Tag: Hill Auditorium

REVIEW: Women’s Glee Club Fall Concert

Chelsea Zabel
Photo from A Night of Premieres Facebook event page

A night of premieres and a night of transitions, the Women’s Glee Club fall concert was fantastic. As a celebration of Hill Auditorium’s 100th anniversary, each song the club sang was composed or arranged in the year 2013, and the styles ranged from classical to operatic to pop.

The song choices were not the only demonstration of range in this concert, however, because there were little kids! Little, elementary-aged kids from the Ann Arbor Youth Chorale Descant Choir; older, middle school-aged kids from the Ann Arbor Youth Chorale Concert Choir; and even older, high school-aged girls from the Ann Arbor Huron High School Bel Canto Choir. It was a shocking, adorable transition when the Women’s Glee Club left the stage after a few opening songs and the tiny Descant Choir entered. Their first song, “The Path to the Moon”, remains one of my favorites of the concert because they all looked and sounded so adorable on the massive Hill Auditorium stage.

Each choir took the stage—getting progressively older, taller, and more mature voices—until we were back to the Women’s Glee Club, which proceeded to add another level to their program in the second act. A graduate student in the school of Music, Theatre, and Dance, the immensely talented Elizabeth Galafa joined the club as a soloist for a beautiful piece titled “BeNevel Vekinor”, which was composed by University of Michigan doctoral student Asaf Peres.

This one concert told a tale of the passion for singing that can span across decades of life. It just might be that some of the children who performed that night and heard the college students sing will be inspired to pursue music. Perhaps the next U of M graduate student studying voice or the next composer was sitting in the seats tonight after performing with his or her school choir. Concerts like this are important not just for the students who participate in them, but for the community to see and hear the talent that surrounds them.

Also, I can’t end this without saying that these women did a kick-ass version of the Bellas Final from Pitch Perfect. I mean it. Top notch.

Moral of the story: check out a Women’s Glee Club concert sometime, you guys.

PREVIEW: Women’s Glee Club Fall Concert

Chelsea Zabel

Who: University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club

What: U of M Women’s Glee Club Fall Concert 2013: A Night of Premieres

When: Saturday, November 9 at 8:00PM

Where: Hill Auditorium

Why you should be there(!): The University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club is an organization composed of fantastically talented young women. The combination of beautiful voices and unique song choices always leads to musical performances that are definitely worth hearing. (This is apparent in their performance of “Frobisher Bay” in a 2012 concert, and no I am not biased just because I was in it.)

This concert will feature many songs written specifically for the Women’s Glee Club, as well as special performances from local youth choirs. Tickets for this event are $5 for students, or free when you use a Passport to the Arts! Check out the Facebook event page for even more details.

REVIEW: Halloween Concert

csatter

As the orchestra marched into Hill Auditorium while playing March of the Little Goblins, I found myself surrounded by zombies, Pokémon characters, the cast of Alice in Wonderland, Mario and his friends, and an entire viola section full of Despicable Me minions, not to mention all of the costumed audience members. After taking their seats, the orchestra proceeded to play without intermission, presenting a concert that showed off their excitement, skill, and playfulness.

The program consisted of seven classical pieces, all with a bit of Halloween flair, conducted by seven different conductors dressed to match their piece. The orchestra was a combination of undergraduate student musicians from the University Symphony Orchestra and the University Philharmonia Orchestra and the conductors were masters students in the conducting program. Although in full Halloween costume, the orchestra played with the precision and enthusiasm of a professional orchestra.

While all of the pieces were played exceedingly well, especially The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld, the highlight of the concert was when the costumed bear who had previously chased one of the conductors around the auditorium looking for food took the podium to conduct a piece. Soliciting laughs and supportive cheers from the audience, the bear danced his way to the podium and excitedly picked up the baton to conduct Queen Mab Scherzo from Romeo et Juliette.

After the final piece, the orchestra delighted the audience with an encore, playing the theme from Ghostbusters. As the seven conductors danced around in blue jumpsuits and lights flashed around the auditorium, the costumed orchestra danced in their seats, and the audience clapped and danced down the aisles.

Overall, this concert was fun and exciting, and the perfect way to get ready for Halloween. The orchestra didn’t disappoint with their creative costumes, skits, and wonderfully performed pieces. Since this is an annual event, be sure to check it out next year.

REVIEW: Band-O-Rama

Gabriella

The Michigan Marching Band graces the stage at Hill Auditorium.
The Michigan Marching Band graces the stage at Hill Auditorium.

Last night at 100-year-old Hill Auditorium, the bands of Michigan converged onto one stage for Band-O-Rama. While the first half of the show felt like a typical band concert with the concert and symphony band performing signature pieces, the second half featuring the marching band really riled up the crowed while performing fan favorites from this year’s shows and previous seasons. Perhaps my favorite part of the show was listening to Carl Grapenstine, “The Voice of the Michigan Band” for 44 years, announcing each number. He’s the man behind introducing the band at home football games, so to hear and see him looking dapper at Hill Auditorium was quite the treat.

Each song was selected with the show’s theme “This is Michigan!” to highlight student musicians accomplishment through music. Indeed, the concert and symphony segment of the program did just that. My favorite number from the concert band was their performance of “Summon the Heroes” composed by John Williams, which reminded me of Olympic fanfare used at the London games last year. The symphony band piece concluding piece “Victors Valiant” rounded out their segment quite well, with Michigan themes heard sprinkled throughout.

Once the stage was cleared for the marching band to arrive, my excitement levels grew. The best part about Band-O-Rama is being able to hear music from the half-time shows without the roaring crowds of Michigan Stadium. Hill Auditorium amplifies the music and lets concert goers become immersed in the awesome renditions. Highlights from the Beyonce show of the Notre Dame game, the sing-along at homecoming and Motown favorites graced the bill for MMB’s first half, among many other pieces. The drum line split up their set with a few choice numbers to keep the energy going in the auditorium. In MMB’s second set, they continued with hit after hit including stadium favorites “Sweet Caroline” and “Temptation.” Additionally, the band cleared part of the stage for the man of the show to walk through. Michigan football coach Brady Hoke thanked the Michigan Marching Band for their continued support of the football program and received an honorary band alumni membership.

Overall, I enjoyed the marching band portion of the program more than the concert and symphony band portion likely because the MMB’s exposure is far greater than the other two. Nevertheless, all bands present did a fine job of supporting the “This is Michigan!” theme. On a fall Saturday night, it doesn’t get any better than Michigan band.


The Michigan Marching Band will appear again in concert at the Crisler Concert November 17. Until then, catch them on the field at the next home football game against Nebraska on November 9.

PREVIEW: Band-O-Rama

Gabriella

Photo courtesy of MMBs facebook page
Photo courtesy of MMB's facebook page

Who: The University of Michigan Marching Band, Symphony Band and Concert Band

What: Band-O-Rama concert

Where: Hill Auditorium

When: October 26, 7:30 p.m.

Price: $5-$18 for adults, $5 for students or free with a Passport
The University of Michigan Marching Band, Symphony Band and Concert Band will take the stage at Hill Auditorium this Saturday for their annual Band-O-Rama concert featuring music from half-time shows and Michigan fan favorites. All the bands on one bill will be rallying behind Michigan spirit in support of the theme, “This is Michigan.” Come to the Hill to hail blue at Band-O-Rama this Saturday night.

For a free ticket, pick up a Passport to the Arts at your residence hall community center or the Office of New Student Programs on the first floor of the LSA building to redeem at the Michigan League Ticket Office.
Like the Michigan Marching Band on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, watch performances on their official YouTube channel, or visit their official website. Purchase tickets for the show here.

PREVIEW: Hubbard Street Dance!

Kayla Silverstein

This weekend come check out the UMS presentation of Hubbard Street Dance. Performing a piece inspired by Marc Chagall’s America Windows and written by Hubbard Street’s first resident choreographer, Alejandro Cerrudo, the performance is sure to take your breath away. Cerrudo, when interviewed, commented on how windows shape and distort images – this is the inspiration of the piece. They use water effects, like mist curtains, and special backlighting to exemplify the beauty of the dancers. It is sure to be a spectacle of a performance, so get on those tickets, folks!