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All comments by Julia Cimpian

People Are Talking: UMS presents Brahms’s German Requiem at Hill Auditorium:

I was also amazed at how well they performed while being volunteers. I actually had forgotten until after the concert because they were so good! And yeah, I was a bit upset that I couldn’t really understand german, but I didn’t really like reading from the program because i felt like it was distracting me from the music.

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The experience in the Brahms Requiem was enjoyable. I liked the music pretty much. I was interested in how the orchestra, the chorus and the singers cooperated under the conduct of the conductor. I learned before the performance that the chorus was formed by people who was not professional singers and they only had a short time to prepare for it. I respect them very much. They did such a good job that night. One only problem I had during enjoying the performance was the lyrics. I don’t know Germany and before I noticed that there were English lyrics printed in the program, I was totally lost. I really hoped that there would be some notification during the performance telling me which part it was going on.

In short, it was a pretty good performance!
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by Haowei Cai

People Are Talking: UMS presents Brahms’s German Requiem at Hill Auditorium:

I never thought that I’d enjoy operatic singing. However, Nadine Sierra convinced me otherwise the second she opened her mouth. It was amazing how both powerful and beautiful her voice could be and how it complemented the orchestra and choir perfectly. That is definitely not to say that I wasn’t in awe of John Relyea and his exemplary solo, as both soloists astounded me with their talent. But I have to say that my favorite part was the choir. I loved how they held the dynamics so well while staying together as one voice; as a soprano who grew up in a choir I know how hard that can be, especially in a different language. Of course, the orchestra cannot be forgotten. I was amazed at the range of tones and dynamics they were capable of while still not drowning out each other’s instruments; I could enjoy both the gentle harps and the powerful timpani!

People Are Talking: UMS presents Alfredo Rodríguez Trio and Pedrito Martinez Group at Michigan Theater:

I’m sorry to admit it, but yes, I was one of the ones that left early. The Alfredo Rodríguez Trio were skilled, but I never quite got into the “jazz” mood, and only really enjoyed two of their more melodic pieces, otherwise, I got quite bored with their experimentation. I really enjoyed the double bass player, and was looking forward to his solo. Overall, I enjoyed it, but kept hearing some sort of clicking of something hitting the strings while he was playing. Can anyone tell me if this is normal? I thought that it took away from the deep sound a bit. As for the Pedrito Martinez Group, I’m afraid that the sound mixing was a large factor in why I didn’t enjoy it. The other reason is because it was too loud and monotonous; it tired me out rather than made me feel like dancing. I think I realize I am being very cynical, and so I’m hoping that someone will enlighten me as to why they enjoyed the performance, so then I can better understand this style of music.

People Are Talking: UMS presents Alfredo Rodríguez Trio and Pedrito Martinez Group at Michigan Theater:

Hi Harshavardhan, you seem knowledgeable in the jazz style, so I thought I’d ask you about the first half. You see, I didn’t really enjoy Alfredo’s improvisation, it all seemed jumbled and random to me and not so enjoyable to listen to. That being said, I’m no jazz aficionado, so I was wondering how you know if a band is “good” when they are experimenting like that?

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The concert combining Pedrito Martinez and Alfredo Rodriguez was a stimulating blend which showcased various distinct shades of Cuban Music. I felt Alfredo’s unique blend of music from Latin America with jazz was very well done and showed his exceptional artistic ability. I thought Alfredo’s improvisation stole the show and his energy was contagious; Alfredo simply could not sit still and his genuine enthusiasm seemed to sweep the audience off their feet. While he did not steal the limelight, I also felt the cello player’s performance was particularly memorable and contributed substantially to the quality of the concert.

Pedrito’s concert emphasized his adroitness with the drums and his mixing of modern lyrics with Afro-Cuban musical tradition was something that the audience seemed very unaccustomed to, but which I came to appreciate. Pedrito’s extended solo was astounding and showed a very wide range of beats; Martinez’s mastery of his trade was evident in the way that his drumming seemed to pour the foundation for all the pieces that his group played.

I found it particularly interesting when the Pedrito Martinez group invited Rodriguez back onto the stage to play together; the chemistry between the two groups was intriguing and I found it entertaining to watch Rodriguez leave the piano to joke and play alongside Jahir Sala. While I particularly enjoyed Rodguiez’s performance and was extremely unfamiliar with the music played by Martinez, I felt both groups played equally well and showed me two very different aspects of the Cuban musical tradition.
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by Harshavardhan Patankar

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