To the Editor:
I would like to commend all of the artists that performed at last Friday’s Ground Zero open mic, especially the freshmen. I agree that we at Ground Zero had some difficulty pleasing all that had signed up for the Friday performance. There were more performers signed up at GZ than we are used to, which reflects a very positive view of the current student body. I hope that this is a problem that we can resolve in a way that pleases audience members and performers alike, regardless of musical taste and skill.
I feel the spirit of open mic, to present a performance in an objective and uncritical environment, was well-embodied despite the poor organization. I believe most of the performers enjoyed the time they had on stage regardless of audience response, which, as I recall, was mostly positive. In my open mic experiences at GZ and in other places, often musical ideas rather than polished musical performances are presented. Open mics provide a rare opportunity to peer into the songwriters’ or composers’ notebooks to view the creative process, in addition to hearing some of the finest talent that the room has to offer. I hope that in the future we have just as many performers, and all who wish to participate will have the opportunity to do so.
Jesse Newman
MATL ’05
