Looking for something to do this weekend? Look no further! Beethoven is coming to Hill Auditorium on Saturday! Well… Maybe not Beethoven himself. But the UMS Choral Union and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra are coming together, conducted by Scott Hanoian, to perform Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis”!
Photo Credit: Peter Smith (UMS Website)
This performance will take place at Hill Auditorium on Saturday, March 11 at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now at the UMS website for $12 – $36 (depending on seating). For more information, visit: http://ums.org/performance/beethovens-missa-solemnis/.
Situated in the upper most balcony of Hill Auditorium, the view was much better than I had expected it to be (the eternal feeling of falling forward, out of the balcony and towards the stage, though, was entirely expected of Hill). The space lacked the closeness I normally look forward to in concerts, where it feels like a conversation with the performers, rather than an arena-style, bird’s-eye-view. Both the members of the opening act, Whitney, and the Head and the Heart worked to create what intimacy they could, chatting back and forth with an expansive and faceless audience. The crowd, much to my surprise, was made up of largely older couples. It could be that I’ve created the illusion of the late-teens/early twenties indie audience based off of one too many music festivals; likely, Ann Arbor is more conducive to a wide-range, indie folk audience than elsewhere.
The stage was set like the cover of the Head and the Heart’s new album, Signs of Light. Potted palm-fronds were scattered throughout, with a neon sign that evoked only the best new-agey seventies vibes. It transformed Hill from a concert hall into almost a basement lounge atmosphere (filled with all 3,500 of your friends), aided by the performers continual toasting of red Solo cups. While the setting of Hill relaxed its “acoustical perfection” for a more casual atmosphere, elements of its austere presence remained.
For this concert, especially with how chummy and charismatic the performers worked to be, I just wanted to be able to dance. One of my favorite benefits of live music is being able to stand uncomfortably close to the stage, being able to feel the music of the speakers shake the floor, the air, and the crowd, and watching everyone dance however they feel moved. In Hill, I could look down from the balcony to see maybe two or three carefree listeners dancing in the aisles, but the rows upon rows of chairs, as well as the added threat of height, kept most in their seats. The opening band complemented The Head and the Heart’s music, adding a bit more of an indie-pop feel to the feature’s folk vibe. I loved the incorporation of a trumpet into the band, adding a bit of an unexpected (though not unseen in contemporary music) twist to their music. The Head and the Heart performed many of their most popular works – namely “All We Ever Knew”, “Lost in My Mind”, and ending with “Rivers and Roads” – in quick succession, moving from one piece to another.
All in all, I loved being able to watch the Head and the Heart perform so close to home, a chance that seems to be getting smaller and smaller as their popularity grows. It made me crave the intimacy and closeness that smaller spaces like The Ark provide (that also allow for the glorious choice of sitting, standing, or dancing), but I can’t denounce a venue that’s directly on campus and offers an unobstructed view and acoustical perfection of a front-running indie band. Their folksy, sweet Americana feel makes for a nice addition to any upcoming summertime soundtrack.
A part of their Signs of Light tour, the indie-folk group will be performing with the opening band Whitney. If you’re looking to catch the rapidly-rising Head and the Heart in your own Ann Arbor backyard (they’re also set to perform at The Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo, and Coachella for this summer’s festival season), the performance will be held at Hill Auditorium on February 28, at 8 pm. Tickets range from $30-$40.
The Head and the Heart’s work first entered into my orbit of interest with their self-titled 2010 album (my favorite track being “Ghosts”). Their song “Rivers and Roads” is probably most notable, even to those who don’t initially recognize the band’s name. It’s feature on the season finale of TV’s New Girl sent me frantically searching for the artist of the song, and thus an interest was born. Their songs have woven their way through various Spotify playlists of mine, though I’ve got a ways to go before I could classify myself a fully-versed fan. I think this will be quickly corrected, though, for their natural sound makes for a great live experience.
Ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro (photo taken from http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/photos/)
On Wednesday night, the University Musical Society (UMS) had ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro at Hill Auditorium. Shimabukuro wowed the crowd as he strummed so fast that his hands were a blur. Him and his bass player Nolan Verner played original songs off of his new album titled Nashville Sessions such as “F Minor”, “Celtic Tune”, and “Blue Haiku”. They also played popular songs such as the Beatles song “Come Together” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Shimabukuro took the stage alone as he paid tribute to Leonard Cohen by playing “Hallelujah”.
Bass player Nolan Verner and ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro (taken from http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/photos/)
My friend and I ended up getting the opportunity to meet Jake after the concert and get a picture and autograph. He was so sweet and extremely down to earth, even thanking us for coming to his concert! I told him about how I started playing the ukulele a year ago and as I was leaving he said, “Good luck on the uke!” Definitely an experience that I’ll never forget!
Upcoming performances through UMS can be found at http://ums.org/season/.
It is a rare event when you get to see some of the world’s best musicians all on a stage together, directed by the very famous Simon Rattle. What was almost as special as this was the mere fact of how many people showed up to Hill Auditorium both Saturday night and Sunday afternoon to see the Berlin Phil. I know that classical music can sometimes be a tad old-fashioned or out of the interests of millennials, but it was incredibly encouraging to see the masses of people, all different ages and backgrounds, coming out to see the concert.
The performance started with a more contemporary piece called Éclat by Boulez. The piece contrasted a variety of instruments on stage, from mandolin to harpsichord. Every musician had to be incredibly attentive to one another, as their entrances came randomly and spaced out by an arbitrary number of rests. Additionally, the combination of instruments kept changing to showcase different mixtures voices. Though it was not my personal favorite, the piece offered a fascinating contrast to the following part of the program.
The next piece they played was Mahler’s 7th Symphony. I have long been biased towards Mahler’s work, always feeling incredibly in tune with his melodies and emotionally connected to the solos. One of the most impressive aspects of the Philharmonic’s performance was the woodwind solis, which usually consisted of the flute, oboe, and clarinet principals, as well as the second principals at times. These few musicians were perfectly connected in their musicality and phrasing, to the extent that their separate instrument timbres would melt into one another at the end of a phrase. This was such a treat to hear, being a clarinetist myself and always enjoying the beautiful bell tones of a leading clarinet player.
But of course, I have to also mention the conductor. Rattle was a very enthusiastic conductor, but not to the extent like some others such as Dudamel. His exuberance was more subtle and concentrated into his communication with the musicians. Most of all, you could tell how close the director and symphony had come, when at the end Rattle traveled through the orchestra and shook the hand of every principal musician. It was a very touching moment, and I believe the entire audience felt its impact.
This Wednesday, November 16, the University Musical Society is bringing ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro to the University of Michigan! The concert will take place in Hill Auditorium at 7:30pm.
Photo taken from http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/photos/
Shimabukuro started playing ukulele at the age of four, and now he is doing concerts around the world! With a four-stringed instrument, he is able to play anything from classical music to popular songs such as Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. More information on Jake Shimabukuro can be found at his website: http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/
Photo taken from http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/photos/
Tickets are on sale for $16.00-$60.00 (depending on the location of the seats) at http://ums.org/performance/jake-shimabukuro/.
