Features

The Rensselaer Concert Choir gave a breathtaking performance in the Chapel + Cultural Center on Sunday night. The concert included pieces from composers that stretched across a timespan of almost five centuries—from the mid-sixteenth up to the mid-twentieth century.

The Rensselaer Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Chamberlain, performed at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center on Saturday. The orchestra played pieces from various eras of classical music, with compositions from Jean-Baptiste Lully, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Franz Schubert, and Pyotr-Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Students chow down at the Mueller Center while learning traditions, history, and fun facts about Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America.

Ford v Ferrari—directed by the eclectic James Mangold—is a rare film. A film that left me in deep, soulful contemplation long after it ended. Before I went to see the film, I’d already known most of the story. As this is a well-documented event in racing history, I didn’t expect to be completely blown away by it.

“I am Tráfico Visual,” said Ileana Ramírez in her talk about her life’s work. Last week Ramírez, a resident of Venezuela and founder of Tráfico Visual, visited the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at Rensselaer to tell her story. Due to the issues in Venezuela last March, she couldn't travel to America and deliver her talk. However, this event went on without a hitch.

Artwork and performances filled the Russell Sage Banquet Hall on Saturday evening during the show hosted by Rensselaer’s Black Students’ Association. Several dozen pieces were on display, ranging from traditional drawings and paintings to photography, animations, and other digital works.

UPAC’s Union After Dark: Squash Mosh featured The Rusty Pipes, Rensselyrics, the dance group Eighth Wonder, and indie-pop band Black Tie Stereo. Attendees were treated to complimentary pumpkin pie, candy, and juice boxes. In addition to watching performances, attendees had the opportunity to paint squash, create sand art, play board games, purchase airbrushed clothing, and participate in the premiere of UPAC and TeamRPI’s “Minecraft Hunger Games” competition, which was projected live with commentary for everyone to watch.

Kurt Hentschläger’s “EKO,” publicized as “a splendid void of darkness,” clearly piqued the interests of many Rensselaer students. Unlike any other event I have attended at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, all tickets were completely sold out and an additional showing was added to accommodate more attendees. Even following this second showing, more students waited eagerly in the lobby for a possible opportunity to experience the piece.

The Indian Students Association’s Diwali show on Saturday proved to be a fun night of laughs, performances, and delicious food. The Bollywood inspired show included a skit from ISA members and performances from RPI Bhangra, RPI Raaga, RPI Rudras, and other club members.

As I walked into the Playhouse to catch the open dress rehearsal of the RPI Players’ Pride and Prejudice, I was greeted by the production manager, Isabel Donelson, and various other crew members rushing around making sure everything was in place.

UPAC Comedy is known for inviting comedians to come to Rensselaer and perform, but last Tuesday was the first time it held an event for RPI students to perform their own material for the community.

“It takes balls to do that.” Those were the words of wisdom my friend had to offer as we witnessed a bold solo performance at Troy’s Got Talent on Saturday. The first annual Troy’s Got Talent was hosted by the Community Relations Committee of the Student Senate and was held in the Heffner Alumni House—a cozy locale for the 50-or-so attendees.

WeR, a student organization that promotes spirit on campus, held the ceremony for the lighting of the trees on the walkway between the ’86 Field and the Ricketts Building on November 4. The gathering was a pleasant break from classes with performances by the Rusty Pipes and Rensselyrics, as well as complimentary hot chocolate and sweets to take the edge off a chilly night.

This past week, students gathered in the Mueller Center to paint decorations in honor of Halloween. They were provided the pumpkins as well as many different colors of acrylic paint. Students were able to get creative and have fun in the midst of the hectic midterm season.

Lead Video Engineer Eric Brucker led an informative tour of the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center’s public venues, private production rooms, and hidden spaces. Participants’ thoughtful questions and the stunning views of EMPAC delightfully kickstarted my weekend.

The avant-garde Turkish dance duo Taldans performed one of their earliest pieces, titled Dolap, on Thursday at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center. Mustafa Kaplan and Filiz Sizanli make up the group, which was formed in 1996, the duo choreographed Dolap in 2000, and Thursday evening's performance was an example of the cumulative effect of working on a single piece for nearly twenty years. Dolap was the kind of piece that excited the audience with the dancers’ physicality and trust in each other. It lent itself to many interpretations and plenty of discussion, especially regarding Taldans’ strange choice of prop: a refrigerator.

B. Gentry Lee, one of the chief engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, gave a talk to members of the Rensselaer community in the Russell Sage Laboratory as a part of the Union Speakers Forum. Lee engaged the audience with his animated storytelling, combined with his advice to students and interesting experiences in engineering at NASA.

During this year’s Family Weekend, Fall Fest celebrated autumn and entertained students and their families alike.

From the vast assortment of food around the McNeil Room to seeing the smiles of family and friends, Rensselaer’s annual International Fest is a celebration of RPI’s diverse student body.

So far during my time at Rensselaer, many people have asked me about the television shows I enjoy watching. Usually the answers vary depending on who’s asking. I, however, always make sure to mention Over the Garden Wall, the animated miniseries created by Patrick McHale that aired on Cartoon Network in 2014. In fact, this is a show that I often call “essential fall viewing,” because the aesthetic of the show meshes so well with the changing colors of the leaves outside and the spookiness of Halloween, but, this show can, and should, be enjoyed at any time of the year.

The Active Minds “Stronger Than the Stigma” event, held October 9 on the ‘86 Field, was a great way to showcase the various mental health resources available on campus.

Josh Groban, the Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actor, mesmerized audience members by performing many of his classic numbers in the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center Concert Hall on Saturday.