By Lyndsey Peace, Editor-in-Chief
Students in the University Concert Band will perform in a chamber concert from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 21 in Logsdon Chapel. The concert is free and anyone from the Abilene community is welcome to join.
Bill Harden, director of Bands at Hardin-Simmons University, has organized the event and is excited about how different this concert will be compared to the band’s fall concert.
“This is a concert to give students in the band program an opportunity to play in a different kind of ensemble environment,” Harden said.
In a traditional band concert, the full ensemble plays, but in a chamber concert the players form smaller ensembles. Harden pointed out that in a full band setting, there are typically three or four players on the same instrument playing the same part. In a smaller ensemble, the players have no one to hide behind because each player has a unique part in the music.
“Playing chamber music requires you to think in a different way because you’re playing your part by yourself and somebody else is playing a second, third, fourth, maybe fifth part. But you’re each having to take responsibility for conducting and for listening,” Harden said.
Because each player has their own part, it is crucial that each member of the ensemble practices and knows exactly where their part should fit in. The different parts are exposed so if one player does not know their part, it will show. “Everyone has an important part to play and everyone has to be involved with the teamwork that ensures the ensemble performs with a solid sense of urgency,” Harden said.
Harden acknowledges that students are busy and that their schedules are packed with sports or extracurricular activities. However, he wants students to recognize the value in hearing live music. “You very rarely get the opportunity to hear live music performed, especially live music like what we are doing here where it’s smaller groups. And a lot of your friends are going to be up on stage playing,” Harden said.
Harden urges students to attend the concert for the chance to hear varied styles of music performed in a unique setting atypical to past concerts students may have attended. “Take an opportunity to experience something different,” Harden said.