SHU band’s wind ensemble presented “Music of Politics and Social Justice,” in concert this past Sunday, Feb. 16 at the SHU Community Theatre.
The selective band consists of about 30 students who performed “Festive Overture” by Dimitri Shostakovich, “Fables of Faubus” by Charles Mingus and “Stonewall: 1969” by Randall Standridge, among several others.
“Keith Johnston [Director of Band and Orchestra] titled it ‘Music of Politics and Social Justice’ because the music centers around people who were either writing music during times of strife, possibly war, or conductors who had written pieces about specific hard times such as women’s suffrage. These themes are represented in the music,” said junior Sean Manole.
Manole is part of the wind ensemble and is currently the only alto saxophone player. His favorite song to perform is “Festive Overture.”
“I really like this piece because it is fast-paced and very lively. I would even describe it as brilliant,” he said.
He explained how music impacts his life, especially getting to play at concerts like this.
“Music has been a huge part of my life for so long,” said Manole. “Playing my instrument is a release for me in a lot of ways. It’s a way to convey and express emotions that we just can’t say in words.”
A lot went into the preparation for the show, dating back to August when the ensemble was selected.
Source: Instagram, @shu_band
Source: Instagram, @shu_band
“We got an email in late August saying that we had been preselected and then some people were added. Since the beginning of the fall semester we’ve had rehearsals every Friday,” said sophomore Ryan Buchan. “It’s intense but when you have a talented group it’s easy to get a lot of work done. The work we do is very specific and it can be nitpicky in a good way.”
Buchan plays the trombone for the band and also performed at Sunday’s concert.
“I’m passionate about music and I’m really glad that we get to play pieces that have such deep meanings. I myself am still trying to work on finding deeper meanings of songs I play or hear on the radio. The songs we perform have done a really good job of opening my eyes to allow me to see those deeper meanings,” said Buchan.
This deeper meaning and the motivation behind the concert was highlighted on the program’s page on the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts website, stating that “Music has long been a way for expressing resistance to oppression, to grieve in times of tragedy and to celebrate the human spirit overcoming persecution.”
The music performed shined light on stories that might have not been heard or publicized prior, according to Buchan.
“The program offers a different perspective rather than just listening to music blindly. There are a few stories that I didn’t even know prior about bigger events like civil rights and the Holocaust. We share more stories within a broader topic through our music,” said Buchan.
The band performs music that was written from several points in history, specifically in times of strife and tension.
“Listening to this kind of music is extremely important. You can learn a lot just by listening to our music,” said Manole. “Emotions come out just by being there and hearing it.”
