Hi Gabrielle,

Great post! I definitely agree that Hill auditorium was the perfect space for this performance. It was also awesome just to hear a performance in Hill to experience what it was like. I have never heard a performance in Hill and found it to be an unbelievable venue. I also totally agree about Nadine’s solo! I think meeting her prior to the performance made it even better because she was so relatable in class. I found myself being really excited to see and hear her solo because we met her before just as you said rooting for her.

As I sat down in my seat I wasn’t quite sure what I was in for. The previous performances that I have seen through UMS have been light, fun, and usually performances in which the audiences is clapping and dancing to the music. However, this performance was quite the opposite. Brahms Requiem was exactly what I imagined a typical classical music performance. At first, I was intimidated by the performance and thought there was no way I would be able to understand what was going on or even enjoy it. Yet, about half-way through the performance I found myself thoroughly enjoying the performance. Even though I could not understand the words that were being sung I felt the emotion through the music and lyrics that allowed me understand exactly what the Requiem was supposed to represent. When the baritone opera singer began I felt his pain. It seemed like he was singing about a struggle. I thought the transition to Nadine’s portion was brilliant because I felt her part of the Requiem provided a lightness that the Requiem needed. The brightness that she brought to the performance was the perfect contrast to the baritone’s portion, which was dark and heavy. Moreover, the chorus did a fabulous job as well. They were so cohesive and in sync. Overall, this performance shock, wowed, and left me want more.

Hi Bryan,

Great post! I completely agree with you when you talk about having a difficult time connecting to the music. I left with a very similar sentiment. It’s not as though I did not enjoy the music but I just found it difficult to relate to it and connect with the performers. I somehow think my feeling with this is connected to how far away I sat from the performers because I was seated in the balcony. I did also recognize the level of talent from both performers and appreciated that. However, like you stated this performance just wasn’t for me.

As I sat down in the balcony of the Michigan Theater I was filled with joy and excitement as my expectations for this performance were high. Unfortunately, as Alfredo Rodriguez began playing I found myself thinking, “that’s it?” While I don’t doubt Rodriguez’s talents, as I know his technique and abilities far exceed many in his field, I just didn’t find his music all that enjoyable to listen to. In a way, the music reminded me of elevator music or something relaxing that I would listen to in a jazz bar over dinner with friends. I guess I was looking for a wow factor that I was missing. Next up was the Pedrito Martinez group. This, I had faith, was more my style especially because I knew there was some singing involved. However, again I was thoroughly disappointed. I don’t necessarily think this was because I didn’t like the music the band was playing but I think the whole sound system was off. I could barely hear what the band was saying as they were singing, which I found to be distracting and made it difficult to enjoy the performance. Overall, I know both groups were extremely talented and I did enjoy the Pedrito Martinez band a bit more, but there were various factors throughout the performance which lessened my overall ability to enjoy the performance.

I definitely agree with you! Campagnie Kafig managed to make moves that I have seen before not only wow me, but also tell a nuanced story that also made me think. I always find it fascinating to see a performance where you know what to expect or have seen similar performances, yet you are still amazed by the one you saw. Sometimes, knowing what to expect from a performance leads to the most unexpected thing which, I think, is really awesome! I was up in the balcony so I couldn’t exactly see what they were dancing with at the end of the first half so it’s interesting to hear it was fake legs! That was a highlight for me because even though I couldn’t necessarily see what they were dancing with I was still amazed by all of the moves and tricks they were doing.

As the lights dimmed, I was ready for a thrilling and jaw dropping performance. I knew a bit about the type of dancing that I was about to see and I was excited for the flips and tricks. However, throughout the first half of the show this is the opposite of what I saw. The opening number fell flat for me. I didn’t understand why the dancers were running around in a circle, which, to be honest, just made me dizzy watching them. At one point, there was a projector going that showed a cartoon image of someone running and the dancer was running along with it. I was impressed with the projector and attention to detail of the performance. However, at the same time I realized all the dancer was doing was running in sync with a projector.

Yet, I had a change of heart after intermission. As round 2 of this performance approached, my expectations were much lower than what I originally came in with. The second half provided much more entertainment and I felt a sense of playfulness with the dancers that I did not get from the first half. At one point in the second half all of the dancers were dancing and flipping over and through cups of water, and from what I can tell did all of this without spilling any water. This was one of the highlights for me, and I was able to end the night on a high note.

Attending the Kronos Quartet was an experience like none that I have had before. While I have attended musical theater and pop music performances before, this was my first experience at a concert of 21st century art music. From researching Kronos prior to the performance, I knew that this was going to be a non-traditional quartet concert. However, what I heard only seconds into the performance was an ear blowing sound that shocked my body to its core. The amplified sound was what struck me right away. While I was surprised to hear this sound coming from a 4-person quartet, the amplified sound provided me with a sense of comfort, as this was a familiar sound to me. I suddenly felt like I was in my element a bit and not so nervous about listening to 21st century art music, which was new for me. As I intently continued to engagingly listen to the performance, I noticed the emotion displayed by the quartet. Each of the members of the quartet, at one point, expressively moved with parts of the music score. As I saw their movements, I felt this force often times holding my breath while watching. This provided me with an emotional connection to the music rather than just something pleasant to listen to. I thoroughly appreciated the Kronos Quartet concert. While I can’t say I personally enjoyed each and every composition, I did recognize the passion with which the quartet performed and the unique style they presented their music in. I would most definitely return to one of the quartet’s performances.