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(03/22/16 2:31pm)
By Shayna Innocenti
Staff Writer
It is a special moment when alumni of the College get the chance to return to campus and share their wisdom and success with students. Zany poet and 2006 graduate Sarah Blake gave an intimate poetry reading in the Library Auditorium on Thursday, March 10, as part of INK’s Visiting Writing Series.
Blake’s poetic success began with her debut book, “Mr. West,” an “unauthorized lyric biography” of hip-hop artist Kanye West. The book not only features defining moments in West’s career, but also weaves in Blake’s own experiences throughout her pregnancy. The book was published in March 2015 by Wesleyan University Press.
At the event, Blake read several poems including the anatomy-based “Kanye’s Digestive System” and poems that featured defining career moments for West, such as “God Created Night and it was Night.” Many of the poems were accompanied by photos from the Pinterest board that Blake created for readers to use as reference.
Blake admitted that the first question she usually gets about the book is, “Why Kanye?” This question is especially prompted by interviewers, she said, as she has never met West.
Despite how the media often portrays the hip-hop artist, Blake explained that she connected with West differently than most.
“Kanye lost his mother, Donda West, around the same time when I lost my grandfather,” Blake said.
Two years after her grandfather’s passing, Blake became interested in writing poetry about hip-hop. She thought back to West’s loss and his 2008 album, “808s & Heartbreak,” as she wrote what would be the first poem of her book, “Kayne’s Circulatory System.”
“The book kind of morphed into this whole other project,” Blake said. “Kayne fascinates me and the media’s fascination with him fascinates me. The book ended up being a lot about (the) media’s portrayal of people and the falsehood we often forget.”
The oddity of a poetry book featuring the life of West drew in both avid poetry readers and curious bystanders. Sophomore special education and English double major Alexa Anderson admitted that while West’s music wasn’t her genre, she was interested in learning about this work written by the recent alumna.
“I think that the poetry is really interesting,” Anderson said. “It was an odd take on her personal life — mixing it into Kayne’s non-personal life that is very media based. I thought that was cool.”
While the piqued interest of the audience was stemmed around this fantastical Kanye-poetry, it was hard to ignore just how hard Blake is striving to revolutionize the way poetry is presented to the general public.
Her poem “A Day in the Mall Reminds Me of America” was adapted into a Motionpoems film by director Ayse Altinok and hauntingly portrays the mischiefs of two adolescent sisters.
Similarly, Blake published the book-length sci-fi poem “The Starship” in illustrated installments online. She read aloud a handful of poems from this newer work, along with some pieces from “In A Wood, With Clearings, It’s Spring,” a narrative told via 60 prose poems.
This summer, Blake will also be releasing an activity book that will be a compilation of poetry, writing prompts and creative puzzles.
Blake explained that she had written a chapbook, or half of a book of poetry, about the death of her grandfather, but wanted to present it in a fresh way that would be appealing to a wider audience.
“At the time, I was really jealous. My son is four and he has these incredible workbooks that he can spend hours doing,” Blake said. “I thought it looked fun.”
So much like the current trend of coloring books for adults, Blake replicated these timeless activities to accompany every other poem in the book and is currently having them redrawn by a commissioned artist. The rest of the poems were sided by prompts that can be geared for both the poetic audience and the general public.
“So instead of reading a sad poetry chapbook, you can spend a few hours having a weird poetry experience. That was my goal,” Blake said.
Moving forward, Blake explained that she wants to extend this idea of transforming poetry.
“I am always thinking about different ways for people to interact with books,” Blake said. “A book of poetry is not going to be the experience of a novel and it never will be. But that shouldn’t be upsetting or discouraging — that should be really exciting. So what could it be? It could be anything.”
(03/08/16 5:34pm)
By Shayna Innocenti
Staff Writer
Nestled within Kendall Hall Main Stage Theater, the TCNJ Wind Ensemble delivered the electric performance, “Spiritus Mundi,” on Friday, March 4. The group was guided by the visionary David Vickerman, conductor and director of bands at the College.
The spectacular performance featured two new compositions and special guests. The first was Kathleen Mitchell, a principal saxophonist and director of the saxophone ensemble at the College and the Eastern Wind Symphony Youth Band. The youth band was composed of musicians from 14 local high schools.
“At the College, we not only like to show off what we can do, but we also like to support the community, as well,” Vickerman said. “It was a lot of fun putting this collaboration together.”
“Spiritus Mundi,” a term coined by the Irish poet W.B. Yeats, describes how different universal components thrive together harmoniously. This driving force of inspiration perfectly titled the performance, as new age technology played alongside the wind ensemble.
The concert opened with the uplifting medley of “Shepherd’s Hey” (1913), composed by Percy Grainger. Despite having only rehearsed together for the first time 20 minutes before the concert’s start, the TCNJ Wind Ensemble collaborated effortlessly with the Eastern Wind Symphony Youth Band.
Vickerman explained that the original Grainger composition was at a faster pace, reflecting that of an English Morris dance, but that he had to alter the tempo to best suit the ensemble.
“We spent a long time trying to work the gestures of the dance into how we performed the piece,” Vickerman said.
The second piece performed by what Vickerman dubbed as the “Mega Band,” was the somber “Dusk” (2004), composed by Steven Bryant.
Following a brief intermission, the TCNJ Wind Ensemble premiered Christopher Stark’s composition “Velocity Meadows” (2015). The group was accompanied by soprano saxophonist Mitchell for this rendition.
Consisting of five uninterrupted movements, the piece was originally scored for an oboe solo with chamber winds. What made this arrangement truly special was the accompaniment of video manipulation. Created by designer Andrew Lucia, the video of a static dreamscape was projected behind the musicians.
“Stark is very interested in creating landscapes and creating textures,” Vickerman said.
Vickerman also noted that Stark often focuses on having a soloist complement or echo the ensemble, rather than in typical concerto form where the soloist is featured against what the ensemble is doing.
“It is a very organic concerto process, which as someone from California, I appreciate,” Vickerman said.
Mason Bates’s composition, “Observer in the Magellanic Cloud” (2010), was the second new piece for the ensemble. The work was originally scored for a chorus, but with the permission from Bates, Vickerman spent the last year arranging the piece for a wind ensemble.
Vickerman explained that Bates’s composition was inspired by a satellite in deep space. Subsequently, the start of the piece is denoted by a metronome, a sound resembling that of a lone satellite.
“In a lot of ways, this piece embodies our integration of technology — reflecting both the negative and positive aspects,” Vickerman said.
The concert closed with a second Steven Bryant composition, “Ecstatic Waters” (2008). This award-winning piece, inspired by the poetry of Yeats, featured a harmonious blend of the wind ensemble and live electronics.
As denoted by the five movement titles, the piece was like watching a well-oiled machine evolve. It opened with a playful tune that melted away, showcasing the unified power behind the ensemble. But among the chaotic notes was one of the soloists, junior music education major Rachel Kopania, who played the soft-winded ballad that disrupted and disbanded the machine of “Ecstatic Waters.”
Kopania explained that learning to play alongside the electronics was challenging, particularly during her solo as the notes she played were simultaneously being electronically processed and overlaid with pre-recorded sounds.
“There are cue cards for where I have to listen to the electronics and come in with it,” Kopania said. “It was hard to learn, but today, it was just amazing to have it all come together.”
Freshman physics and secondary education dual major Samantha Staskiewicz said that despite her initial concerns about incorporating electronics into the compositions, she was utterly impressed by the ensemble’s performance.
“I have never really heard anything like it before,” Staskiewicz said. “I did band in high school and none of the pieces compared to what I just heard. It was really good.”
The next event the Department of Music will be hosting is on Monday, March 28, entitled East Meets West — where the TCNJ Chorale will be accompanied by choir students from Japan.
(04/29/14 11:26pm)
Although normally found in Kendall Hall putting on musicals, the members of TCNJ Musical Theatre ventured over to the Rathskeller on Friday, April 25, for the last show of the year: “TMT Night.”
The duo, consisting of the president of TMT Jenna Rose and TMT member Kyle Sheehan, were first to take to the stage. Also referred to as “Steve Buscemi in Your Kitchen,” the two opened the show with a powerful alternative-rock song, “S.O.G. Burning in Hell” by Steel Train, with Rose commanding the vocals and Sheehan pounding the keyboard.
“We are a very serious band, and this next song is a very personal song,” Rose said just before Sheehan broke out singing OutKast’s “Hey Ya!,” leaving all of the audience members laughing.
This was Rose’s third time participating in the annual “TMT Night” at the Rat.
Sisters Dana-Joy and Jamie-Tate Carducci and one of the many returns of Sheehan on the keyboard were the second act of the night. The girls’ set included a stripped down cover of Lady Gaga’s hit “Poker Face.”
From this point on the show became a revolving door of talented TMT members. Monica Blumenstein and Kelly Cosentino, who played the guitar, reprised “Say Something” by A Great Big World, a song they had covered at this years “A Capella Fest.”
Sitting upon a large overturned recycling bin and manning it as a drum, Evan Tsahalis provided a light rhythmic beat as Jenna Burke and Jonathan Edmondson successfully took on Poison’s “Every Rose has Its Thorn.” The trio also performed Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into The Dark.”
One of the high points of the night was singer Molly Crawford and keyboardist Joey Tible, an alumnus of the College.
“I remember last time this year, I was so sad because it was going to be the last time I performed with Joey … but lo and behold,” Crawford said, gesturing her arms out to Tible.
Crawford’s voice wailed — her voice larger than the venue — to Christina Perri’s “Human” and Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now.”
“We determined that every song can be made happy with a ukulele,” Crawford said, referring to Tible who played a ukulele for the country cover.
As a last minute decision, the two decided to not only give a rendition of the theme song from the television show “Adventure Time,” but to also perform “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel from the Disney film “Frozen.”
“I warn you, the last note does not exist in here,” Crawford said before inviting the audience to join her on stage to sing along.
Blumenstein, Rose, Briana Luppino and McCabe joined forces for the final performance of the night.
Luppino, a senior psychology major, explained that normally at the end of every TMT Rat show, the closing song chosen is supposed to evoke tears from the fellow TMT members, especially those who are graduating in the coming weeks.
“We decided to do a sad song so you can cry, and then a sing a happy song so you are not crying when you leave,” Luppino said.
However, as a last minute addition — a well-formed trend at this point — the trio decided to teach McCabe a “happy” song in one of the stairwells of the Student Center before singing a sad song, which was an impressive four-part harmony of “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and The Heart. The lyrics, “I miss your face like hell,” called out to the TMT members.
Sheehan joined in on the keyboard for the “happy” song of “Best Day Of My Life” by American Authors.
The quintet’s daring attempt dried the eyes of fellow TMT members and put smiles on their faces before the set closed.
Rose, a senior political science and journalism double major, was elated by the show.
“Everyone did amazing tonight and I am really proud of everyone who performed,” Rose said.
The lighthearted performances from TMT were the perfect remedy to the week of finals vastly approaching students at the College.
(04/22/14 10:08pm)
Despite the drastic drop in the temperature and the pouring rain, students lined up outside of the Recreation Center on Tuesday, April 15, excited to see the long- awaited Spring Concert featuring Hoodie Allen, Karmin and Panic! At The Disco.
Hoodie Allen was the first to take the stage, with a colorful piñata banner in the background. This high-energy rapper helped thaw out the frozen and damp students.
Though a newcomer to the rapping scene, the Boston native has a nearly sold-out tour and will be releasing his first full-length album this upcoming summer.
“I’m really sort of someone who hears the music and sort of associates and writes from that,” Allen said in reference to his album. “So really just a collaborative process from just the beginning.”
According to Allen, his tour has a twist, in that it features a variety of small venues in hopes of connecting with his fan-base.
“Well, I think I just like the opportunity to play in front of a new and diverse crowd,” Allen said. “But there’s something really cool about winning over a crowd who may not be as familiar with you.”
Some songs featured in Allen’s set were “No Interruption,” “Eighteen Cool” and a song that was close to Allen’s heart, “Small Town.”
Karmin, the dynamic duo of Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan, effectively commanded the stage after Hoodie Allen’s set. The undeniable chemistry between the two certainly made for an amazing performance.
Known for their double platinum hit “Brokenheart” off of their 2012 EP “Hello,” Karmin gave an electrifying performance that definitely showed their ever-stretching ranges as artists.
“Our music live is definitely going to sound different than what people expect from us,” Heidemann said in an interview with The Signal before the show.
Their music, which usually holds a heavy electronic sound similar to that of Nicki Minaj, was stripped away from several of their songs, which showcased the group’s undeniable vocal talent.
The rather vulnerable mash-up of Ellie Goulding’s “Lights” and Karmin’s own “I Hate To Love You” was a shining moment for the pair, as the sound greatly contradicted the original online version, in a great and creative fashion.
“So we did YouTube and we broke out on YouTube,” Heidemann said. “Now people only think of us as a ‘YouTube band’ and we’re a little bit more than that.”
In late March, Karmin released their first full-length album, “Pulse,” titled after their roller-coaster journey of ascending beyond their extremely successful YouTube platform and breaking into the music industry.
“The whole idea of the album is to portray the highs and lows of life,” Heidemann said.
Aside from a few false alarms from over-excited Disco fans, the screaming commenced and the crowd surged forward the second Panic! At The Disco ran on stage.
Eccentric lead vocalist Brendon Urie — who was still recovering from celebrating his birthday the weekend prior — arrived on stage with much enthusiasm and energy with bassist Dallon Weekes and guitarist Ian Crawford.
Punk-rock vibrato echoed throughout the Rec Center with the classic opening song “Time to Dance.” The crowd heavily participated, shouting the lyrics “shotgun wedding, shotgun wedding.”
Despite the song’s lyrics, the crowd’s composure and posture was lost as they made sure to jump, clap, shout and attempt to sing along to every song, even the two surprise covers of Journey’s “Anyway You Want It” and AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” at the show’s end.
Panic! played several songs from their 2005 album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” of extremely lengthy song titles, and included crowd favorite “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.”
Some of the iconic Vaudevillian classics, however, were strategically infused with the band’s new technology-based-beat featured on Panic!’s most recent album, “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!” (2013) with Urie manning the keyboard.
Other songs, like “Nine in the Afternoon,” remained untouched, being perfect vessels of familiarity. Unfamiliar to songs such as “This is Gospel” and “Let’s Kill Tonight,” however, was the unanticipated interjection of falsetto notes from Urie that momentarily would render the audience speechless — momentarily.
Overall, Panic! had a very clean and professional performance. Every song change was timed perfectly with intermission music playing between.
Regardless of the day’s drab weather, the electrifying Spring Concert proved to be more than worth the wait.
(04/08/14 5:23pm)
A few weeks ago, students waited in line outside of the Brower Student Center for tickets to see the trending a capella group Pentatonix.
But was it worth the wait? The sold-out show, with an opening from the College’s Trentones, dominated the Kendall Hall Main Stage on Tuesday, April 1. Impeccable harmonizing and rather impressive lighting effects had students’ eyes peeled back and smiles beaming.
The pitch-perfect vocals come from five distinct members: Scott, Mitch, Kristie, Avi and Kevin.
Each one of them brings a unique flair to the group, which breathes life into their complex medleys and smashing covers.
After a short set from the Trentones, the quintet rushed out onto the stage, pardoning introductions, as they began their wildly popular Daft Punk medley that went viral five months ago. Pentatonix was met with instant acclamation from the eager crowd.
“We love colleges!” Scott shouted in the midst of their fast-paced set.
The energy on stage was mirrored by the audience members, creating a truly unique musical experience inside Kendall Hall.
“We are going to take you on a journey — the journey we have been on for the last three years,” Kristie said before the group launched into the song they first performed for Season 3 of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” (the same show they ended up winning almost three years ago), “E.T.” by Katy Perry.
One of the most impressive moments of the set was when the group performed their incredibly popular “Evolution of Beyoncé” medley, which included songs such as “Telephone,” “Halo” and “Love on Top.” This piece allowed both lead vocalists, Scott and Mitch, to show off their vast range and musical ability.
Pentatonix began with Scott, Kristie and Mitch, who all grew up together in Arlington, Texas. After gaining Internet popularity when a video of the trio singing Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” went viral after they submitted it to a local competition, the group wanted to expand.
“Kevin was found on YouTube,” Scott said to the audience about current beatboxer Kevin who was added to Pentatonix before they auditioned for “The Sing-Off.” “The three of us literally went on YouTube one day and typed in the search bar: beatboxer.”
The trio was drawn to Kevin because of his ability to expertly play the cello while simultaneously beatboxing, which is an incredibly difficult task.
Through a mutual friend, Avi was introduced to the group. When Scott met Avi for coffee one day, he immediately knew he wanted him in Pentatonix.
“When he spoke, he said, ‘I am Avi.’ I was like, ‘Whoa, I get it.’ That voice is deep,” Scott said while taking a chance to talk to the audience.
In the middle of their set, Scott, Kristie and Mitch left the stage and allowed Kevin and Avi to show off their respective talents. Kevin played a fantastic piece, an original composition titled “Renegade,” on the cello while proving his talents as a beat boxer. Avi performed mongolian overtone singing, in which he somehow sings two notes at the same time.
“Don’t listen to the note I am signing, listen to the Mariah Carey whistle tone beyond,” Avi said before he started to sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” using the mongolian overtone method.
After their individual performances, the quintet returned to the stage to sing current radio hit “Say Something” by A Great Big World. Their heartfelt rendition included more cello playing from Kevin and heartbreakingly sweet vocals from the only female member, Kristie.
After winning season three of “The Sing-Off,” Pentatonix continued to gain popularity by releasing covers on YouTube.
One of their standout tracks is “Evolution of Music,” which they also performed live at the College. The song is a musical journey from the beginning of time up until present day and highlights everything inbetween, from Mozart to Lady Gaga.
In addition to YouTube covers, the group has released three EPs and is currently on a sold-out tour across both North America and Europe.
Pentatonix rose to fame in the midst of a generation of auto-tune and lip-synching. The group has gained so much popularity due to their focus on what really matters: the vocals. Each member has astonishing vocal talents and incredible chemistry with each other. They were pitch-perfect live and an absolute blast to watch on stage.
After the success of musical film “Pitch Perfect” in 2012, a capella music has been more popular than ever. Pentatonix is the paradigm of what a capella stands for. They continually push themselves in both their arrangements and their vocal ability, representing what the art of music is all about. Pentatonix is needed in today’s society, if only to remind us that above all else, true vocal talent mixed with persistent passion is the key to creating real music.
Toward the end of the set, the quintet dropped their microphones and performed an original piece called “Run To You.”
“I want everyone to close eyes and figure out what you want out of life,” Scott said before putting down his microphone.
Every member of the sold-out audience fell to a complete hush as they listened intently to the pure vocal harmonies coming from the stage.
And in that moment, music finally made sense.
(03/25/14 8:21pm)
On Tuesday, March 18, my Race, Gender and The News class taught by Professor Kim Pearson, had a field trip to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. As a collective, our goal was to speak with the staff and homeless patrons at TASK to get their opinions of the local media coverage of poverty.
During our visit, several of the tutors and homeless patrons reiterated the notion that poverty is under-covered in the news. They said the media tends to either focus on the negative stereotypes or ignores the issue entirely.
I personally feel that the coverage of poverty is an important issue because those who are in the poverty level or who are homeless are often not configured into statistical reports that the media releases.
According to a census conducted in October of 2013 by the U.S. bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Mercer County is 6.9 percent. This can be compared to the New Jersey unemployment rate of 8.4 percent, according to the same census.
However, the percentages, in reality, are probably lower than what is reported. Typically, the reports do not include the people who have given up looking for employment, are working multiple jobs to remain afloat or are homeless. These people have become invisible in our own county.
Amazing programs like TASK, Homefront and ArtSpace are not only trying to help those who are suffering from homelessness and poverty, but they are also trying to positively reinforce their lives by having the patrons create paintings, poetry and skits. Why isn’t the media covering this? While a couple of local organizations cover the happenings at these places, most do not.
There really are some great organizations and events that are held in Trenton, like the Gandhi Garden, in honor of helping those in need, but without local coverage they will go unnoticed. Media has such power and so much influence over what the general public pays attention to, whether the information is distributed in print or online.
Using the same journalistic practices of reporting and informing the public about local issues, like poverty, journalists have the potential to be the catalysts to great changes.
(03/18/14 10:17pm)
Longer, funnier and even more outrageous than the original, the R-rated re-release of “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” can either be seen as an exercise in narcissism or a unique treat for “Anchorman” fan boys. Clocking in at two hours and 23 minutes, it is certainly not for those with short attention spans. The R-rated “supersized” (as the film’s marketing team dubs it) version of the film barely earns its R-rating, featuring a few extra f-bombs and other profanities. However, it includes essentially all new dialogue, while still hitting the major plot points of the original release.
It rids itself of the original version’s unnecessary and unfunny shark sequence, replacing it with a much wittier musical number about being a member of the LGBT community in the workplace. Brian Fantana’s (Paul Rudd) condom sequence is prolonged and more hilarious than in the original. The scene in which the news team smokes crack while live on the air is also extended, which results in the film’s funniest sequence. Even the loud and bombastic Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), a much-maligned complaint of the original version, is more tolerable in the re-release. This version allows the audience to see the actors engage in more improvisation, which is where they generate comedic gold. However, due to this haphazard style of ad-libbing, the structure and pacing of the original “Anchorman 2” can be further appreciated. It becomes blatantly evident why scenes were cut in the manner depicted in the film’s original release. While the R-rated version is holistically funnier, it is often meandering and sloppy. During the film’s climax, Ron Burgundy’s (Will Ferrell) son is playing the piano in a recital. The film cuts away to another location. When it cuts back to Burgundy’s son, what are clearly an old man’s hands have replaced those of the young boy. It is an obvious and undoubtedly intentional gaffe of the filmmakers, as cinematic perfection is not director Adam McKay’s goal. He is fearlessly pushing the boundaries of his comedy and is providing the “Anchorman” faithful with what will likely be the last version of any “Anchorman” film ever released in theaters. For those fans, this version of “Anchorman 2” can be enjoyed more so than the original theatrical release because of its unexpectedness, which reprieves the film of the elevated expectations of the original “Anchorman 2.” It need not concern itself with living up to the unreachable standards of the first “Anchorman” because it was never intended for theatrical release. Thus, it is a pleasant surprise for the hardcore fanbase. I repeat, hardcore fanbase. Those who did not appreciate the original “Anchorman 2” should not see this version, as it would only be an exercise in futility and masochism. To those who are not die-hard fans of the franchise, the film will appear as nothing more than pulpy excess. While the dialogue is almost entirely original, the same style of humor and ostentatiousness is present within the re-release. The oft-criticized aspects of the original “Anchorman 2” are only intensified in the R-rated version. Ultimately, McKay has crafted a vibrantly and entertainingly fresh interpretation of “Anchorman 2” for his most pure and loyal fans, one that can be enjoyed sans the subtext of comparisons to the first “Anchorman.”
(02/25/14 5:02pm)
Caitlin Filauro
Correspondent
A group of extraordinary student musicians showcased their abilities on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Mayo Concert Hall for the Embracing Student Achievement recital series.
The concert opened with freshman music education major and soprano Suzanne Parker performing “In Uomini, in soldati” from “Cosi fan tutte,” composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
“I’ve been singing since I was 10 and am always excited for a performance,” Parker said.
Although only a freshman, Parker’s booming voice projected stunningly throughout the concert hall and set the bar for what would be a fantastic show.
The next act featured Paul Winch on the trombone, playing a dark and slightly ominous piece, which contrasted nicely with a light and playful flute performance by Alexander Mason that followed.
After two purely instrumental performances, Nicole Myers dazzled the audience by performing “If Music be the Food of Love” by Henry Purcell. The piece was entertaining and a delightful change of pace.
The show closed with back-to-back pianists Cristina Villagomez and Yi Jessica Wang. The speedy and rapid pace of the pieces ended the show abruptly but left the audience satisfied.
The contrast in the different instruments played and pieces performed made the recital series such an accomplishment. The concert had pieces and performances ranging from dark and heavy to light and uplifting.
During the concert the audience was in awe of the musically outstanding students.
Freshman open options major Elizabeth Shea shared her thoughts on the recital.
“I honestly didn’t realize we had kids who were that talented here,” Shea said. “I figured I would hear a lot of the same stuff but everything was so different. It was truly amazing.”
(02/20/14 3:01am)
Kimberly Ilkowski
Staff Writer
The snowstorm and delayed campus opening did not stop a variety of talents from taking the stage Friday, Feb. 14, in the Rathskeller, for Student Band Night.
The show opened with the folk-jazz band Wayfare, made up of senior marketing major Lindsey Meldrum and senior journalism major Tom Ciccone.
Meldrum, an Australian exchange student, led the acoustic set with her soft and sweet vocals alongside Ciccone’s guitar playing.
The duo did a cover of the English folk song, “The Water is Wide,” in honor of Valentine’s Day.
“This song’s about love being fantastic and then really sucking,” Meldrum said.
Along with other covers by Elvis Presley and Suzanne Vega, the band showcased their original work as well.
Ciccone and Meldrum have big plans for the summer, going on tour in the United Kingdom and Australia.
The next act, Old Briar Road, continued the folksy sounds of the night with original pieces off their upcoming album, “Creek Fables.”
The band was comprised of Kyle McCabe, junior interactive multimedia major, on guitar, Julia Malak, communication studies major, on vocals and drums, Michael Cort, junior history major, on vocals, banjo and percussion, and Dan Crowley, a student at Rutgers University, on guitar.
Their cover of “Little Talks,” by Of Monsters and Men, turned into a crowd sing-along, with McCabe and Malak giving a spot-on rendition of the vocals of the popular song.
“We’re all about creating our own sound,” said Cort, who lists The Head and the Heart and The Lumineers as some of the band’s musical inspiration.
The last band of the night, R. Barbara & The Gitensteins, turned up the volume and transitioned the night to rock.
R. Barbara & The Gitensteins’ saxophonist Brian Chesney, a senior music education major, vocalist and guitarist Jake Lewkowski, bassist Sal Trelles, drummer Sam Moeller and keyboardist Jon Flores, all senior civil engineering majors, performed a covers set.
The throwback songs included the works of David Bowie, Velvet Underground, Brian Eno, Steely Dan and Roxy Music.
The band also did a cover of “The Weekend” by Modern Baseball, which particularly excited audience member Brooks Wegmann, a freshman computer science major.
“It was unique how they were able to incorporate a saxophone into a song that was originally only guitar, bass and drums,” Wegmann said.
You can catch Modern Baseball perform at the Rathskeller on Friday, March 7.
(02/11/14 11:27pm)
Students gathered in the Business Building lounge on Thursday, Feb. 6, for a festive close reading by professor John Landreau about the novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Díaz.
Díaz is a Dominican-American writer who won a Pulitzer for fiction in 2008.
Landreau explained that the novel tells three beautifully described and tragic intertwined stories that are narrated by Yunior, a Dominican from Paterson, N.J. who decided he needed to research and retell the life of Oscar Wao, a Dominican who was killed at the age of 23. Landreau explained that the novel implies that Yunior spent years compiling research on Wao’s life.
The first story of the novel is the retelling of Oscar Wao’s life.
“Oscar was an outlier, who sometimes would wear an out-of-style afro,” Landreau said.
He was socially introverted, overweight and was deemed a “nerd” who read and wrote science fiction and fantasy novels.
“Oscar had two goals in life,” Landreau said. “Oscar wanted to become the ‘Dominican Tolkien’ and he wanted to fall in love.”
Ultimately, Oscar fell in love. He fell for a 37-year-old partly retired prostitute. This woman was also Oscar’s undoing. Oscar was shot in a sugarcane field for having an affair with her.
The reconstruction of the Dominican dictatorship and Dominican history that takes a reader as far back as the arrival of Christopher Columbus is the second story found in the novel.
“Oscar is a small story of a really big story in the Dominican history,” Landreau said.
The third story is the one that Landreau deemed the most important, despite being obliquely told: Yunior’s story. Through much of the novel, Landreau described Yunior as being having an “ugly” personality that was very self-oriented.
“Oscar taught Yunior what it means to be a Dominican and also how to be a man,” Landreau said.
The actual multi-layered plotline is only one incredible aspect of Díaz’s novel. Díaz wrote this historical work with a fantasy-driven twist and utilized multiple languages.
“A reader cannot know all of the settings, characters and places,” Landreau said.
The book makes references to multiple comic book characters and even “The Lord of the Rings” to help further explain the unimaginable and horrific circumstances that the Dominican people faced under dictatorship.
The bilingual aspect of the novel and lack of translation allows readers to walk away from the novel with different views.
“The reader enters the world as a disoriented immigrant and the book orients the reader with both familiar and unfamiliar language,” Landreau said. “It is just a wild ride.”
(02/05/14 12:56am)
Two seniors bore their souls on the stage of the Mayo Concert Hall on Sunday, Feb. 2, during the first of this semester’s Senior Music Recitals.
Playing the trumpet, senior music education major Aaron Kopania opened the night with “Trumpet Voluntary” by Jeremiah Clarke, a piece that symbolized a march with its repetitive measures. Kopania was accompanied by Kathy Shanklin on the piano.
Kopania had a range of styles and accompaniments. He played the energetic and “polka-styled” “The Maid of the Mist” by Herbert L. Clarke. The piece opened with slow measures and gradually built momentum to a rapid firing of notes upon the closing.
On an individual note, Kopania’s shining moment occurred during his performance of “Sonanta for Trumpet and Piano” by Kent Kennan, which required a great deal of technical skill in which the movements switched between strong and powerful notes and muted tones, giving the notes a somber and distant quality to symbolize the struggle of acquiring freedom.
Jessica Renshaw, a senior music education major, took the stage with her clarinet in “Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73” by Carl Maria von Weber. Renshaw was accompanied by the pianist Sally Livingston.
The piece was composed of three movements, “Allegro Moderato,” “Adagio ma non troppo” and “Rondo.” The first movement opened with rather ominous notes bellowing from the piano, contrasted with the clarinet’s high and low fast-paced notes. In the second movement, the piano’s soft fluttering notes complemented the slow, long notes from the clarinet. During the final movement, the clarinet and piano finally came together on a very playful and bouncy tempo.
Renshaw also played two other challenging pieces that require great skill and precision. Renshaw and her accompanied pianist successfully tackled the first movement, “Allegro Amabile” of “Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major, Op. 120” by Johannes Brahams. Later, Renshaw played an equally challenging piece, “Première Rhapsodie” by Claude Debussy. This multifaceted piece had a wide range of high and low tones that ultimately were brought together to form a very jazzy-sounding ending.
The surprise of the showcase was Kopania’s closing performance of the “Brass Quintet, Op. 65” by Jan Koetsier. Kopania was accompanied by four of his closest friends at the College: Bruce Krywinski (trumpet), Andrew Unger (horn), Austin Barney (trombone) and Michael Korkowski (tuba).
“I had a lot of fun with the performance,” Kopania said after the recital. “I love those guys.”
The Quintet wowed the audience with precise layering of different sounds and tones. At one point during the first of two movements, there was even a back-and-forth type of rhythm with high trumpets talking to the horn and tuba, and viceversa, with the trombone chattering away in the background over both receiving ends.
“The last piece (Quintet) was my favorite,” senior music education major Val Kuntz said. “Overall the performance exciting and invigorating. It was a great way to end a senior recital.”
Upon graduating the College, Kopania plans on continuing playing music and pursuing a career as a music teacher.
Likewise, Renshaw plans on continuing to play the clarinet after graduation and hopes to attend graduate school to become a music teacher.
“The Quintet was very well done,” said John Wilkinson, a senior early childhood education major from the University of Scranton. “The clarinet (Renshaw) was amazing as well. Both are remarkable musicians."
(01/29/14 4:23am)
The Momenta Quartet of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra performed “Momenta in Motion” on Thursday, Jan. 23, in Mayo Concert Hall, featuring both classical and contemporary compositions that held Spanish influences.
The Quartet consisted of violist Stephanie Griffin, cellist Michael Haas and violinists Emilie-Anne Gendron and Adda Kridler.
Momenta opened with Joseph Haydn’s “String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 20, No. 1.” The piece consisted of four movements.
The first movement, “Allegro Moderato,” held playful, high-registered notes with a mischievous undertone from the violins. The second and third movement, “Minuetto: Allegretto and Affettuoso e sostenuto,” held deeper and richer tones from the cello that added to the rise and fall of the piece. The final movement, “Finale: Presto,” mirrored the first, holding similar whimsical tones.
After a round of applause, the quartet dove into Agustín Fernández’s “String Quartet No. 2, ‘Sin tiempo.”’ The composition was commissioned for Momenta by the Koussevity Foundation.
“This piece is something you have never heard before,” violist Stephanie Griffin said. “We first premiered this piece at Williams College last November. This will be the New Jersey premiere.”
Fernández was a Bolivian composer who spent time living in both Japan and England. As a modernist who embraced a variety of cultures, Fernández’s music is lively with latin rhythms and folk influences.
The performed piece was essentially based on a Spanish prayer, but unlike most prayer compositions, this one was not mystical and held remnants of historical influences from libertarian theology and guerrilla warfare. The idea behind this prayer was repetition — to say the word until the meaning is revealed.
Soft but fierce and rapid notes filled the room, coupled with breaks and adding suspense during the first movement of the composition, “Profecía” or the “Prophecy.”
While the piece allowed all four of them to take the helm of the composition, it really highlighted the cello during the second movement, “Plegaria” or “Prayer.”
The cello bellowed long, deep and repetitive notes, emulating the prayer, while the smaller stringed instruments buzzed in the background, almost symbolizing the confusion and struggle of the voice behind the prayer. The closing movement, “Accion,” incorporated really diverse and experimental sounds that ranged from high to low chords and overlapped with plucked strings from all of the instruments.
After intermission, Momenta performed Tomás Luis de Victoria’s “Quam pulchri sunt in Conceptione Beatæ Mariæ.” This Spanish influenced piece is revered as being very sensual.
The quartet then closed with Claude Debussy’s “String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10.”
“Debussy is the forerunner of modernism,” violinist Emilie-Anne Gendron said.
All four movements of the composition continued with the concert’s Spanish-melodic theme. The piece featured different rhythmic and textured effects, which highlighted each performer, switching the audience’s focus with fluidity.
“The group undeniably has raw talent,” said Zachary Elliott, sophomore history and classical studies double major. “They have such a diverse sound and range. It really is beautiful.”
As a new partner with the College, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra will return to campus on Thursday, March 6, with a vocal octet and then again on Saturday, March 29, for a “Classical Series: Night and Dreams.”
(01/29/14 4:23am)
By Katherine Burke
Correspondent
If you’re like me, you’ve seen quite a few historical movies set in World War II throughout the last few years.
Hollywood producers have discovered that magical and secret formula for a blockbuster: inject a few over-the-top explosions, a leading man or two and just enough history to make the viewer feel like they know just a little bit more about the subject. Then, there are the movies that are loosely based upon a book of the same name.
If you’ve been watching TV at all in the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen the ads for the newest WWII film, “The Monuments Men,” based on the book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History” by Robert M. Edsel.
As seen within the advertisement featuring the forever handsome George Clooney, “The Monuments Men” is about a special force of American and British artists, curators and historians between D-Day and V-E Day, attempting to save the world’s art from the clutches of Hitler and the Nazis.
During the war, Hitler dispatched forces to find and hoard the finest art in Europe, with the intention of creating the greatest collection the world has ever known.
However, those same commercials do no justice to the exemplary writing that is “The Monuments Men.” Rather than a duck-and-cover adventure story, Edsel follows the lives of several men and women dedicated to the preservation of art, culture and society during WWII.
With each chapter following the experiences of a different Monuments Men, the book is much less action-adventure than the film seems to be. Rather than working as a rag-tag group, most of the men work alone.
Though that may be a letdown for some, Edsel captures each person’s struggle to preserve thousands of years of history. Scattered throughout the entirety of Europe, these men were responsible for a task that was often deemed insignificant in terms of the larger picture of war.
Edsel also does justice to largely significant moments in history. His descriptions of the horrors and destruction that these men faced as part of their everyday lives within a warzone forces the reader to become emotionally invested with not only just these men, but the works of art they attempt to save. By including snippets of their lives outside of the war, the readers find themselves invested in the success of the mission.
Even more interesting is Edsel’s treatment of the men and women that assisted “The Monuments Men” along their journey. Most notable is the calm and secretive Rose Valland. Proving to be one of the greatest tools for the American men dedicated to saving the precious art and culture of Paris, she remains a constant within the text.
It also reminds the reader that the support of the people “on the ground” was invaluable and vital to the support of the mission as a whole.
In short, “The Monuments Men” looks to be a great film — if not exactly what the book details — and is an even better story. Even if history isn’t your thing, give it a whirl. It will definitely open your eyes to the harrowing struggles that a small group of people went through to save the most precious parts of humanity during a tragic time.
(01/29/14 3:32am)
By Zach Dzierzgowski
Correspondent
If your family is anything like mine, it is nearly impossible to find a movie that satisfies what everyone wants to watch. Going to the movie theater often becomes less of a family bonding activity and more of a pain.
Fortunately, my family heard the hype about Disney’s “Frozen,” and with minimal arguing, all six of us decided we would go check it out.
The film was released at the end of November, so we were shocked when our preferred showings were sold out at not one, but two of our local movie theaters.
After driving to a third, we barely made it into the packed cinema. I had never seen a room so full, with so much excitement and “fan-girling” since I saw the final installment of “Harry Potter” at midnight over two years ago.
My mind was blown even more when I overheard all sorts of people — from soccer moms to military dads — discussing how this was their third or fourth time seeing the film.
Between the hysteria and going through so much just to sit down, my expectations were set extremely high for “Frozen.” I am thrilled to say I was not disappointed.
“Frozen” boasts impressive animation; the beautiful characters, icy magic and sweeping landscapes create a unique, fairytale kingdom that lures you in.
I was unsure how Disney intended to inject life into a movie whose key visual hook was ice and snow. Rather than looking like 90 minutes of Antarctica, the animators brilliantly used spiraling crystals and beautiful pops of color to accent Queen Elsa’s mystical powers.
With so many snowstorms this winter, I am consistently disappointed when real snow is not nearly as engaging as in Arendelle.
Moreover, “Frozen’s” soundtrack is on par with Disney classics like “The Lion King” or “Beauty and the Beast.” Nothing peeves me more in a movie than an unnecessary song (I’m looking at you, “Rock of Ages”).
Luckily, every number in “Frozen” is seamlessly woven into the plot. Songs like “Love is an Open Door” or “In Summer” add a playful, innocent feel — typical of the Disney catalog.
Nevertheless, the movie’s soundtrack also features several mature numbers. “Let it Go” has all the charm and sophistication of a timeless Broadway Ballad. “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking piece that brought me to tears during the actual movie. This musical duality speaks to the film’s appeal for adults and children alike.
Aside from the songs and visuals, there is something more important that will distinguish “Frozen” to future audiences. Unlike past Disney films, “Frozen” has a unique message for audiences about the power and importance of family. Anna and Elsa’s relationship and their struggle to reconnect as sisters drive the story — the two show that when all else fails, family love will overcome all obstacles.
Too often, Disney princess films tie the idea of true love with a “knight in shining armor.” “Frozen” changes the game and presents two well-developed female characters that are liberated without a man’s help at the movie’s conclusion. I can only hope that “Frozen’s” reception will encourage Disney to continue with this trend.
As we left the theater, my family agreed that “Frozen” was an excellent choice. If you haven’t seen it yet, buy a ticket and go. You won’t regret the decision.
(01/21/14 5:41pm)
New York-based marketing firm, Thinkmodo, struck again, releasing an animatronic infant in a remote-controlled pram to terrorize the people of Manhattan on Tuesday, Jan. 14, as part of a low-budget marketing stunt to promote the movie “Devil’s Due,” released on Friday, Jan. 17.
This little red-eyed, vomit-spewing demon-child racked up over 9.4 millions views on YouTube by Tuesday afternoon, according to an article posted on latimes.com.
This abandoned stroller would either attract bystanders through the sound of a crying infant or would even be as bold to approach them, and then proceed to scare and confuse anybody nearby. As seen in the video, even a dog jumped back, its tail between its legs, after the infant sprang up growling.
According to an article published by the Huffington Post, Thinkmodo founder, Michael Krivicka, told Yahoo! News that the project “was an interesting social experiment to see how many people would bother to check on an abandoned stroller.”
This lifelike creature had the ability to blink, sit up, scream, growl, give the finger and even projectile vomit.
This was not the first time Thinkmodo shocked the people of New York. In October of 2013, to promote the movie “Carrie,” Thinkmodo ridged a coffee shop with remote controlled tables and flying books to make it appear as though a woman — who was an actress — had telekinetic abilities, according to an article by the Huffington Post.
While this type of marketing has drawn a lot of positive attention, it has also had people voicing a lot of concern of the the safety of the people.
If indeed all of the people in the “Devil Baby Attacks” video were not paid actors, then there is a very real chance that a person could have become violent, started panic or even suffered from a heart attack.
Though no one was hurt during the making of “Devil Baby Attacks,” it does make one wonder how far producers are willing to go to get a thrill from their audience. People who pay to go and see a horror movie are paying to be frightened. People who buy a coffee are not exactly paying to have a table fly across the room.
But is this “prank-style” type of advertising really successful?
According to IMDB.com, “Devil’s Due” rolled in at No. 7 for its opening weekend. The movie made $9.3 million, falling in between movies “American Hustle” (No. 6) with $11.5 million and “August: Osage County” (No. 8) with $8.9 million, two movies that have been out for a few weeks now.
(01/21/14 5:38pm)
The College’s Art Gallery will be featuring a retrospective exhibition of 46 works of art created by faculty member Ruane Miller between Wednesday, Jan. 22, and Thursday, Feb. 20.
The exhibition, “Through the Window of My Mind...Ruane Miller Paintings and Print,” will showcase her paintings and digital prints from the past 15 years, commemorating her retirement as the professor of digital art at the College, where she has taught since 1986.
Looking at Miller’s paintings, it is evident that she draws much of her inspiration from the lines, colors and flow of nature.
Much of Miller’s work is composed in series. The imagery found in her paintings and prints represent different places she has traveled to, including Maui, northwestern Ontario, the Northern Plains and the Four Corner Region of the Southwest, according to an article posted on the College’s website.
In her most recent series, the Grand Canyon series, Miller created a cohesive set of artwork that utilized similar colors but arranged them into different shapes and sequences.
These gouache styled paintings held rich deep-blue skies and red, brown and white striped rock sides of the canyon. She completed this series from an artist residency along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.
Her unique and vivid perspective on the environment transcends atypical concepts and morphs them into abstract emotions.
Miller’s digital work incorporates shadow-like figures, gouache paintings and her own photography of western landscapes and ancient art.
This complex laying of methods creates a surreal depth that grabs hold of onlookers and drags them through the many doors and windows portrayed in her work. The effortless blend of digital and traditional is especially remarkable in pieces found in her Desert Light & Shadow series.
Along with Miller being awarded numerous prestigious artist residency fellowships, her work has also been featured in both national and international art exhibits.
Some of her collection can be seen at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Cultural Institute of Rome and the National Park Service Fine Art Collection, just to name a few.
Aside from her personal success in redefining the line between digital and traditional art, Miller has also helped expand the College’s curriculum in the subject.
During her time at the College, Miller was the chairperson of the Art Department and coordinator for the fine arts and digital arts programs. Miller created and enacted a computer graphics curriculum for the Art Department, and developed a BFA major for the digital arts.
(11/19/13 5:47pm)
[caption id="attachment_29466" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The ‘Cabaret’ expresses their talent without hesitation (Julie Kayzerman / Nation & World Editor)."]
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Moral, ethical and sexual boundaries were pushed this past week as the student-run organization TCNJ Musical Theatre (TMT) performed the renowned and scandalous musical “Cabaret.”
“Cabaret” was based off of a book written by Joe Masteroff and first appeared on stage in 1966.
The production has won a Tony Award for best musical, and the movie, starring Liza Minnelli, even won an Oscar.
The show takes place in an abandoned boarding house in Berlin, Germany, just as the Nazi party is coming into power in the 1930s.
The struggle and sadness during this terrible time in history was only a small fraction of the complicated emotions that encircled the characters of this musical.
Even though the setting was at the dawn of the Holocaust, many of the overarching troubles that the “Cabaret” characters faced are still relevant to today.
This musical revealed the harsh realities of discrimination against race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation and dealt with the social constructs of poverty, unemployment, prostitution, pregnancy and conflicting politics.
The play opened up with a bare-chested figure hanging from a noose. The scene then quickly dissolved into the memories of the figure, the Emcee, as he remembered the life he once knew.
“We are all ghosts retelling the story in an over-the-top-manner,” said senior communication studies major Monica Blumenstein, who played the lead female role, Sally Bowles. “This is a play that was written to push the limits of the actors and the way society thinks.”
In his memories, the Emcee introduced the audience to a cabaret called the Kit Kat Klub — a place where gender lines were blurred and only happiness and times of celebration remained.
“Leave your troubles outside. In here, life is beautiful,” the Emcee said to the audience.
The Emcee, also known as the master of ceremonies, was the flamboyant character of the cabaret Kit Kat Klub who narrated the play, as he stalked in and out of the holes in the walls of the set, peering into the lives of people he once knew.
This challenging character was played by theater veteran Adam Ziering, a junior special education and math/science/technology double major.
“All of the characters really had a lot of depth and layers,” Ziering said. “I am still figuring out the character (the Emcee).”
The character of the Emcee specifically helped to retell the complicated and shortly-lived love story between Sally Bowles, a former Kit Kat dancer, and Clifford Bradshaw, an aspiring American novelist.
Other prominent characters included a German landlady who fell in love with a Jewish man, a Nazi soldier who smuggled items from France into Germany and a resident who loved lonely sailors and often butted heads with the landlady.
Just as the Kit Kat Klub is often described as being a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, the set design skillfully mirrored that concept. Holes were carved out of the framework of the walls in the set, allowing the characters to interact both in a scene and on the outskirts of a scene.
The simple yet innovative set design added depth to the play and gave the actors more freedom in their creative process of moving about the stage.
The promiscuous characters raised a lot of eyebrows and brought about a lot of laughter in this production as well. The “Cabaret” cast — especially the Kit Kat dancers — was susceptible to everything from sweet kisses to grabby hands.
The audience especially enjoyed when the bald-headed Emcee walked onstage in a series of hilarious costumes that ranged from suspenders adorned with bow ties to a dress and high heels.
While the ending of this play has had many adaptations, the TMT cast did an excellent job bringing the memories of the troubled Emcee, who wore a yellow star, full circle by having him end the play as it began … a fallen chair and a rope.
Overall, the TMT cast and crew completely immersed the audience into the many unique and conflicting perspectives of “Cabaret,” creating a world of eccentricity, sexuality and a flashy dose of humanity.
(10/08/13 4:59pm)
College students put down the books and picked up instruments at the Rathskeller on Friday, Oct. 4, as the bands Semiotics, Valgaian Trio and Keepin’ the Family showcased their talent for Student Band Night.
Semiotics, an alternative-emotions duo, was the first band to perform.
Senior journalism and media studies double major Nick Rapon from Rutgers, played the electric guitar and sang six original compositions, as well as a cover of Joyce Manor’s song “Constant Headache.”
“The basis of our music is emotion,” Rapon said. “I get inspiration for lyrics from very negative places: family issues, school, work, ex-girlfriends. The music is more real that way.”
One of their songs, “Astral Energy,” even discussed religion. The slow opening coupled with the fast-paced chorus truly took the audience on a journey. Rapon and drummer Alex Manoski themselves have been best friends for 12 years.
“The first time I picked up a guitar, (Manoksi) was there,” Rapon said. “We have had some really great times.”
While the two have been longtime friends, they have only been bandmates on and off for two or three years.
“This is more of a fun thing than something serious,” Rapon said.
Despite playing solely for recreation, Semiotics have appeared at various venues in both Philadelphia and the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J.
“We do a lot of garage-base shows,” Rapon said.
Bass player Jibran Miser, a Rutgers student, was absent from Semiotics during their performance.
The progressive band Valgaian Trio took to the stage next. This purely instrumental set of an electric guitar, bass and drums played for 30 minutes and introduced the audience to music that was a harmonious and simultaneous blend of several genres.
“The progressive music we like to play doesn’t call for lyrics or vocals,” bassist Lucas Gisonti said. “We like to think that the music speaks for itself.”
The warped sounds of their music coupled with the infectious rhythm carried throughout, raised multiple rounds of applause from the audience — even though the music did not stop.
The band has only been playing together for four months, but they are already making a name for themselves. According to Gistonti, Valgaian Trio will be playing at Crossroads, N.J. at the Battle of the Bands on Sunday, Oct. 13.
Gistonti said he was very happy with the performance and he was happy that he could share the experience with his two best friends and bandmates: drummer Anthony Assante, junior biology major at Ramapo, and guitarist Vincent Assante, junior violin major at Montclair.
The folk-rock band Keepin’ the Family closed the night, entertaining the audience with an unusual collaboration of instruments ranging from an electric guitar and drums to a banjo and a trumpet.
The crowd pleaser of the night was trumpet player George Maher. Maher and his trumpet played echoed lyrics of the songs while keeping tempo alongside the drums, thoroughly impressing the audience.
“The trumpet was great,” sophomore history major Rob Handerhan said. Handerhan’s surrounding friends all nodded in agreement while cheering for both Maher and Cafaro.
Maher said that his parents first introduced him to jazz music when he was young, and his love for the genre grew and evolved.
“I like infusing jazz music with different sounds and elements,” Maher said.
Other members of the band included Mike Winnicki on drums, Riley Bryne on bass and Russell Gottlieb on both the banjo and guitar.
The band has been together for two years, and they are eager to branch out and perform in other states, according Cafaro.
“We would like to play in more venues in New Jersey, but also some in Pennsylvania and New York as well,” Cafaro said.