Ensembles, Essay Example

On November 4^th, 2015, at 2:30pm, I had the honor of attending the Grossmont Guitar Ensemble at the Grossmont College. It was the Grossmont Guitar Guild that presented the ensemble. The program consisted of various talented artists, all directed by Fred Benedetti. The first ensemble was performed by Courante which as a very interesting Renaissance dance. This was very interesting to me because I have studied a bit of history on the Renaissance Era. I am aware of the many types of artists from this era but more so on the painters and sculptors. Relating the Renaissance so highly to the painters and sculptors, it was refreshing to experience the Courante perform their Renaissance Dance as it was a quite different form of art. When watching this performance, it really felt as if I had taken a time machine back to the Renaissance Era because of the authenticity of the performance. The sounds of the musical piece were closely matched with what would most likely be heard during the actual Renaissance Era.

The next Ensemble was performed by Trio in D Major. They performed a piece by James Hook called Allegro Moderato. I very much appreciated the soft sounds of the violins and strings used in this ensemble. I have always been a fan of the strong instruments, so it was quite relaxing to listen to this very sophisticated symphony. The musical piece started off slowly with the lead instrumentalists. As the musical piece went deeper into the performance, the accompanying instrumentalists started to blend into the performance making for a passionate build up in the energy of the performance.

The next Ensemble was called Two Folk Dances which was performed by artists Rucenica who was Bulgarian and Kalamatianos who was Greek. I found this particular ensemble especially amusing because of the cultural diversity that was involved between the elements of Bulgarian and Greek cultures. What was unique about this blend of the two cultures was the concept of them performing their folk dance piece. Not only did I find this performance ensemble entertaining, but it was also influential to me in such an artistic way. It reminded me that I could use art and music to make a positive impact on the world.

In this performance of the Two Folk Dance, the first performer appeared on stage and began to perform a solo dance. The second performer then came on stage and was able to blend into the performance in such a juxtaposed way that it felt as if they were the final piece to the puzzle that was this amazing ensemble performance. I have always enjoyed watching the performing arts express the elements of their cultures in any genre of music. However, it is rare for me to see a mixing of two different cultures join together in an ensemble to perform an artistic piece the shows the audience that art and music can bring anybody together regardless of their background. This is because we are all connected with harmony by music itself. I feel that this is what people mean when they refer to music as a “universal language”. Two people from different cultures can share similar passions for music.

I would absolutely agree with the notion that music is a significant and important part of our lives as human beings. Music means so much to the world because it is a unique form of art that can transcend barriers of language, race, backgrounds, and other differences.

It is widely said that music is the language of the universe and in many ways this statement is true. Two or more people may not speak the same language, but when they listen to the same song it ignites similar emotional patterns that they can all relate to without even speaking to each other. It is not just the words of the music but the rhythm of the instruments that play a substantial role in the comprehension of any emotions.

I completely agree with the views of the ancient Greeks when he noted their belief that music was one with astronomy. Again, this supports the idea that music serves as the universal language.

The rest of the show consisted of one other ensemble and various solo performances that also were influential to me. The entire program was so influential that it really compelled me to appreciate the experience and the opportunity to learn more about music in the performing arts through ensembles as well as solo performances. Although I do not feel as if I experienced anything strange or unusual in this program by the Grossmont College Guitar Guild, I felt as if my experience was even greater than I had originally anticipated. The performances really surprised me at how talented the ensemble performers were because I have not had as much exposure to ensemble performances in the past. This experience has really inspired me to study more about performance ensembles and how I can use my own skills and talents and apply it to ensembles of my own in the near future.