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The physics department has always had its fair share of obsession over music, every year (I don’t know since when) we meet at the Roy Barnett Auditorium for a night of multitude of music, on the last Friday before reading break.

The night started off with a demonstration of how helium affects the voice and instruments by professor Chris Waltham. As many of us may know, helium raises the formant (speaking pitch) of the human voice, this is because helium is a lighter gas compared to the atmosphere, allowing for easier vibrations, leading to higher resonance modes.

Then we were greeted with Chopin’s Etude Op.25 No.12 in C minor, performed by grad student Leo Sporn. Chopin’s Etudes are quite a sight live, Leo’s fingers were flying left to right, laying down a storm of arpeggios. The piece is the last of Chopin’s formal studies of the piano, opus 25. The piece is composed of various arpeggios in various chord progressions in C minor, with the climax finishing in C major.

Then we got to hear Erik Satie’s Gnossienne No.1 performed by professor Frank Curzon. The Gnossiennes are well known for being free time, without time signatures of bar lines, though it feels like the piece is set in duple meter with a distinct feel. Satie was an influential artist as a part of the late 19th century Parisian avant-garde, a friend of Debussy, serving as a precursor to later movements such as minimalism.

The show had a great amount of variety. Amidst all the classical pieces, and other unmentioned classical guitar pieces, we had some pop and rock covers. A cover of When the Party’s Over by Billie Eilish was covered by grad student Samantha Cibere; Billie Eilish is a pop singer that’s been getting quite a lot of buzz in the pop music sphere as of late, making pop music featuring very softly sang vocals, as well as lyrics some would call ‘edgy’. A cover of Cream’s White Room was performed by two guitars and a bassist; they didn’t have a drummer, so the drum fills have been replaced by the trio stopping on the floor of the recital hall, it was a big embarassing to witness, but redeemable for its charming attempt. A jazzy cover of Childish Gambino’s Redbone was performed by two of my fellow undergrads, it was a very done cover; it’s always cool to see fellow students I sit in lectures with bust out unexpected talents.

Then we had a jazz trio, of piano, bass, and alto saxophone composed of professors Jim Bryan, James Charbonneau, and Mark Van Raamsdonk. They performed two jazz standards: Body and Soul by Johnny Green, and Straight, No Chaser by Thelonious Monk. Both Mark and Jim took turns soloing over the tracks. I’ve previously had the privilege to play with Mark and James as a part of the year end science one concert four years ago, and it was nice to get a chance to see Mark and James perform again prior to graduating and leaving.

To cap off the night, a string trio arrangement of Czárdás by Vittorio Monti was arranged by student Chironjeev Kanjilal, and performed by him and two other students, Kanjilal played the violin, and two cellists made up the rest of the trio .I couldn’t find much information on Monti besides his arrangement of the Czárdás, based on the music played commonly during Hugarian traditional folk dances also called Czárdás. The piece combined elements from both 19th century classical compositions, evident section with more free flowing melodies, and traditional Hungarian dance music element, incorporating faster tempo and looping melodies that was easily danceable to. Kanjilal ended the piece with all three players playing a series false harmonics in harmony with their instruments, likely to tease the physicists; it sure made me wonder ‘how they made that super high sound’, I went to ask them right after the show regarding if that was a harmonic and they told me about the false harmonics workings.

This was my last Physics and Astronomy department concert as an undergrad, I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to perform during one, if I was to return to UBC as a grad student I’ll definitely perform there if I have time.

I had an awesome experience as I attended the Tunes at Noon music concert at noon on 11^th April. The event happened at The Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre in the University of British Colombia. Moreover, the performances were by John Stetch piano who is a famous musician in the Jazz genre of music. Other artists included Mozart and Chopin who showcased their classical works and tunes and much more performances. In addition, music students of the UBC School made their performances together with the alumni. The event was planned through collaboration between the UBC Welcome Centre, music school, alumni and the arts and culture district.

The concert started with a presentation from John Stetch who performed a folk melody in the Japanese culture. Moreover, the performance was lively and exciting as I got to learn the Japanese cultural tunes. Also, I got to learn about Stetch who is a talented pianist in the fusion of melodies from all cultures around the world. In his earlier years, Stetch played the saxophone, but he switched to the piano and has won numerous awards. So far, he has released fourteen CDs, and his fame continues to grow due to his natural talents.

Furthermore, John Stetch has worked in several jazz clubs and performed in many countries across all continents in the world. After the performance, the Mozart took the stage to perform a transcription by John Stetch which was a Sonata. In addition, they played in three parts. The first part was the medium followed by the second part, the quiet funk, and finally the third part the fast bluegrass. R. Evans and J. Livingstone played after the Mozart group, and they sang “never let me go.”

Next on stage was the Fats Waller or the Jitterbug Waltz who performed the song “ain’t misbehaving’ with a lot of energy and excitement. The performances so far were captivating and exciting with sweet melodies and instrument coordination. John Stetch got another chance to perform Zabava which was a medley folk song of the Ukrarin culture. He played the song with a perfect music style and unique features. In addition, his performances were full of humor which made then lively and exciting. Stetch is praised for his rich composition in music and the ability to integrate the music to the audience.

The next performance was by G. marks and S. Simons who performed their song “all of me.” The crowd was getting bigger by this time due to the attractiveness of the tunes and the intrigue it created. In addition, most people were now dancing to the tunes or at least nodding their heads to the beats. B. Bernie and M. Pinkard took to the stage next to perform their song “George Brown”. The performance was short but lively and fun as the crowd cheered while the performers left the stage. Lastly, F. Chopin performed a transcription that was made by John Stetch named “the Polonaise heroic in a flat major.”

I had a great experience during the concert, and I also got a chance to meet the famous musicians who were performing. In addition, I got a chance to relax and have some fun with the crowd as we danced to the beats and tunes. Moreover, the musicians covered various cultural tunes which were new to me hence it was also a learning experience

What better way to tie a bow on this term of music appreciation than to attend one of the most iconic symphonies of all time, by one of the greatest composers of all time, performed right here by our very own Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Beethoven’s 9th symphony has so many complexities and nuances, backstories and legends, but I think at it’s core it all flows from this simple but grand idea idea: amidst the difficulty, darkness and general ‘Sturm und Drang’ of life, there is joy to be found in the human spirit, and that joy will triumph. 

The concert didn’t start with the 9th symphony, but rather a short but fitting opening piece by Charles Ives called “The Unanswered Question”. This piece featured a very quiet underlying grounding created by the string section of the orchestra, a basso continuo of sorts. On top of this base, from one corner of the balcony, a solo trumpet ‘asked a question’ and was soon after answered by a small section of wind instruments from the other corner of the balcony. This three dimensional aspect of the piece created the impression of immersion within the music much as it might have felt in Bach church being surrounded on all sides by organ pipes. 

The trumpet asked the same question six more times for a total of seven. Each time the woodwinds answered, but their answers became more confused, more dissonant until at last the seventh time went unanswered. Until… Beethoven’s 9th symphony rose from the silence to ‘answer the question’. In his opening remarks, the conductor commented that he didn’t know what question the trumpet kept asking, but he did know that the answer was the 9th symphony. 

By flowing directing into the first movement of the symphony, the conductor made the statement that Beethoven’s 9th answered the question in a way that the woodwinds from the first piece never could. There really are no better words than, “In the beginning,” from the first line of Genesis to attempt to describe the opening of the 9th symphony. Formlessness found form, gathered itself, then the full orchestra launched into the music of Beethoven. 

I won’t try to dissect the symphony in detail as many other have doubtless done this, and done it better than I could. I will however try to sum up what I felt and how it impacted me personally. I’ve listed to recordings of the 9th symphony many times before, but to hear it live is an altogether different and more visceral experience. After simply walking in and seeing the size of the choir seated behind the orchestra, the suspense already began to build. 

There was no intermission, and I’m grateful for that decision. It allowed each movement to flow directly from the previous, highlighting their differences, and their unique qualities. All the movements are incredible, but other than the jubilant fourth, the third movement has always been my favourite. The melody of the main theme just moves me, and within the context of the larger symphony, I love that the movement directly before the climactic ending is the slowest, most subtle one. 

When the fourth movement started and the choir stood up, the anticipation in the room was palpable as we all sat on the edge of our seats taking in the music in it’s full glory. When it was all over, every single person in the room was on their feet applauding, for how could one not. Even now as I write this and think back to last night, I can’t help but have a smile of my face. Maybe that is what it’s all about. Beethoven somehow seemed to create, in his 9th symphony, a piece that reminds us of the euphoria of life itself! An ode to joy indeed. 

I went to see the Cantate Burlesque concert, which was an early music ensemble on the 29^th of March 2019 at UBC. The concert was held during the noon hours in the Barnett Hall of the music building. This concert was an opera style performance featuring the guest artists Lucy smith singing soprano and Jacob Gramit singing baritone. The performance consisted of two main pieces namely the Concerto in D major by Lionardo Leo (1694-1744) and the Cantate Burlesque BWV 212 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The Concerto in D major by Lionardo Leo was primarily encompassed with string instruments. The ensemble consisted of 4 violins, one cello and one harpsichord. The harpsichord revived in the 16^th century was a main feature in music during the Baroque era, providing this piece with a clear, easily distinguished melody. The tune starts of at a moderate pace and slows down for a short while in the middle. Its as though it consists of three movements as there are brief pauses in between the piece that has an air of silence. Majority of the sections use a polyphonic instrumental structure consisting of the different string instruments at different pitches creating a contrasting sound.

The second piece performed was the Cantate Burlesque BWV 212 by Johann Sebastian Bach. This section was in the form of opera, popular during the baroque era. The piece began with a classic instrumental overture, which was common during the 17^th century for the implementation of which JS Bach was well known. I felt a sense of dramatic irony while watching the rest of the opera as it combined a comedic sensation with extreme dramatic exaggeration, which was a common style in the late 17^th and early 18^th century known as the opera Buffa, which we studied in the classical music era section of our class. This style became increasing popular during the Baroque era so we can see why it was incorporated by one of the most iconic musicians of the time. The piece starts out with a fast pace instrumental composition, which eventually advances to full aria and then a recitative. The entire piece goes back and forth between these two forms of expression, which were a common practice in the opera seria genre that came into existence in the baroque era. The traditional nature of da capo aria in which the first section comes full circle and is repeated toward the end is quite clearly visible in JS Bach’s composition. Lastly the recitative sections, which sounded like dialogue, helped me follow the narrative of the performance.

Overall since this is the first ever opera I attended and genuinely enjoyed I feel it was successful in opening up a new avenue of interest for me. This was primarily due to the previous knowledge we encountered in the course that allowed me to deconstruct the performance and understand the movements on stage. I could also clearly see JS Bach’s style of composition due to the thorough analysis encountered in class. Also the instrumental music that accompanied the soprano and baritone voices was melodic and set the expectations of a movement, giving the audience a clearer picture.

I went to see the Brazz concert on the 6^th of March 2019 at UBC. The concert was held during the noon hours in the Barnett Hall of the music building. It encompassed seven pieces of music in totality that featured a jazz instrumental sound.The ensemble consisted of  five trumpets, four trombones including a bass trombone, three french horns, , a piano, a tuba, drums, a euphonium, a percussion and a bass however it was missing the saxophone which is key brass instrument at a jazz concert. The pieces were energetic, fast paced and were primarily lead by the trumpets and trombone with either one performing a solo in each of the seven pieces . The ensemble was lead by Fred Stride who played a double role as a pianist as a result of which his conductor duties were minimally expressed. Following the same reasoning unlike a conductor in a contemporary ensemble who stands at he head of the orchestra he resided at the piano.

The first song performed is called “Sleeping Bee” by Arlen, which was an energetic piece that kick started the show. This fast pace beginning is similar to that established in the concerto exposition in the 18th century during the Mozart era that we have studied in class. This grandeur continued and expanded in the following piece, Fanfare for the Common Man by Copeland. This piece contrasted the previous one as it took on a more dramatic renaissance flare. The religious undertones took me back to 15^th and 16^th century music. The loud rhythmic pounding of the drums created a ceremonious ambience reminding of a ritual. The piece was slow paced in comparison with the previous song that was upbeat and fast paced. This piece heavily featured the percussion and brass instruments giving it a well-rounded homophonic effect. The next piece, which was the “Jitterbug Waltz by Waller focused on the piano and xylophone rather than the entire ensemble. There was a repetitive harmonic pattern almost like a bass ostinato by the xylophone popular in the Baroque era that was repetitively ingrained into an enchanting tune played by the piano. After this came “El Camino Real” by J.J. Johnson, similar to the first piece with an upbeat jazz rhythm. The last three songs Higher Groovin’ by Stride, Nite Life by Nelson and Close Your Eyes by Petkere involved a larger range of the ensemble and came of as more conventional in my eyes.

Each piece featured a solo with the rest of the ensemble acting as an accompaniment. This allowed the audience to get a clearer picture for that brief part of the tune. My personal favourite part was the solo as it allowed me to focus on one instrument unlike the other sections which came across as distracting. Furthermore this ensemble involved many intricate musical features that we have studied in class that I began appreciating due to the concert. It helped me envision these features in a real life setting through a contemporary take on more classical music.

I went to see a concert with David Brown performing on bass and Jeremy Berkman on trombone called Friends in low places on the 27^th of March 2019 at UBC. The concert was held during the noon hours in the Barnett Hall of the music building. All the pieces performed were relatively contemporary showcasing the creators of our time. Between pieces the artist acted as MC’s giving a brief description of each piece of upcoming music, which was helpful in distinguishing the tunes and further analyzing them.

Before the concert began the two artists played a short melody with a brief exchange between the two artists, imitating a conversation. Two different pitches were reached with one instrument attaining a high pitch and the other instrument reaching a low pitch. This contrast in sound created by opposing melodies is similar to what we have studied was incorporated in Mozart’s sonatas and later used as a basis to advance the musical genre by Beethoven.

The first song performed was a selection from Arie Musicali, Book 1 (1630). It integrated a guest artist on harpsichord named Christina Hutten. The piece maintained a relatively slow pace through its entirety with a mixture of instrumental homophony and polyphony. Three movements were performed with a break of ten seconds between each movement. This music best reflects the baroque era studied in the course as the harpsichord added precision to the lines of melody.

Another inspired part of this concert was its inclusion of student talent. Three pieces by UBC music student were performed by this duo, namely “The Encounter” by Carmyn Slater (1999), “The Ground Beneath Us” by Robert Humber (1995), as well as “The Night Tides” by Taylor Hall (1997).

“The Encounter” by Carmyn Slater is about a sinister encounter expressed through a trombone based on being alone when your not. It invokes a feeling of dreariness through an extremely low pitch and slow pace. Furthermore the piece as a whole has a monophonic structure through most of it as each instrument plays different parts. There seems to be two separate themes and two keys similar to that of the 18^th century music we have covered. Towards the latter half of the piece the instruments pick up the pace until it comes to a screeching halt.

On the other hand another tune performed of a completely different nature was “Lawns” by Carla Bley who is a leading women in Jazz. This piece had a lighter rhythm and tempo which induced a calm almost nigh time feeling amongst the audience. The piece had amazing clarity and was easy to follow however from the knowledge I have of jazz I found it difficult to categorize it in that genre.

Overall I quite liked the concert as it portrayed a broad selection of music from a variety of artists of varied ages, which instilled in me knowledge of the different genres. Also the music was easy to understand and interpret which made it an enjoyable experience for an audience consisting of people with different levels of musical knowledge.

On March 28^th 2019, I attended a concert at UBC in the noon hours featuring the UBC Jazz Ensemble. Since this was the last performance by the group for the academic year of 2018-2019 it featured a guest soloist on the Baritone Saxophone named Chad Makela. He is a well-rounded baritone saxophone player who specializes in jazz music across North America; therefore his addition to the ensemble was much valued by the performers as well as the audience. This was one of my first times at a jazz concert and I was happily surprised to hear such upbeat music that made me want to tap my feet.

The symphony consisted of a string quartet along with brass and percussion instruments, which was is a style of orchestral symphony developed in the 18^th century accentuated by Mozart. Throughout the performance the drum and cello players maintained a steady rhythm that allowed the other instruments to control the developing sound through contrast and reconciliation. The conductor, Fred Stride seemed to play a miniscule role yet was a prominent feature on the stage, guiding the symphony through minute gestures.

The first song performed is called Tiptoe by Thad Jones, it was a compilation of bass, trombones, piano and drums. The melody was a largely high pitched and upbeat composition with allotted solos for the piano, trumpet and drums. The exposition begins with a fast passed movement that plunged the audience straight into the music. This polyphonic instrumental structure soon merged into a singular rhythmic homophony that eliminated the noise and clutter that the first section enveloped. As the piece advanced the pace slowed down just as the 2^nd movement began at a moderate pace.

The second piece Easy to love by Cole Porter followed a similar structure and rhythm, as the first one, leaving the audience feeling like it was a continuation. However between the second and third piece the trumpets replaced the saxophones on stage and Chad Makela joined the ensemble.

The third piece Celebration Suite by Bob Bookmeyer was by far my favorite. Chad Makela maneuvered the saxophone to play in harmony with the other instruments, which is unusual as he was used to playing as a soloist. He worked against and with the brass instrument players such as trombones, trumpets as well as piano sounds creating a rage of pitches to enthrall the audience. This piece consisted of four movements, “the jig”, “slow dance” “remembering” and “Two And”. In the slow dance section Chad Makela performed a solo in which he played his saxophone exactly according to the rhythm of other bass players creating a homophonic sound, which was highly enjoyable. He was lead by the trumpet players who set a base for each section of the movement. Remembering on the other hand was the only movement in the entire performance that consisted of a slow pace and sad undertone led by the pianist and followed by the orchestral ensemble.

For my first ever-Jazz concert my experience was largely satisfying. In the beginning the symphony of disparagingly diverse sounds created a mild confusion regarding the rhythm and theme, which left me bewildered, however as the pieces picked up my hesitance cleared up.

I went to see a concert with Mark Takeshi McGregor performing on flute and Adrian Verdejo on guitar called Toward the sea on the 20^th of March 2019 at UBC. The concert was held during the noon hours in the Barnett Hall of the music building. The pieces were composed of multicultural sounds from Japan, Argentina, Mexico and Canada that opposed mainstream conventions. Most of these tunes strayed away from repetitive bars and keys, different from the western classical music format consisting of verses arranged in a poetic manner that we have focused on in class. The flute often created harsh low sounds using large gushes of breath that emerged as obstructions to the smooth melody created by the guitar.

The first song performed is called Towards the Sea (1981) by Toru Takemitsu. According to the performers Takemitsu was a great composer in the classical music tradition form 1930 to 1996 and was knows as the Debussy of Japan as he created colourful impressionistic scores of music. The piece influenced by the novel Moby Dick is composed of three movements, the night, Moby Dick and Cape cod. The first movement called the night creates a sense of a nocturnal environment. The movement itself has dubious and dark undertones that guides the symphony and leaves the audience picturing mystical and enchanting scenes. This sense of imagery that the movement successfully captures ties in with the 19^th century music goals that mark the transitional phase into a narrative structure of music namely the programmatic genre. The second movement Moby dick is a casual exchange between the alto flute and the guitar that gives of a feeling of censorship and withdrawal from absolute engagement. Lastly is Cape cod, which has a lighter balance of tones with sparks of haste that insinuate urgency and brings the piece to a screeching halt.

Duo I (1992-93) by Ignacio Baca-Lobera And Verdigris (2006/18) on flute and guitar by Jocelyn Morlock succeeded toward the sea in that order. Jocelyn rewrote Verdigris from flute and harp to alto flute and guitar specifically for McGregor and Verdejo. This piece showcased the flute as the primary instrument and creates the imagery of subtle creatures coming to life post sunset. Both these songs were similar to the first item performed in terms of lack of structure and rhythm yet a creation of a story through the simple exchange of the two instruments.

Lastly Histoire du Tango (1986) by Astor Piazzolla was performed. This piece is largely influenced by the history of tango music of Buenos Aires Argentina as our most pieces by Piazolla. The narrative in this case showcased the inspiration by cataloging the history of tango through comprehensive structure and smooth melody. This was the first piece that I took a liking to as I could follow the rhythm and understand the music. This piece consisted of four movements, Bordel (1900), Cafe (1930), Nightclub (1960) and Concert d’aujourd’hui. The chronological sequence of events intertwined with personal information allowed the audience to connect to the piece and therefore the performers giving them insight into the artist’s life, which was a trademark of the search for self-identity in 19^th century music practice.

The music was a mix of exploration of new techniques of musical composition as well as incorporation of popular 19th century styles. It left me bewildered in the beginning and as time went on it began to form an absolute image. I have never encountered this form of music before and it was therefore a highly educational experience that challenged my thoughts and forced me to think outside the box.

I had the pleasure to see Julia Holter and Tess Roby at the Imperial on the night of March 4th. Julia Holter is an art pop/avant garde singer songwriter, from Los Angeles, opening for Julia was a singer songwriter by the name Tess Roby. I first found Julia’s music when her previous album Have You in my Wilderness was released, it was a wonderful art pop album, after looking more into her discography it by far the most accessible album she’s made to date. Julia’s music has always been a standout to me in the vast music landscape. She uses a very eccentric mix of instrumentation to create the backdrop to her singing; Julia herself is a keyboardist, though unconventional, using not only piano sounds out of her electric keyboard, but frequently using clavichords and organs as well. In her band she has a drummer, an AMAZING upright bassist, a violinist and a multi-instrumentalist.

Tess Roby opened for Julia, her music can be described as minimalistic synth pop, often employing slowly shifting synth chords or arpeggios and embellishments from guitar. On stage Tess played a synthesizer and sang, and her brother was an accompanying guitarist, they had a drum machine to provide a steady rhythm. They are under the label Italians Do It Better, a label that signs many similarly groomed synth pop bands, one notable one being the Chromatics (check out the song Shadow), whom I used to enjoy quite a bit. Overall Tess Roby’s music is quite relaxing but not too eventful, there’s definitely some good hooks here and there, I’d recommend the song Ballad 5.

Touring her new album Aviary, Julia started her set with the first song off of the album Turn the Light On. It is the most chaotic, loudest track she’s ever made, it explodes from 0 to 100 immediately; there’s no discernible tempo, everything band member seems to be playing all over the place, while miraculously in sync, and Julia could still sing over the chaos somehow. This song is worth checking out for it is pure chaos, but do keep in mind it doesn’t represent Julia’s discography at all, she makes a huge range of music, I’m just personally glad she delve into a bit of noise.

For the most part, Julia’s newest album was too abstract and avant garde for me, though many did praise is for its boldness. Julia went on to perform more from her newest, as well as some oldies.

One of my favorite songs from the show, also off of the new album, is the track Words I Heard. The song is built around Julia on piano, repeating a melodic motif, while the rest of the band slowly builds up a wall of sound around that motif to a climactic moment of modulation and stopping; the song would restart at the motif again, building up to a final climax and finish. The song is special in Julia’s discography as it’s not as groovy as her other songs, but rather spacious and grand.

Another one of my favorite songs she played off of the new record is the song I Shall Love 2. The song starts off with meandering organ chords and joyful leads that perfectly resembles the mix of unknowing and joy of falling in love, featuring lyrics ‘oh I am in love, what can I do’. The song builds slowly to a gigantic, chaotic crescendo similar to her opener ‘Turn the Light On’, though this time bringing with it assurance and joy, ending with Julia singing the lyrics ‘I shall love’ repeatedly.

She played some of the older songs that I really liked. Betsy On The Roof is a ballad about saving Betsy from jumping from the roof, though nothing is well described, it is tragic and grand, conveying a sense of desperation. In the song Sea Calls Me Home, a song about being free and independent, returning to nature, she expresses a sense of freedom mixed with elegance I’ve never heard elsewhere before.

Julia’s music is truly remarkable, I’ve been listening to her album Have You In My Wilderness for years, and to this day it is still as beautiful and refreshing as it once was. I can’t recommend Julia Holter enough, please check her out.