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the positives. Near the end of the first movement of the composition, there was a sectional solo with the tubas, and they could not agree on a note to save their lives. The section was slightly behind the conductor’s tempo, and the audience begin to hear the fatigue begin to seep into the entire ensemble by the end of the piece. Jumping to another section of the band, the flutes were a little airy and could’ve greatly benefitted from more breath support. Although the brass & woodwinds had a…

like crazy. I looked around. My classmates were chatting as if they had nothing to worry about. I could only imagine myself squeaking or missing a note in front of hundreds of people. Maybe if I played quiet enough, they wouldn’t hear me mess up. I squeezed my clarinet tightly in my firm grasp and bit my lip. “Up next, we have the Honors Band!” The composer announced to the audience as they roared and clapped us onto the stage. I quickly shuffled out from behind the…

Not the elementary orchestra that I had left behind. I can't tune, can barely read the music and my fingering is off. I had thrown myself into wholly new situation. What did I expect? Thankfully, I was 3rd chair. 3rd chair because there were only 3 of us. Still let's try That's exactly what I would do. Attempt to play. I sat in the back and would play the notes that I could read. If I messed up, no one could hear me so I was safe. Better yet, I would choose to not even really play. I could sit…

significant work of French Romantic composer Hector Berlioz, written in 1830. Berlioz, born December 1803, was no child prodigy, not studying music until age 12, however in 1924 he abandoned his Parisian medical studies to peruse his compositional career. Symphonie Fantastique differs from the previous symphonies of Berlioz, as this follows a narrative through the music, therefore making it an early example of a program symphony. The programme follows the story of an artist (thought ot be…

For people who want to revive their love memories, the play “They’re Playing Our Song,” may be a good choice. I went to the Dale F. Halton Theater on October 3rd, 8:00pm to watch this musical performance. This musical is with book by Neil Simon, Music by Marvin Hamlish, and Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager. The original show was produced by Emanuel Azenberg, premiered at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in December 1978. In this musical, Andy Faulkenberry, Vivian Tond, Marvin King, Daniel…

young ones and during his years with her, gained much of his musical experience. While working for Von Meck, Debussy was exposed to the works of Russian composers, such as Borodin and Mussorgsky. Some other influences on Debussy included Asian Gamelan music, which he heard at the Paris International Exposition in 1889, and ideas of writers and poets like Stéphanie Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine, and Charles Baudelaire(*cite). Though Debussy was exposed to various genres including American ragtime and…

On August 15-17 1969 in Bethel, New York, was a 3 day event that was all about peace, love, music. It was a historic event that changed what was known back then as the “hippie movement”. This concert would feature many influential artists that later generations would embrace as a cultural revolution of sorts. Blending a sentiment and mood of what Woodstock would come to represent. People didn’t realize (until later) how historic Woodstock really was. Woodstock was actually supposed to be a…

I started playing violin when I was 5 years old. The first time I ever picked up a violin and plucked a string, I fell in love. I nearly pulled the string away from the fingerboard and the sound was loud and obnoxious, but I loved it. I took 2 lessons a week with a private instructor that cost way more than my family could afford, and eventually, I could play complex and beautiful pieces. I’ve gone through so many instruments and bows that by the time I was old enough to have a job, I was…

A strong belief in yourself and the talent you want to bring to the public. So how do new artists get their big breaks? The reality TV shows are one way, and rightfully so, a very big player in the journey, but is that the only way? We used to hear stories how a famous person was discovered while clerking from behind the counter at the local drug store or singing in the church choir on Sunday morning. Are those days of serendipity gone? At In Yer Ear we follow some of the best known…

piano concerto, a symphonic poem in D minor, and the prefatory act to a work called “Mysterium”. Although his works were considered controversial for the time, Scriabin undoubtedly possessed a creative mind which could see the direction that modern music was taking. Alexander Scriabin (or Aleksandr Skrjabin in the Russian spelling) was born on January 6th, 1872 in Moscow to a family of military nobility. His…