Chuck Archard Electric Bass-Faculty Recital at Rollins College.

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Rollins College Tiedtke Concert Hall (1000 Holt Ave, Winter Park, Florida 32789) The night of music featured new original compositions
dedicated to Keith Wilson, Jay Flippin and Harold Blanchard, as well as
tunes by Smokey Johnson, Wardell Q., Galactic, Jim James (My Morning
Jacket), Alan Parsons and Irving Berlin. 

On stage with Faculty member Chuck Archard were Chris
Rottmayer, Ed Krout, Marc Clermont, Greg Parnell, Per Danielsson Suzy
Park, Michelle Amato and direct from New Orleans the legendary drummer
Allyn Robinson.

This was a fun experimental evening of music with each musician seizing the music and making it their own in lively solos. Rollins college has an ongoing series of free concerts and I like to stop in once in a while to sketch. There is nothing like the inspiration of good live music to help the lines dance on the page with less regard for stifling accuracy.

Mark your calendar. Upcoming free concert include..

September 26  |  7:30 PM

MUSIC FACULTY SHOWCASE

Keene Hall, 1000 Holt Avenue Winter Park, FL

32789This
recital is free and open to the public. Parking is available nearby at
the SunTrust Plaza Garage located on Lyman Avenue. 

September 28  |  7:30 PM

FACULTY RECITAL: Curtis Rayam, tenor

Keene Hall, 1000 Holt Avenue Winter Park, FL 32789

This recital is free and open to the public. Parking is available nearby at the SunTrust Plaza Garage located on Lyman Avenue.

Mozart’s Requiem

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As part of the Bach Festival there was a choral concert at Tiedeke Concert Hall. What was unique about this performance is that the entire audience was given sheet music for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem. Music stands at the front of the hall divided the audience into three singing sections. The alto’s were closest to where I stood to draw. Dr. John V. Sinclair, the Bach Festival’s Artistic Director, conducted from the stage while lead singers for each section stood around him.

The requiem is absolutely sublime  and moving with so many voices raised in unison.  This music stands the test of time. Of course having a full orchestra would have made the performance even more stunning, but there is something magical in having so many voices, trained and untrained coming together to perform this piece. The entire Requiem is close to an hour long, but I think only an excerpt was performed on this evening. 

 Mozart’s health faltered as he worked on the requiem. A famous anecdote from his wife, Constanze, is related in Niemetschek‘s early biography: On his return to Vienna, his (Mozart’s) indisposition increased visibly and made
him gloomily depressed. His wife was truly distressed over this. One
day when she was driving in the Prater
with him, to give him a little distraction and amusement, and they were
sitting by themselves, Mozart began to speak of death, and declared
that he was writing the Requiem for himself. Tears came to the eyes of
the sensitive man: ‘I feel definitely,’ he continued, ‘that I will not
last much longer; I am sure I have been poisoned. I cannot rid myself of
this idea.’

At the time of his death, Mozart had many outstanding debts, but the myth that he was buried in a pauper’s grave is false.  His wife arranged to sell his compositions and over time she became financially secure. Mozart’s musical reputation rose after his death with unprecedented enthusiasm for his music. This dark brooding music is the masterpiece of the child prodigy who died far too young at the age of 35. Imagine creating something so beautiful, that people still feel compelled to perform and share it over two hundred years after your death. A toast to art.

Choral Concert

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On October 30th I went to a choral concert at Rollins College, Tiedtke Concert Hall. The evening featured the Women’s Choir, the Small Vocal Ensemble and the Rolling Singers. The concert hall was half full and it was easy for me to get a front row seat. Sarah Joseph was the student accompanist and George Atwell turned the sheet music when needed. The second group had additional musicians including a bass player that I included in the sketch.

The house must have been full of adoring parents and supportive College friends because when performers walked on stage the audience went wild. You’d think you were at a rock concert rather than a classical recital.

My favorite choral piece was Hallelujah Arranged by Jens Johansen and Jamey Ray William Mitchell. The last piece was a rather humerus rendition of The Barber of Seville. Choral members mimicked instruments in an orchestra using their voices. The recital was a free fast paced sketching opportunity. I had just enough time to finish the sketch when the performers took their final bow.

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Brass Ensemble

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I have become a fan of attending the free concerts held at Rollins College’s John M. Tiedtke Concert hall. The acoustics inside the new Tiedtke Hall are fabulous. The concerts are seldom very crowded so I am able to find a seat right up front close to the performers. This Brass Ensemble was performed by students and directed by Christopher Dolske. The instruments in the ensemble consisted of 5 trumpets, 2 trombones, a bass trombone, 2 euphoniums, 3 French horns and a tuba. The music was eastern European themed with composers like Moussorsky, Gabrieli, Susato, Kabalevsky and Koetsier. I only recognized the name of one of the composers and all the music was new to me.

The concert lasted just long enough for me to finish the sketch. The music’s tone and timber influenced every line. The warm, full tones filled the hall. With the concert over, I quickly packed up my art supplies to leave. Someone stopped me in the isle and asked to see the sketch. I dug in my bag to retrieve my sketchbook. He asked me if I planned to show the sketch to the conductor. This is rather common, people seem to feel the subject must be made aware when they are included in a sketch. The conductor was already back stage and Terry was waiting for me at home so I ignored his frantic desire to share my work.