A few weeks ago, on October 30, Stockton hosted the Bay Atlantic Symphony in the Performing Arts Center. They performed Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C major, op. 48 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor, K. 626.  The symphony did an excellent job, and the pieces were enjoyed by an almost full PAC.

Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings was written nearly 100 years after Mozart’s Requiem, but was performed by the symphony first. This four-movement composition starts out slow, speeds up, slows drastically, and then speeds up once more. As you can imagine, with only two songs being performed, it is quite long- 29 minutes and 44 seconds to be exact. The Serenade, however, is still dwarfed in length (and complexity) by Mozart’s Requiem, which is over 52 minutes long. The Requiem, which Mozart ironically never finished before his death, involves not only an orchestra, but a chorus and four vocal soloists as well. Joining the Bay Atlantic Symphony for this piece were the “Choral Arts of Southern New Jersey” and “Stockton Oratorio Society,” as well as soprano Natalie Conte, mezzo-soprano Jessica Renfro, tenor Gran Wilson, and bass-baritone Robert Cantrell. Both compositions were performed with great care and precision, and small touches such as providing Latin translations in the program seemed to enhance the audience’s experience.

Personally, after attending this concert, I think of it as a learning experience. I had never been to a classical music concert before, and I likely won’t be attending another anytime soon. Although I appreciate the talent and effort put forth by the performers, and the musical and cultural significance of many of the songs, this concert helped me realize that classical music isn’t really for me. However, I am open to changing my mind; perhaps next year’s performance will do just that.

Last Saturday, October 16, Stockton hosted the Boilermaker Jazz Band in the Performing Arts Center. Their show, “When Swing Was King,” was comprised of famous jazz musician Benny Goodman’s greatest hits. Opening with The Jersey Bounce, and closing with perhaps Goodman’s most famous song, Sing, Sing, Sing, the Boilermaker Jazz Band put on a wonderful concert.
Although the PAC wasn’t packed, it was clear that everyone in the audience really enjoyed the performance. Despite the old age and limited mobility of most of the concert-goers, nearly everyone clapped and gave a standing ovation when the band had finished playing. Apart from one kid who looked to be around 7 or 8 years old, my girlfriend and I seemed to be the youngest attendees (you could get a pretty good estimate of how many people were there by counting the piles of walkers left at each entrance). Based on age, I would wager that to most of the audience, the music wasn’t new. The songs the band performed were the songs they grew up with- my generation’s equivalent of Justin Bieber or Katy Perry’s latest hits. However, even as someone who enjoys and listens to jazz, I only recognized a few songs out of both sets the band played.
I love going to jazz concerts. In addition to discovering new music to listen to (and to learn how to play), I enjoy trying to understand the context of songs: what was happening in the world when they were written, and how these goings-on made people feel. Jazz, I believe, is unique in the way that it allows musicians to express emotion. Improvisation, a staple of the genre, allows artists to “play how they feel.” Although improv dates back to the classical era and continues into modern music, it plays a more central role in jazz that isn’t achievable in other genres. I’m fascinated by the thoughts and stories that went into writing each song.
I really enjoyed the concert, and hope the Boilermaker Jazz Band will be back at Stockton soon!

This past Monday, September 26, Stockton’s Office of Service Learning hosted their first “Presidential Debate Watching Party” in the Board of Trustees room. It provided a fun atmosphere for anyone interested in politics and the upcoming election to gather together and hear what the two candidates had to say.

The Office of Service Learning did an excellent job setting up the event. They provided popcorn and drinks, and had round tables set up to help foster discussion among attendees before the debate started. There was even a separate screen off to the side which displayed live tweets about the debate- a useful tool which showed immediate responses from all over the world as things began to get heated. In addition, they created bingo cards, which included phrases such as “only I can do it” and “tax returns” (What prize did the winners receive? Presidential Pez Dispensers!). Personally, this was my favorite part of the night, as it encouraged attendees to listen carefully to the rhetoric of each candidate.

Coming from a high school where nearly everyone fell on the same side of the political spectrum, I found it refreshing to hear and see students supporting both candidates. I believe that hearing both sides is very important in a healthy discussion, which is why the only thing that I would suggest adding to future events is a more formal discussion/analysis after the debate ends. Some students stayed for a few minutes to discuss with their friends, but I think it would be beneficial for everyone to hear from students with different backgrounds and consider the arguments of those with contrasting political views. Overall, however, I found it to be a great experience, and I look forward to the next debate!