Annual concert a hit

Mary Danko, Contributing writer

On Jan. 31, the D’Angelo De-partment of Music presented its 20th annual Tri-State Music Prism Concert in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

Students performed wonderful pieces in the Wind and Jazz Ensembles and as soloists.

The first piece, performed by the Wind Ensemble, was called “Haunted Carnival” by Rob Grice.

This eerie piece created an atmosphere of dread and fear that made the audience terrified about what was going to happen next.

The performance ended with a member of the ensemble jumping out of his seat and cackling.

The second piece was “Phantasmagoria” by Jeremy Bell.

This piece had a strong resemblance to a soothing, secure lullaby.

As the piece continued, it created stronger feelings of pain and loss.

This quickly turned into anger, which overtook the piece until near the end, when it returned to the tranquil melody it began with.

Following this was “Shadow Waltzes” by Brian Balmages.

This piece was similar to “Phantasmagoria” in how it went from soothing to anger, but it was more extreme.

It began in a state of serene despondency and then went into a strong, resilient song with both moods connecting beautifully.

The last piece performed by the Wind Ensemble was called “Voodoo” by Daniel Bukvich.

This piece had the same ghostly feel as “Haunted Carnival” and made me feel cautious about what would happen next.

Despite having a somewhat sinister feel to it, it also had a southern feeling, which made the audience feel as if they were down in Louisiana, complete with Mardi Gras, gumbo and voodoo.

Next on the program for the night were the solo performances by members of the ensembles.

The first soloist was junior Music Education major Morgan Dowches on the flute.

She played “Ballade” by Albert Perilhou, accompanied by Nathan Hess, D.M.A., on piano.

This beautiful piece had a very cheerful melody to it and made me feel like I was walking through a garden on the perfect spring day.

It was truly enchanting and made me feel so incredibly light.

As the piece continued it be-came quicker and had a more passionate feel to it.

As the piece progressed, the light, peaceful beginning and passionate middle section found common ground in the conclusion.

Following “Ballade” was “a cricket sang and the set the sun” by Blake Tyson, performed by junior Music Education major Ethan Wicker on the marimba.

The instrument that was used gave the piece a very unique feeling and had a rather mystic atmosphere.

It began slowly and then became faster in tempo.

The piece throughout the whole performance had a unique rhythm to it; it must have been incredibly challenging to perform.

It ended with the same similar, slow feel that the piece began with.

The last solo piece of the night was performed by freshman Music Education major Kirk Morrison playing “Trumpet Concerto in Eb II. Andante” by Franz Joseph Hayden accompanied by Hess.

This piece had a sense of dedication in it with some longing that later gave way to a sense of melancholy.

It was a piece that made me experience the grief and remorse it projected.

The Mercyhurst University Jazz Ensemble came on stage next to perform “Critical Mass” by Jeff Jarvis.

This piece was very energetic and lively.

It motivated me to keep up with the steady tempo and feel the rhythm in every way possible.

It began the jazz part of the concert in great spirits.

The next piece was “Splanky” by Sammy Nestico.

This piece had a truly classic swing vibe to it and was played at a medium tempo.

The piece had certain moments in it in which several soloists were featured.

Following this was “Eleanor Rigby,” which shone new light on the beauty and depth on the classic Beatles hit.

It had a very strong up-tempo rhythm to it while still maintaining a rather calm and relaxed feel.

The arranger managed to put his own, wonderful spin on it while still staying true to the original, including hints of the familiar melody.

The next piece performed was “Soul Lady” by Don Sebesky.

This piece had a very strong, medium speed tempo and was one that really washed over you.

The audience was completely mesmerized by its powerful, vigorous feel.

The consistency in rhythm and beat brought out another element to the song and honestly made me feel like I was in a jazz club.

The last piece of the night was “La Fiesta” by Chick Corea.

This fast tempo style music had a real Spanish feel to it.

I went from feeling like I was in Mexico one moment to being transitioned into a jazz club.

This piece was the perfect way to finish out the night.

I felt as if I were at a party and was truly energized.

It was a beautiful song that made me feel the intensity of the piece and appreciate the beauty of jazz.

You won’t want to miss the next performance!