Imagine lounging in a backyard garden bursting with flowers in full bloom and set-a glow by the setting sun while a group of friends play on their guitars songs that whisper of the beach. The NEIU Guitar Ensemble was not playing in a garden, actually they were in the NEIU Recital Hall, but the music they produced certainly could have transported you there.
The NEIU Guitar Ensemble, with two guest musicians, played the Guitar Showcase on Thursday, March 11. They started off strong and just kept getting better. The entire ensemble opened up with a piece called the Austin Tango, a fun, light hearted song that was performed well. The second piece, Cardoba, played by three members of the ensemble was also received enthusiastically by the audience, but the best was yet to come.
The most enjoyable piece played by part of the ensemble was the Chippenwyan Naildance, an incredibly lively segment proving that the strings are not the only part of the guitar meant for making music. The musicians banged on the front and side of the body to simulate the sound of hammers and nails. It was fun for the audience to listen to and the musicians themselves seemed to be enjoying themselves as well.
The only set which was not captivating was the one which incorporated another instrument. A guest musician accompanied a guitarist on clarinet to play two pieces entitled Deep Blue and Salt Peanuts. Both musicians were talented but the clarinet came out sounding too high pitched to accompany the soft sounds coming from the guitar.
The entire ensemble, including the director, took the stage to conclude the program playing three parts of a Bach concerto originally written for violins. The director introduced this piece, which he modified to better suit it to guitars.
Throughout the hour, the ensemble effortlessly entertained the audience. The hours of practice they must have put in manifested itself in an enchanting performance that afternoon. Most of the pieces the musicians played were executed wonderfully in sync, often times making sounds which seemed to be coming from a far larger group.