Orchestra pit

At the end of sixth grade, the junior high band came to my elementary school and performed for us. I watched in awe as students, not that much older than me, played music with their instruments. The flute players in the front row especially caught my attention; they were right next to the band directors and held their instruments up to the side, rather than down in front of them like the others. The flute had a high pitched melody and a bright silver color that appealed to me. That day, I signed…

During my last three years in Albuquerque I have been very active in my music community. I've been a violist in the UNM Symphony for two years, have participated in UNM's concert choir for one semester and intend on continuing that participation next semester. In addition to UNM ensembles, I have served as the alto section leader in the Albuquerque Institute of Religion Choir for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as well as the Chairman of the music committee for the Mountain View…

Richard Wagner’s The Ride of the Valkyries illustrates an overwhelming military force that triumphantly defeats its opponents in warfare. This image is brought about by the polyphonic texture from the wavering pitch of the string instruments, the booming intensity of brass and percussion instruments, and the stable rhythm of low and high pitches. The opening of the song presents a sense of urgency as a stack of three high pitches of a string instrument. A brass instrument sets the prideful tone…

interpretations of the world around them. One of the many art forms we have created along the way is music. For centuries, music was made by a skilled person or group of people playing instruments, whether it be a piano performance or an entire orchestra. In the twentieth-century, however, music began to change. With the help of digital technology, new ways to create music emerged. One of these ways is through a computer using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). There are many benefits to using a…

Concert Report #2 For my second concert report I attended the Colorado State University Honor Band recital. This was help December 12, 2015 at the Griffin Concert Hall. This concert was a collective group of honor band students from a variety of Colorado high schools and home schooled students. A range from freshmen to seniors. These students were standouts and handpicked from their respects schools. This was a students were led by conductor Rodney Dorsey. Dorsey comes from the University of…

with the band, demonstrating the danceable feature of the music. The orchestra used many of the traditional salsa instruments, including timbales, conga drums, a cowbell, and a guiro. Mambo influences were also evident in the instrumentation. With the rise of big bands in the United States, the traditional flutes and violins were replaced with horns and saxophones, and this change was evident with the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra. An important feature of…

Joining band We were in 5th grade and the teachers said we were allowed to choose some things for our schedule. One of the things we were allowed to choose was a fine arts class, which meant we could choose band, choir, or theater arts. When my sister was in 5th grade she had to choose, she chose choir, she was a natural at singing. I think my parents thought I would choose choir also, because my sister did. That day I had music, when I walked into the room I saw two people that I had never…

In ‘Respect’ there are many different musical lines that bring together the piece. In the intro of the song it is just the brass, guitar, and drums playing for four measures until Aretha Franklin starts singing. The back-up singers and the piano’s entrance is about a half of a beat after Aretha’s entrance. At this point all of the instruments are in full swing. The brass has a solo about half way through the song; the saxophone having the melody and the trombone and trumpets playing the harmony.…

On November 13th, I attended the Gateway Chamber Orchestra who presented Peter and The Wolf with Black and Jones visual artists, Sebastin Knowles as the narrator. Gregory Wolynec was the conductor. Clarksville Pediatric Dentistry family series presented the story Peter and The Wolf. Instrumentation was the Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, and Percussion. My expectations for this performance coming was very high. After the last concert I went to…

Over time the tuba’s shape changed to wound around itself. It also gained valves and could be played in different keys. The modern day tuba design arose so after. It has a four valve BB flat design that has become standard for marching bands and orchestras today ("History of the Tuba"). That design of tuba was not marching band accessible. To make it easier to march with a tuba and get their sound more directional, John Philip Sousa created the Sousaphone. The sousaphone is placed around the…