The various musical groups at RPI each performed an enjoyable show in the Student Union at the Family Weekend Concerts this past Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, the Symphonic Band opened up with “The Walking Frog,” which was an up-tempo gallop and fun to listen to. The part I liked best was the four mini shaker songs rolled up into one; they all were catchy in some way. The first movement began with a soft twinkling, then introducing flutes that grew and then diminished as the piece ended. The second reminded me of pirates—I don’t know why. The third sounded like a consolation and was solemn but content. The fourth sounded like music from a carnival. It was an interesting set of pieces.
The Jazz Ensemble was awesome. The first four songs were similar in that all the jazz was energetic and upbeat. Each song featured a talented soloist that merited mid-song applause from the audience. The last song, “Tin Roof Blues” by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, was one of my favorites of the night. It began with dueling clarinets, then escalated until a sax, two clarinets, and a trumpet were all playing their own blues melodies at once.
The Sax Quartet performed next. The “Prelude and Bequine” was my favorite; it had a Parisian sort of sound to it you don’t hear very often. They also played an arranged Haydn Minuet and Presto; it was interesting to see how four saxes could produce the sound of a full orchestra.
Bach’s “Contrapunctus III” and “IV,” and “Chorale” were played by the Brass Quintet. It was baroque, slow, and featured all of the tiny musical intonations characteristic of Bach, well played.
The Campus Serenaders offered some of the best music of the night. After a jazz classic, “Birdland,” they played the Pink Panther theme. The next song was just a fast paced collection of everything the brass instruments could do, along with some nice drumming. Then they played the theme from the Incredibles, following with the infamous swing song, “Sing Sing Sing.” If you don’t think you’ve heard that song, you may be lying to yourself. It is the definitive swing song and pops up more often that you’d think. The group finished off with “Jump, Jive an’ Wail.” I loved how they decided who would solo at the last second, in true musical fashion; someone would just point at who would go next. The song ended with one of the most insane harmonica solos I’ve ever seen.
Unfortunately I could not attend the second set of concerts on Saturday, which featured the Percussion Ensemble, the Concert Choir, and the Symphony Orchestra. However, the groups, organized by the RMA, will be here again in December for the Holiday Concerts and again at the Spring Concerts in April at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.
