With finals week upon us, it’s often useful to take a bit of a break from the studying and writing of papers and relax, watch a movie or listen to some music. This Friday night, Northwestern students have another, even better option for an evening respite from the studying: the chamber ensemble concert being held at 7:30 p.m. in Christ Chapel.
This concert features three of the musical ensembles on campus: the brass quintet, the handbell choir and a piano duet. The mix and uniqueness of these three ensembles is sure to please campus students.
The brass quintet will perform seven songs at this concert, including “Ode to Joy” by Ludwig van Beethoven (arranged by David R. Thomas), “Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart” by Arthur Messiter, Anthony Holborne’s “Five Pieces,” Anton Dvorák’s “Goin’ Home”, and Euday Bowman’s “12th Street Rag”. This mix, ranging from blues/jazz to Renaissance works to arrangements of hymns, will offer students a wide variety of music.
The members of this group include junior Carolyn Dundas, senior Ansley Griess and freshman Katie Knox playing trumpet, freshman Aaron Sundet playing horn, junior Courtney Davis on the trombone and senior Zack Wolf on the tuba.
“There is significant talent represented in this ensemble. What makes the ensemble special is that the whole is even better than the sum of its parts,” Dr. McGarvey, head of the music department, said. “The ensemble exists to make music together and it is that communication and the combining of these unique abilities that makes the quintet what it is.”
Also in the concert on Friday is the handbell choir; this is their first performance ever in the chamber ensemble concert. They will be performing the song “People, Look East!” arranged by Hart Morris. The hymn talks about joyful preparation for Christ’s return, and Dr. Josselyn-Cranson, the director of the handbell choir, has taken this into account while directing the ensemble.
Dr. Josselyn-Cranson notes that this piece will offer a variety of different musical techniques, including thumb damps, bells being thumped into the cushions and mallets. The nine students in the ensemble (seniors Monica Vink, Wes Garcia, Alyssa McConnel and Chelsea Stanton, sophomore Jessica Kleveland, freshmen Bekki Kniep, Aaron DeBoer, Jenna Ripke and Holly Hassman) are all volunteers.
Dr. Josselyn-Cranson reminds us that they do this for the fun of making music together. Also look for Dr. Josselyn-Cranson herself playing in the piece.
“There is nothing that approaches the excitement of hearing live music. It is so much better than recorded because of the communication between the musicians and audience,” Dr. McGarvey said.
