Musical mode

When you hear the word band when related to music, what do you think of? Is it a small group of friends playing in a garage, or a huge group of people putting on a concert at school? Merriam Webster defines a band as “a group of persons, animals, or things; especially: a group of musicians organized for ensemble playing.” To finish out the semester I went to one last concert, the SIUE Wind Symphony and Concert Band. The opening piece of the night Where Never Lark or Eagle Flew by James Curnow.…

Sometimes, people have a lot more to tell than they do to say. Wait, what? When you compose music, you tell a story, not just say it. There’s meaning. That’s why I think composing music would be the perfect career for me. It’s diverse, satisfying, and worry free. Composing music is like making art; anyone who wants to, can accomplish it. The music industry is based all around the world so location is never a problem. That’s what makes composing music so diverse. Anyone can do it! Even the…

school acapella choir and a guitarist and a bassist and a drummer and a bagpipe player. I went to church children’s choir practice every Wednesday afternoon with my little sister. I participated in elementary school choir. I auditioned for every musical and was cast each time. However, I never realized how deeply music and performance were rooted in me. I grew up assuming I would do something in music because it was such a large…

The trumpet is an instrument that many ensembles use for its versatility. A composer may write for a bright, high sound for the new salsa chart, or a composer may choose to write for a warm, dark orchestral composition. This opportunity would not be this accessible without the help of three individuals, Joseph Haydn, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, and Anton Weidinger. Their influence on changing the trumpet greatly changed the future of the instrument and the music. The instrument was revolutionize, as…

I've been playing music for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I spent most of my time on a piano bench. Naturally, I followed this passion to my middle school concert band. Unfortunately, on my first day, I was met with the words: “Your mom must be the one with the funny name”. Despite my best efforts, most days continued with the same tone with meaner remarks. I felt out of place and discouraged. Over time, I began to allow these words to bother me and after nearly three years in concert…

On Friday, February 6th, 2015, I was sitting in class listening to a Music History lecture, when my teacher, Dr. Jamie Weaver, played a recording of “La Quarte Estampie Royal”, from Le Manuscrit Du Roi, an instrumental piece from the 14th century France. I was intrigued. As a fiddler throughout my high school year, studying a variety of genres, I recognized much of the ornamentation as similar to Celtic tradition, namely Cape Breton tradition. The first things I noticed about the recording…

1. What ideas or points did I identify with this week? Some ideas/points I identified this week are the pros/cons of being a freelance musician and challenges ones is faced with as a musician. A freelance musician is an independent worker who performs for a living. This musician may perform at parties, clubs, studio recordings, hotels, formal concerts, etc. One must also take in count how much expenses are when one is a freelancer. Some may even need a second job. 2. What ideas or points…

My love for music was always around since I was little. I always wanted to play the drums. When I got to high school, I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to keep up with the drum line as a freshman. The complex rhythms were a bit overwhelming as a fourteen-year-old. That all changed with the helping hands of Ryan Haack. He showed me that while it was important to get better as a drummer, having fun and making memories was the most important thing to take away from high school. Ryan Haack…

Dave Pensado Dave is world class mic engineer who has worked on many hit records. He is a teacher to many of the new generation of mix engineers such as Jaycen Joshua, Dylan “3D” Dresdow, and Ariel Chobaz and many more. He is a successful R&b and hip-hop specialist. In a single month David dropped three number one hits, with Mary J Blige’s ‘Be without You’, Beyonce’s ‘Check On it’ and Keyshia Cole’s ‘Love’. David has also worked on hits with Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas, Justin…

from different walks of life. I noticed many university students and some older people as well. I believe that quartet's familiarity in Erie contributed to these outside he school spectators. People seemed engaged and interested in artists and their musical art form. Some students were not so attentive, but that did not spoil this great performance. Surprisingly the intermission arrived quiet soon and we were allowed to stretch our legs. Personally, the second half of their…