The Soloist

African-American women. The pageant was a magnificent display of the appreciation of youth, and I am thankful I was able to participate. My passion for the violin has also granted me the experience to play at church events as well. For example, I performed as a soloist at the historic Voices of Praise Baptist Church Black History Program and with the St. John Missionary Baptist Church Orchestra. Sharing the beauty of music provides an exchange of culture and allows everyone to enjoy the…

This concert was performed by Flutist Laurel Zucker and Pianist John Cozza. This concert included works by Paul Taffanel, Olivier Messiaen, Eric Ewazen, Germaine Tailleferre, and Charles Griffes. Laurel Zucker is a flutist who left home at the age of 14 to study at the North Carolina School for the arts. She grew up with her brother and sister in Washington Heights, in Manhattan. Zucker begged her parents for a flute after hearing recordings and graduated high school at the age of 16 and studied…

The best way to track the evolution of an organism is to observe the changes that occur to it over the span of several generations. Similarly, in music it can be possible to track its evolution by observing changes to a style, genre, or concept. In this report, the focus will fall on movements from two violin sonatas. For the purposes of this discussion, a violin sonata will be defined as a work specifically written for violin and piano with the purpose of it being a chamber piece. By analyzing…

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere,” is a quote from Frank A. Clark that Ludwig van Beethoven can most likely agree to. Throughout his life, Beethoven wasn’t dealt the easiest hand and he was able to overcome this in order to become the success he is known as today. In turn, some may claim that Beethoven would have made it “farther” in life if it wasn’t for these “distractions”; however, without these “distractions, or obstacles, Beethoven wouldn’t have…

Wrecking Crew (O'Hare 58). He regularly worked with them in the studio to play the multitude of instrument setups required for his productions. Although Phil Spector did do some work with individual artists, he preferred to work with vocal groups over soloists. According to Schloss, Larry, and Christopher in Rock: Music, Culture, and Business, the focus on vocal groups allowed Spector to use essentially the same backing musicians on every recording (95). Phil Spector not only worked in the…

Age of Ambition Age of Ambition attempts to dissect the development of “Truths” in a society that is full of ambiguities, outlining key issues contributing to a contentious climate of uncertainty. Four notable issues that Osnos’ book addresses in Part II revolve around the themes of access, censorship, resistance, and corruption. The rise of Internet and the growing access to global markets as a result of Deng Xiaoping’s policies, gave rise to a revolving door of opportunities. Most impactful…

Music plays a big role in the life of a Mexican. They could never live a life without art. Music in Mexico allows people to talk and express how they feel about something or someone which is usually in their past. This helps people celebrate life and love. History and legends are an overcoming of cruel treatments. The history has experienced an enormous change from the sound of the drums of a Mayan or Aztec ceremony to some modern Mexican rap. Over the years the music has changed. Mexican music…

Throughout history, rock and roll has always been a male dominated genre consistently focusing on the male listener. From the beginning of this enormously popular genre, Women waited patiently to find a way and to be accepted into this “man’s world.” As years past this continued to be an issue for women as they tried to knock down those doors and even today one can argue that women continue to fight for that spot that they rightfully deserve. However, over the course of this time there have…

Shutter Island occurs in the mid-1950’s at Shutter Island. Shutter Island is host to Ashecliffe, a mental hospital for the criminally insane. Shutter Island’s main character is named Andrew Laeddis, and is played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Andrew Laeddis was a federal marshal before he was admitted to Ashecliffe. He was revealed to have become a workaholic and an alcoholic due to a severe trauma. I believe that he was committing most of his time to his work and alcohol, and very little time with his…

Chain Smokers Released on February 5, 2016 from Columbia records, the song “Don’t let me down” by Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall, otherwise known as the DJ duo the Chain-Smokers, incorporates a stylized beat and lyrics through the singing styles of soloist Daya, that embodies the key aesthetic of a commercial success in todays popular music industry. In establishing itself on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for over six months, the electronic dance music song has affectively been advertised to the…