City Rumbles and Melody Tumbles

Beautiful harmonies, claps of lightning, the pitter-patter of rain and the creak of steel found their way to the ears of the audience. On Thursday, Jan. 30, the Reynolds Recital Hall was filled with the beautiful sound of the MSU Wind Symphony accompanied by the Four-o-Sax Quartet. Together, they performed the program “Urban Requiem”, directed by Dr. Nathan Stark. The program contained a total of five pieces: “City Shuffle” by Jack Stamp,  “Emerald Awakening” by Michael Sweeny, “City Rain” by Judith Lang Zaimont, “Tempered Steel”by Charles Rochester Young and “Urban Requiem” by Michael C. Colgrass. 

“A requiem is a dedication to the souls of the dead,” said Colgrass, an American-born Canadian musician, composer and educator who composed the piece in 1995. “‘Urban Requiem’ might be described as an urban tale, inspired by a diversity of random impressions.” 

Dr. Stark introduced the pieces to the audience with a short summary of each melody, even brightening the mood with a short joke during one of his descriptions. When asked about the pieces accompanying “Urban Requiem”, Stark explained that each piece is a wonderful depiction of a city’s hustle and bustle and that every story deserves to be told. 

“‘Urban Requiem’ is a very challenging piece, this excellent group of students has been working for years to prove they were capable,” said Stark. He went on to say how proud he was of this ensemble’s performance. Tanner Rubino, a sophomore studying computer science, remarked when asked why he joined the MSU School of Music, “The biggest reason why I joined the music program is because my friends are in it, plus it’s super fun. All the hard work is definitely worth it when you get to be up there on the stage”.

If you are interested in seeing a performance by the MSU School of Music, the MSU Staff Recital: With Love, Mackenzie and Suzanne will be performed on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 3:00 p.m. in the Reynolds Recital Hall. Admittance is $10 per person or $5 for students with their CatCard.