Flourishing lights flood the bustling streets of New York. The top of the Empire State Building, winds whistling all around, a feeling of flying, a fear of falling. Carnegie Hall, a space that makes you feel small, but one that makes you sound powerful.
From March 31 through April 4, Riverside’s Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band 1 were able to travel to New York to perform in Carnegie Hall and Central Park respectively, as well as explore the lengths of New York.
The way you could hear each instrument, each note, was truly a lovely experience. I will never forget everyone’s reaction to our first chord in the hall. The clarity of each instrument, and the astounding resonance left everyone speechless.
“My honest opinion about NYC is that it is a lot all at once. I think this reflects more positively on others, as well as negatively depending on the type of person you are,” sophomore trombone player Payten Allred commented. “I think if you went back to NYC often, you still wouldn’t get to see everything it has to offer just because there’s so much.”
From the crowd surrounding the September 11th monuments to the windy ride on the Staten Island Ferry, there is a plethora of things to see and do in NYC, which included a Broadway show, Buena Vista Social Club.
The show tells the story of a real world musical ensemble primarily made up of Cuban musicians, who after fading into obscurity during the 1959 revolution, reunite decades later to record a Grammy-winning album.
As musicians, the band was excited to see this show. Payten explains, “The part that brought me into it was the fact that everyone was so obviously into the music, and actually enjoying it instead of putting on a show.”
But of course, the main reason for such a fun trip, Carnegie Hall. Such a magnificent place to be able to play. It is an experience that I nor anyone else will soon forget.
“It was an unreal experience and not many can say they got to do what we did,” junior saxophonist Drake Tucker explained. “Being able to play in Carnegie where all the famous musicians I look up to doesn’t feel real.”
This moment was not only special for the Wind Ensemble, but for Band Director Meghan Wagner. Our performance was truly a highlight of my career and it is all thanks to the hard work and dedication from the students in the Wind Ensemble” Wagner said, “They made it special in every way, I will cherish the experience we had together.”
