Taking A Look At A Percussion Ensemble

818 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of music on psychology

The activity that I attended that I don’t normally participate in was going to a concert on campus. I attended a Percussion Ensemble on Tuesday February 18, 2014 at 8:00 pm. The group performing were student musicians with a faculty director Andrew Spencer. The concert hall was completely filled with students, faculty and adults. Even though the hall was completely full, the atmosphere was very quiet as people were just sitting back and relaxing, waiting for a great performance. What motivated me to attend this event was the curiosity of musical perception. I saw that the Staples Family Concert Hall was hosting a percussion ensemble. I enjoy listening to music and this is an event I wouldn’t normally attend, so I figured it would be perfect for this exercise. The concert and the entire experience correlated to several themes in psychology. The concert related to sensation and the stimulation of a sense organ by an external physical stimulus, which in this case was sound. I was able to detect various octaves and intervals between two sound melodies. With the variety of instruments playing, the tone height and sound quality corresponded to diverse levels of pitch, which monotonically related to frequency. Tone chrome was vividly present in the percussion ensemble with the sound quality being shared by octave interval tones connecting to a musical helix, which helped me visualize a musical pitch during different pieces. Perception connected to the concert and the sensation. Perception works together to help people sort out the complex information available to them. The percussion instruments triggered a sensation and allowed me to appreciate the various instruments. When there is more than one instrument playing at once, it can som... ... middle of paper ... ...ly without a sense of risk. I believe anyone who does an activity that takes them out of their comfort zone is a psychological boost to their mental conditioning and personality. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone raises their level of anxiety and stress response. This trigger results in enhanced levels of concentration and focus. This experience affected me personally and enhanced my focus and allowed me to gain new knowledge and sills. The experience itself connected to sensation, perception, constructive coping and acute stress response. Different people are going to experience different psychological themes and connections depending on what type of activity they do, but personally, I believe the act of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and taking part in an event that is different from what they normally do is the most valuable asset gained from this exercise.

Show More
Related

  • Fall Choir Concert Appreciation

    521 Words  | 2 Pages

    On November 16th, 2013, I attended a concert choir, fall choral concert. This event took place on the Wheaton College Campus, in the Edman Chapel at 7:30 pm. The chapel was well-lit, with long pews for the audience to be seated. The concert began with the audience looking up into a balcony, where the ensemble stood in neat rows. They watched the conductor, who stood on a stage in front of the audience, waiting for their cue.

    Read More

  • Percussion Essay

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    Percussion has evolved from a small category to a wide variety of simple and technical instruments. Percussion is a category of musical instruments that is played using the hands or with a handheld stick/beater. Percussion started thousands of years ago when people played rhythms on random objects to please their friends and scare their enemy’s. People over the years discovered different ways to hit the objects.

    Read More

  • LACMA Concert

    1292 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has a website that announces its programs. Anyone can easily find and choose a concert. I chose a concert for Sunday July 25, 2010. This concert was emerging artists from Ipalpiti Festibal 2010. It included the four pieces of music that are described below. One of these was Fantasiestucke, Opus 88, both Romanze and Duet were preformed. This concerto was performed by pianist Luiza Borac, violinist Vladimir Dyo, and cellist Yves Dharamraj. The second piece was Ahnung, a new discovery piece from Kinderszenen. This piece was U.S. Premiere, played solo by the pianist Luiza Borac. The third piece was Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Opus 47. This piece was an Andante cantabile piece. This concerto was performed by pianist Luiza Borac, violinist Conrad Chow and Adelya Shagidullina, and Cellist Kian Soltani. The last piece was Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Opus 44. What I discovered about my own musical understanding by attending this concert is the following thing. I know how to appreciate and to enjoy music that is a little bit familiar, but my understanding stops when a very new type of music is performed. I made a conclusion from this experience. My conclusion is that learning about music will increase the pleasure of listening to music, but that musical learning is not, perhaps, as easy as learning subjects like Math or History.

    Read More

  • Percussion Instruments

    782 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are more than fifty different types of percussion instruments, possibly starting with the antique cymbals and maybe ending with the xylophone. There are many different classes of percussion instruments. For example there is Latin percussion instruments, Classic percussion instruments, and Modern percussion instruments. Most percussion instruments are played by shaking, using hands or using a mallet or stick and have stretched membranes. Percussion instruments also have been used to emphasize rhythm and to heighten climaxes.(1) The drums are part of the percussion instruments and is one of the world’s oldest instruments. An instrument, that is the only orchestral drums of definite pitch, is the timpani, which is also called the kettledrums.(4)

    Read More

  • High School Field Observation

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over the course of the semester, I observed at three off campus locations and experienced general music in grades K-5. In addition to my off campus experiences, I also observed Dr. Whitcomb’s in-class preschool demonstration. My final observation at the daycare on campus will not be included in this paper, as I will only be completing my field experience there a few hours before the submission of this journal.

    Read More

  • Jack London Research Paper

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    I firmly believe that those who steer away from prominent danger show increased common sense and societal worth. Although others such as Jack London believe, “The proper function of man is to live, not exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time,” his remark shows his opinion on the reverse. In saying this London is portraying that he would rather “live” his life through things that even though they could damage him quite literally are better than trying to extend the duration of his life. In the sense of extreme sports, many participants share London's idea, in their manner they use extreme sports to live out exciting lives with dangerous and unorthodox activities. The participants are fully aware they may hurt themselves or even die but for the experience and fulfilment. As seen in

    Read More

  • Essay On Great Organ Recital Concert

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    On Sunday November 29th at 5:15 pm, I attended a Great Organ Recital concert, which was held at Saint Thomas Cathedral located on fifth avenue in Manhattan. It wasn't the typical idea of what others and myself of today's generation would perceive as a concert we might go to in today's world. Most people in this era think of going to see a famous singer like the very popular Chris Brown or Selena Gomez when they hear the term "concert." However, this scenario was a bit different given the location and the material presented. This specific performance can be categorized as a type of chamber music. It was an instrumental piece performed by a soloist who goes by the name of Benjamin Sheen.

    Read More

  • The Los Angeles Philharmonic Classical Music Concert Report

    574 Words  | 2 Pages

    I attended the Los Angeles Philharmonic classical music concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday 29 November 2013. The classical concert started at 8:00pm to the enjoyment of the huge audience that had been waiting for this amazing music extravaganza. Classical music concerts always offer magnificent entertainment and the audience in this concert was expectant to derive such entertainment or more. In attendance were Christian Zacharias who was the conductor and Martin Chalifour who was the LA Phil commanding Principal Concertmaster and Bach violin player. In readiness for the concert, I enjoyed a special dinner prepared for the audience. More specifically, LA Phil staffer introduced us to the evening classical concert amidst cheers from the audience. It was such a refreshing and joyous feeling to be part of this audience.

    Read More

  • Music: The Influence Of Music In Music And Music

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    Music is a common phenomenon that connects all borders of nationality, race, and culture. It is used as a tool for arousing emotions and feelings. Music is said to be even more powerful than any language and individual can ever learn. An increased interest in how the brain processes musical emotion can be attributed to the way in which it is described as a “language of emotion” across cultures. (Psych Central) Whether it be in films, live orchestras, concerts, or a simple home stereo, music can be so overwhelming that it can only be described as standing halfway between thought and reality. But why exactly does this experience of music distinctly transcend other sensory experiences? How is it able to arouse emotion in a way that is matchless

    Read More

  • Nikola Tesla Invention

    2406 Words  | 5 Pages

    Confucius once said, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” Several millennia passed before anyone would be able to experience music whenever and wherever they wanted, without having to ...

    Read More

  • Music and its Impact on the Memory of Teenagers & Young Adults.

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    Franz Liszt once said "Music embodies feeling without forcing it to contend and combine with thought, as it is forced in most arts and especially in the art of words. If music has one advantage over the other media through which a person can represent the impressions of the soul, it owes this to its supreme capacity to make each inner impulse audible without the assistance of reason. Reason, after all, is restricted in the diversity of its means and is capable only of confirming or describing our affections, not of communicating them directly in their full intensity. To accomplish this even approximately, reason must search for images and comparisons. Music, on the other hand, presents at once the intensity and the expression of feeling. It is the embodied and intelligible essence of feeling, capable of being apprehended by our senses. It permeates them like a dart, like a ray, like a mist, like a spirit, and fills our soul." Music has been passed down from generation to generation to show an audience beauty and associate with their emotions. My violin teacher Brunilda Myftaraj once stated that I could play violin all day without ending and I would feel empty, she advised that unless I connect with my audience than the music I’m playing has no exquisiteness and means nothing to no-one. My teacher said a respectable performance is one in which the audience is drawn into the beauty of the playing and adores the music so much that they effortlessly remember the music performed. For my capstone I wanted to answer the question on how 2 different types of music can affect the memory of teenagers and young adults. The majority of studies done by the University’s and non-profit organizations all ask how music affects memory of ...

    Read More

  • Live Performance

    1754 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music: the art of organized noise. The blend of pitch and rhythm combined in different mediums and enjoyed by our ears. A very interpretive art, music isn’t very clearly constricted or defined by one definition. With so many varieties of music, it’s difficult to say what aspect is really the most important. Some people think music’s history and the appreciation of music are the most important aspects to take into consideration. Some think complex in rhythms and melodies make the best music. Some people devote their whole lives to studying one genre of music in order to fully understand how that genre works. While all of these aspects of music are important, none of them can truly be compared with each other on a fair playing field. Music of different genres, eras, and geographic backgrounds were written for different purposes, different people, and different settings. Still, there is still one overarching theme that applies to all forms of music new or old: the way the composer presents his or her creation. The performance and presentation of a work of music is like the icing on the top of a cake. The cake may be the best you’ve ever tasted, but if the icing on the outside doesn’t look appealing or doesn’t taste good, chances are you’ll take a different piece of cake with better looking frosting next time. The performance of music is what appeals most to people. With live performance, an artist must “sell” his or her creation. They must put smile on their face and convey to the audience that this is their music and through the music explain why it’s awesome. They must persevere through whatever the stage, the audience, and their surroundings give them and put on a good show. In today’s popular music though, this aspect of showma...

    Read More

  • A Live Music Concert: The Importance Of Music

    1349 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music cannot be felt or understood unless you experience it in person. You wouldn’t hear the same song through headphones as you would in a live concert. For this reason, I attended a live music concert to better understand the importance of music and apply what I learned in my introductory music course to the performance. I attended a recital of original compositions by Taiwanese composers that had arrangements of Taiwanese folk songs. It took place on Wednesday, November 15, 2017, in the Art Gallery of Marlboro Hall. The three Taiwanese performers were Shu-Ting Yao, Huai-En Tsai, and Yufen Chou. The music they performed was The Temple and Religious Procession by Ma Shui-Long, Formosan Dance by Jiang Wen-Ye, Mong by Wei-Ling Chen, and an arrangement

    Read More

  • Percussion Essay

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    ​Despite what many may think, percussion is well known across hundreds of nations all over the world. Percussion has been around for centuries, and it has a very important meaning in the lives of many. It would be safe to assume that Percussion will be around for a long time as well, and play an important part in the lives of many people. Most people see drums as a cool thing to do, others see them as a bunch of irritating noise makers; but do they know the history behind them? So what is percussion? Percussion is a musical instrument played by striking with the hand, a handheld, or a pedal-operated stick or beater (Hudson). There are different groups of percussion instruments, and as time went by, they have immensely evolved from where they started (Zed). So what is percussion, where did it start, and what is it used for?

    Read More

  • Music Activities Essay

    1244 Words  | 3 Pages

    These musical experiences can lead to an abundance of other positive feelings within individuals. She expresses how music can affect and increase peoples’ awareness of feelings (83). Pellegrino states in her journal, “She [Dolloff] describes feelings of ‘utter joy’ while music-making, observing that ‘music and music making [are] ripe, with emotions and emotional potential’” (Pellegrino, 83). In the same way, music can affect our moods, “We all know how greatly music affects our feelings and energy levels! Without even thinking about it, we use music to create desired moods-- to make us happy, to enjoy movement and dance, to energize, to bring back powerful memories, to help us relax and focus” (Brewer, 1). These feelings are often common within students, or other individuals, that participate in music programs. Music programs can introduce music with concepts that trigger frequent emotional feelings in those who engage in these

    Read More

More about Taking A Look At A Percussion Ensemble

Open Document