WTSR director Julia Landi follows up her debut single with four-song EP
(05/17/21 1:09pm)
By Anthony GarciaNews Editor
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Now that New Jersey has taken steps to legalize marijuana, there is a proper procedure the state should take to integrate the drug on college campuses. This should include educational and transparent conversations behind the use of the drug in the college community.
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By Anthony Garcia Correspondent Six students eased audience members’ minds with melodies of graceful classical pieces. These musicians brought their instruments and elegance to the stage at the Tuesday Recital Series at 12:30 p.m. in Mayo Concert Hall. On a windy Tuesday afternoon, music students from every grade executed an array of classical styles, accompanied by the professional playing of pianists Kathy Shanklin and Stefanie Watson. Once the lights dimmed, freshman music performance major Jael Cross welcomed the crowd with her soprano voice, hitting pitches with ease and allowing her sound to resonate in the auditorium effortlessly. The student’s voice dynamically accompanied Shanklin’s playing. For her first performance at the College, Cross sang two pieces: “Silent Noon” by Ralph Vaughan Williams and an Italian song, “O del mio dolce ardor,” by Christoph Willibald Gluck. When she finished, the crowd released its energy through a strong applause. “Being here makes me want to work harder as a musician and a performer,” Cross said. “And I’m building more on that every day, every lesson, every week.” Next, Melissa Smith, a freshman music performance major, brought her clarinet to the stage. She played with a rich tone that cascaded up and down in register. Piano and clarinet combined beautifully and floated through the fast-paced Gerald Finzi piece, “Five Bagatelles, Op. 23.” Jonathan Anderson, a senior music performance major, followed Smith, playing fancy legato runs on euphonium. The senior’s mastery of tempo, as well as both low and high ranges, were a true testament to his musicianship at the College. Playing Herbert L. Clarke’s “The Debutante,” Anderson met the speedy piece head-on, which showcased his musical ability. Maxwell Mellies, a junior music education major, presented compelling style while leading his way through “Sonata for Alto Saxophone” and “Piano I. Allegro.” His body swayed, feeling the classical melody that Bernhard Heiden composed. His ability to control his instrument and produce a balanced sound called for a lively embrace from the audience. Bryan Cook, a sophomore music education major, then took the stage. Pointing the bell of his trumpet directly towards the crowd, he played phrases that encapsulated a collection of emotions. Shanklin’s piano rang out deep tones while Cook explored escalating scales. The dark fanfare provided a blissful release into difficult upbeat sections surrounded by powerful strings of notes. “I had to nitpick the piece and slowly piece it together,” Cook said regarding his rendition of “Andante et Allegro” by J. Guy Ropartz. “It’s a classic with a lot of fun parts and sections of contrast.” Capping off Tuesday’s recital, Konstanza Kovalev, a freshman music education major, sang with accompaniment from Watson on piano. Her mezzo-soprano voice vibrated sweetly during the melodic Johannes Brahms piece, “Wiegenlied Op. 49, no. 4 (Lullaby).” The audience, which mainly consisted of music students and professors, was elated to hear young musicians pour their hearts and souls into renditions of classical music.
By Anthony Garcia Correspondent As the fall semester comes to a close, Student Soloist Night offered an opportunity for students to escape the stress of upcoming finals and listen to original music by their peers. Students escaped the cold weather and dined at Traditions on Nov. 27 while enjoying two sets of music organized by CUB Alt in the Traditions Lounge at 8 p.m. The first to perform was Christian Simpson, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, whose set included a mixture of piano, guitar, synthetic production and vocals. Simpson opened the night with an original song titled “Chasing My Dreams,” which featured textured piano and passionate vocals. The layered instrumentation provided an ambient landscape for Simpson’s rich accompanying vocals. “Chasing my dreams and not my fears,” Simpson sang. His second song, “Reach Out,” began with a futuristic synth line and a solid drum beat before adding vocals. Flawlessly, the set transitioned into two Lauv covers, “Never Not” and “I Like Me Better” in which Simpson threw a guitar over his shoulder and belted emotional lyrics. Although Simpson has performed before, he admitted he was nervous doing a complete set on his own. “It takes guts to get up on that stage, but I jumped at the opportunity,” he said. The fourth song, titled “Eighteen,” was a self-composed tune, which induced a sense of nostalgia as the audience reflected on their youth. Simpson’s style echoed the sound of groups such as Coldplay and Owl City, as the song featured a memorable hook and atmospheric production. “I’ve been playing piano since about the age of 6,” he said. “I picked up the guitar around 12,” he said. Next up was a song off the artist’s debut album, which was released last year. The title track, “Time Thief,” was the highlight of the night. The song had a bold pop beat that pounded rhythmically behind a punchy chord progression. Simpson’s rap vocals showcased the artist’s versatility in expression, and his high-paced rhymes had students bobbing their heads to the beat. Heads nodded — the song was a fan favorite. “It’s great to see someone who’s truly a musician through and through,” said Stephanie Sonbati, a sophomore English and communication studies double major. “He definitely killed it.” The musician finished his set with a heartfelt cover of the holiday song, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” “This song is dedicated to my mother, who is thousands of miles away and won’t be home on Christmas,” he said. This song appropriately capped off his set especially as the year is transitioning into the holiday season. Next up, Alex Gerlach, a junior English major, and Ryan Fields, a junior finance major, took the stage to perform a compilation of covers. The musical chemistry of the tandem was evident as they joyfully entertained the audience with compelling singing and instrumentation. The set began with Fields strumming guitar chords while Gerlach’s piano playing and soulful voice instantly captivated all of those within the restaurant. The groups cover of “Flume” by Bon Iver came to a climax when Fields joined Gerlach with vocals during the chorus, which was how they stylized their duets throughout the four-song tracklist. Fields and Gerlach showed off their individual talent through the song “Jolene” by Ray Lamontagne. They performed with strong vocals and music production. The two said they threw this set together after only playing with each other a handful of times. Through some mistakes and technical difficulties, the duo approached their performance with both humor and professionalism. “Maybe we’ll play together again in the future,” Gerlach said. The third song, a cover of “Just When I Needed You Most” by Randy Van Warmer, was full of jazzy vocals and Gerlach’s melodic piano solo that accompanied Fields’ guitar chords and soft backing vocals. The last song showcased the musicians at their best. The upbeat cover of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty engaged the crowd as students began to clap along or tap their feet. Their set was filled with confident guitar ballads, classical piano arrangements and fervent singing from both members.
By Anthony Garcia Correspondent Philadelphia-based graphic designer Allan Espiritu spoke to students and faculty in Mayo Concert Hall on Friday, Nov. 3, at the seventh Brown Bag presentation of the semester, where he explained his creative process, shared stories that shaped his view on art and empowered aspiring artists. The title of his presentation, “Mashup: ‘Cause we are Living in an (Im)material World/The Boy with a Thorn in His Side,” was inspired by Espiritu’s friend and mentor. His mentor resembles a member of the English rock band, The Smiths, who wrote the song, “A Boy With a Thorn in His Side.” Espiritu’s friend and mentor also introduced him to the Situationists International, an organization of artists and political revolutionaries from the mid 20th century. The group conducted art-based social experiments, which inspired Espiritu to create interactive art. Espiritu feels the overlap of sociology and art gives him a way to spread messages through his work. “(Situationists International) were against this idea of consumerism,” Espiritu said. “The Situationists used art to get their points across. They created situations to counteract spectacle and complacency.” Walter Benjamin’s book, “Illuminations” also strongly influenced Espiritu’s work. Benjamin writes that aura is lost in art when things are mass produced. “As a graphic designer this sucks,” Espiritu said. The book also discusses the ephemerality of art, and how an artist’s effort can be appreciated or ignored by viewers. This idea continues to challenge Espiritu. “(Benjamin’s ideas) helped me form my position on graphic design,” Espiritu said. At Espiritu’s first job, he designed and created coupons. One day, he saw one of his designs in a neighbor’s trashcan and decided to make a change in his life. Feeling empowered, Espiritu left his first job. He went on to earn his masters in graphic design at Yale University. There, he worked on finding himself as an artist. “This idea of the ephemeral, me as a graphic designer making disposable things, that you can throw away at the end of the day. I had a real problem with that,” Espiritu said. Espiritu also discovered a love for print. “I love print, rather than making everything digital,” Espiritu said. “I kind of rebelled against that –– I was interested in the material of things.” Students were impressed with Espiritu’s work and his willingness to deviate from traditional artistic norms. One such student, Wesley Pena, a freshman music education major enjoyed Espiritu’s philosophy on art. “He’s trying to change his whole industry, it’s cool,” Pena said of Espritu’s goals. “Art should not be disposable.” Espiritu concluded the lecture by reiterating two major points. “Reject the ephemeral –– make things last,” Espiritu said, “and reject complacency.” Having a physical connection with material objects provided a sense of palpable ownership that does not occur with digital content. “I try to reject all standards,” Espiritu said. “It makes my job more lively and fun.”