On Saturday night, October 23, the Wind Symphony had their annual Fall Concert in Andrews’ very own Howard Performing Arts Center. This year, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many multicultural songs, contrary to the common Bach and Wagner pieces orchestral concerts usually entail.
One of the more outstanding pieces was “Fantasy on a Japanese Folk Song,” by Samuel R. Hazo. This piece started off in a sorrowful lullaby which led me to believe it was a sad piece. In a twist of events, that lullaby was just a building block as it accelerated into a grand masterpiece. The brass and percussion majestically took the stage, accompanied by flourishes from the flute section.
Another piece that comes to mind was “Armenian Dances” by Alfred Reed. When listening to this piece, I was reminded of “Masquerade” from “Phantom of the Opera.” Once again, the brass took to the spotlight, creating a fairytale-like scene, filled with suitors awaiting a dance with their maidens. The ending was definitely a surprise, blowing me away with its fast-paced and excited nature.
The piece “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance was definitely a crowd favorite. The clarinetists took over and created a relaxing, yet uplifting atmosphere. Isaiah Elysee (junior, finance) who thoroughly enjoyed the concert, says, “I’m not the biggest fan of classical music, but this song reminded me of the ending to “Mulan,” the greatest Disney movie of all time.” Though I didn’t catch that “Mulan” reference, I could agree that this rendition was excellently executed.
The performers enjoyed their time as much as the audience. Some of the pieces sounded quite complex, and I assume they were indeed. Caralynn Chan (senior, speech-language pathology), the harpist in the symphony, remarks, “I enjoy the collaboration aspect between many minds and talented individuals. Many of us are in different majors or various careers, and yet we all strive to create sonorous music together. It is incredibly satisfying to diligently learn repertoire and get to perform it in front of a live audience.” I can definitely see the results of the teamwork and effort the symphony placed in their performance.
If you missed this concert, don’t fret. The next wind symphony event will be the great Christmas spectacular on December 4. If you want another amazing experience, register ahead of time on the HPAC !
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.