Faculty members Emmett Goods, David Gilliland and Kyle Forsthoff performed together at this week’s music convocation. PHOTO CREDIT: James Singer
On Sept. 17, five University of Rhode Island faculty members stepped onto the stage in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall for the first music convocation of the semester to perform selected pieces.
The convocation featured four pieces, two of them being solo performances, and the other two being collaborations. Each performance featured a new instrument and a new sound that was very unique and calming to hear.
The first piece, “Three From the King” was performed and composed by Kyle Forsthoff, an artist/teacher in classical percussion on the snare drum. The piece was very fast-paced and upbeat, and the sound filled the entire concert hall, yet his hands looked as if they were hardly moving. Forsthoff’s movements were quick and fluid-like, making his performance a very fun and exciting one.
The second piece was performed by Manabu Takasawa, a professor of music/teacher in classical piano. Takasawa’s piece that he performed was “Etude in E major, Op 10 #3,” by Frédéric Chopin. This piece was very slow-paced and gentle in the beginning, producing a feeling of peace and tranquility. Then, the song builds and builds, and becomes more intense with Takasawa’s movements quickening, then slowly dies down, becoming tranquil and soft once again.
Takasawa said that he was a bit nervous to perform live onstage but the audience put him at ease, and seeing all the students and faculty members watch and enjoy the show made him feel so happy. He added that he chose the Chopin work as he has known and loved it since he was a child, meaning it was easy for him to perform, and did not take much time to prepare.
Assistant Professor of music/teacher in jazz trombone Emmett Goods, lecturer in collaborative piano David Gilliand and Forsthoff collaborated for “Two Latin Dances for Trombone and Piano” by Lauren Bernofsky. Goods played the trombone, Gilliand played the piano and Forsthoff played a sitting drum. This piece was also very slow-paced in the beginning, yet it was not soft nor intense. They all paused for no longer than 10 seconds in the middle before starting back up again. This time, Gilliand came in very strong with the piano, to which Goods and Forsthoff matched his energy.
The final piece was performed by Allison Parramore, an artist/teacher in flute, with Gilliand again accompanying on piano. The piece, titled “Notturno in G major for flute and piano, OP. 133” by Salomon Jadassohn, was started off by Gilliand, with the tone automatically soft and cheery. Then, Parramore comes in with the flute, which sounds so soft and flowy, like a woodland fairytale tune. A perfect piece to end on and wrap up the convocation.
Freshman Samia Nash last saw a convocation performance at URI when she was in 6th grade and said it was amazing to see a live performance like this again. Her favorite performance was the collaboration by Goods, Gilliand and Forsthoff. She said that it was very interesting to hear a trombone with that piece, and all together it was outstanding.
Two sophomore students who both have upcoming convocation performances on Dec. 10 talked about their personal feelings about their own performances.
“I’m mostly nervous because I’m working on a piece that is a totally different genre than what I’m used to,” music education major Autumn Casey said. “I basically have to develop a whole new tonality by performing jazz when I was classically trained.”
The piece is titled “Sonatina,” by Sir Malcolm Arnold, and she will be performing it on the clarinet.
Sam Shriner, music therapy major, agreed in being nervous and excited at the same time.
“I’m nervous because it’s a performance in front of the whole music program, but I’m excited because it’s like a landmark and an achievement,” Shriner said. “You get to show off in front of your peers and professors.”
Shriner has narrowed down her final pick to three pieces for her performance, and has plenty of time to decide which one to perform. The three pieces she has to choose from are “The Lark,” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mozart’s “Piano Concerto K491” and “Ballade Op 23 #1,” by Frédéric Chopin.
The next music convocation will be held Friday at 1 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall.