was met with cheers from many “Whovians” in the crowd, including myself.
Despite the beginning of the piece being spacey, sci-fi-esque and not at all emotional, I felt a couple tears run down my face upon hearing the theme of one of my all-time, no pun intended, favorite shows being played by UP’s very own wind symphony.
What could be more nostalgic than this iconic end to UP’s first set of fall concerts.
Reem Alshaban is a news reporter at The Beacon. She can be reached at alshaban28@up.edu.
