The last time I attended a “classical concert” and an opera, I found it very hard to keep engaged throughout the whole performance and remember falling asleep every now and then. I was pleasantly surprised to see myself fully engaged for most of the performance not only because the quality of the performance and sound was impeccable, but because I was also able to see the performers’ full engagement in their performance, which always interests and impresses me. The hill auditorium was a perfect venue for the requiem because the sound just reverberated throughout the hall and hit every single wall I found myself getting chills every now and then. I think what made a lot of the audience members feel engaged to the performance was that they were able to feel the intimacy and love the performers had for their pieces. Their bodies reflected the contours of the music and therefore made both the visual and audio aspect of the performance match, something that a lot of performances lack. The unity of all those different types of artists also obviously reflected the hours of dedication and rehearsal they had to go through in order to prepare for such a lovely show. I would also like to mention that Nadine’s solo performance was stunning and her voice blew me away. Overall, I am glad that our class was able to provide me with a good classical performance experience because prior to this performance, I really did find myself wince at the idea of attending a classical concert. I would recommend this whole collaboration and set to anyone!

Already stole the show and I had never imagined that I would have had this much fun watching a jazz pianist. He crushed all my expectations of how a piano jazz concert would be like, and especially after my disappointment after a recent jazz quartet I attended by UMS this season. He had so much fun and had so much passion doing what he does best that I think the audience enjoyed his performance as well. I definitely remember his performance more than I do Alfredo Rodriguez, not that he was a bad performer in any way. He was also a great pianist, just not as fun to watch as Alfredo!

The Compagnie Kafig was such a refreshing, creative, and memorable performance I’ve most recently watched- this was definitely my favorite performance this year. The energy they carried from the beginning of the show until the end was contagious. What I was able to appreciate from the performance was how it allowed room for the individual performers to show their personalities although it was mostly an ensemble work. The little solo acts combined with the group dances worked because every single moment felt precious- it wasn’t one of those performances where it felt like the solo performance was there to fill up time for other performers to get ready for their next one. I also fell in love with the lights and the incredibly creative and effectives choices they made appropriate for the different acts. I can still see that one performer dancing in the spotlight to music that sounded like a mix of heart beats and wind while the rest of them were crawling on the floor lining up cups in the shadow.
It was a great entertaining night!

I went to the 7:30pm performance not having knowledge about the performer/ performance. Some of the pieces sounded like the generic jazz music that I could easily and casually find on spottily, but some were definitely more interesting. The most memorable piece for me was when the trio started “experimenting” with their instruments by pounding on unconventional parts. for example, the pianist starting hitting the surface of the piano with his knuckles and almost used it like they were drums. It was definitely eye catching. The disharmony yet the captivity of the sound was the highlight of my night in the theatre. If I had to suggest anything for this performance, I would say that the pauses in between some of the pieces felt a little awkward and time consuming. Perhaps they could have played around with lights or staging. The whole performance made feel like I needed a drink in my hand and friends that I needed to chatter to. I also enjoyed the enthusiasm of the bass player!