Concert Review

This past October, I attended my cousin's fall concert at Norwell High School. She plays trumpet in her school's jazz and concert band. Overall, I was very much impressed with the Norwell music program. While sitting in the auditorium, I was able to interpret the music in an entirely different way. When sitting on stage, I think we somehow miss the essence of the piece. Small details become our first priority, which I guess it should be. However, when focusing on making the piece perfect, we can often forget to really enjoy ourselves on stage. Attending the Norwell concert allowed me the ability to forget the small things. I was not paying attention to dynamics or the squeaks heard from the back, but the overall meaning and heart of the music. To my surprise, the freshmen group performed "Mars" with great efficiency. Playing it a few years ago, I can remember absolutely detesting the piece....sorry about that. I think playing it over and over chipped away my liking for the music. When listening the Norwell band's performance, I was able to connect a memory with the music, making it that much more effective. Although I still don't particularly like the piece, I thoroughly appreciated the experience. The jazz band went on to play "Children's March". The music somewhat reminded me of something they would play in an old movie. My cousin performed a solo that was both buoyant and enticing. The song, itself, seemed to drag on a bit too long but I did enjoy the music being played. My cousin's concert certainly helped me interpret band music in a better light. While comparing the Wind Ensemble to the Norwell music group, I was able to recognize the things we need to work on as well as the things we do well. I simultaneously caught a glimpse of what it's like hearing the band from the audience. Surprisingly enough, I am somewhat excited to attend another.