For my second Blog Post, I attended the Guitar Ensemble Concert at the Aaron Copland School of Music. I have passed by this building many times on campus, however I had never actually been inside until this event. When I stepped foot into the School, the portrait of Aaron Copland hanging on the left side caught my eye. I think the first part that stood out was the warm tones used in the painting and the relaxed pose sitting on the couch. I then learned that the artist painted two almost identical portraits of Copland, and that one hangs in Washington D.C. Then, when I walked in Lefrank Hall I was absolutely mesmerized. The intricate designs in front above the stage left me in awe.
This concert consisted of 4 musicians: Maggie Craig, Daniel Zapata, Jack Bergen, and Javin Sewkaran. Each played 2 solos, and then came together to play 2 pieces at the end. Even though I am not familiar with different types of guitars, it was easy for me to tell that each guitarist has their own style and personality in the way the pieces were played. You could really tell that the musicians seemed to love what they were doing as each piece was full of love and care. It reminded me of when I would be playing the flute at my school concerts. I hope to start playing it again over the winter break. This class and even this concert, made me passionate again about music and want to pick up my flute!
Daniel Zapata’s pieces stood out to me because he dedicated each of the pieces to his parents. He played Lejanía (Carlos Rodríguez Payés) which he dedicated to his mother, and ended the solos with the piece Fantasía (Gentil Montaña) dedicated to his Columbian dad. There was something that was very heartfelt about the way he introduced the pieces and you could really hear the emotions while he was playing. This reminded me of what we had discussed in class of how art carries personal meaning, even when the audience does not know the full story. Maggie’s second solo was also absolutely beautiful. The way she played her pieces had a sort of calmness or gentleness that filled the atmosphere of Lefrank Hall. I think it was a shame that more people were not there to hear the concert… they missed out! As we learned in class, every artistic piece, whether it is poems, paintings, opera, is beautiful and deserves attention and recognition. However, even a small concert with a small audience can hold a lot of beauty!
At the end, the 4 guitarists performed Oya Tu Merced y Creo (anonimo) and Con Temor Vivo (Juan de Triana). The way the different voices of the guitars were able to harmonize and produce a beautiful piece was absolutely stunning to hear. It was the literal ‘music to your ears’. I thought the solos were impressive, but hearing the last two pieces made me appreciate how even a guitar can produce so many different layers in a piece (in band, we had all sorts of different instruments to blend together, however here, it was different types of guitars!). When we had the session with Amanda Hick, I remember learning to pay attention to little details, noticing pauses, timing, emotions, etc. Even though this was not an opera I attended, I found myself being able to pay attention to how the guitarists played their pieces, when they were fully immersed, and when they had to pull back. I think coming from a background of playing an instrument helped me get a more immersive experience. I even found myself tapping my foot lightly (resembling a metronome) as when I would when I used to play. Looking back, while writing this Blog Post, I remember John Dewey’s text we read and how art is an experience. It doesn’t become meaningful because it exists, but rather because the person who is experiencing the art is fully immersed. And when I was sitting listening to the guitarists play their pieces, I felt fully present.
All in all, this concert became a lot more special than I expected. It was not a huge performance, but it definitely stood out. I am grateful that I attended, and I think more students should take advantage of small events like this (it was also free! No registration needed). I hope to now attend more events like this, and I truly appreciate how much talent is present in our campus. It has the possibility of leaving an impact when you give it all your attention and appreciation.
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