Live Performance

1754 Words4 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... ... middle of paper ... ...y captivating shows. With the way we currently support our music industry, heavy with electronics and special effects, the art of performing live may become lost in the near future. Works Cited Cordingly, Allen. Personal interview. 4 Dec. 2013. Day, Sarah. “Big bands, big sounds.” Exponent 5 Dec. 2013: 4. Print. Goudreau, Jenna. “Jobs Outlook: Careers Headed for the Trash Pile.” Forbes. Forbes Inc., 18 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. Mac, Tracy. “Is live music a dying art form?” examiner.com 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. Owsley, Dennis. “Will the Big Bands Ever Come Back?” St. Louis Magazine. SLM Media Group, 24 Jan. 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. Weston, Brad. “Is Live Performance Dying?” bradweston.com. 15 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. Wheeler, Brad. “Michael Bublé and ho Auto-Tune became the Botox of pop music.” The Globe and Mail 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.

Open Document