The Keene State Concert Band performed its Music Mexico concert featuring music created by Mexican composers in the Redfern Arts Center.
The concert was originally supposed to be on Saturday, Feb. 15 and feature Dartmouth College’s Concert Band, but due to the weather, the band performed on Thursday, Feb. 13 without the accompaniment of the Dartmouth band.
Associate Professor of Music and Concert Band Director Dr. John Hart said that in his six years of working at Keene State, he has never had to cancel a concert due to the weather. Instead of Dartmouth coming to Keene, KSC Concert Band members traveled to Dartmouth on Saturday to perform.
Senior and percussionist Tori Young talked about the event.
“We had to learn this new music very quickly,” Young said. “We only had about six rehearsals, when we usually have somewhere around 12 for a concert like this.”
She also shared that along with being a percussionist, she is also a conductor.
“While I am a peer with my other members, I am also a conductor, which is nice to get into a leadership position as well,” Young said.
She said that she loves being involved and working directly with Hart. This event has been a long time in the works, as there were about seven composers from Mexico who came to attend.
“Tonight is going to be very busy, as I have to prepare dinner for all of these composers from Mexico who came here just for tonight,” Hart said.
This event is important to the community, as Latino populations make up a significant portion of the college student population. However, Hart said they are very underrepresented in areas such as music. Through this event, Hart said he hopes to do his part in getting this community the representation they deserve.
He added his main takeaway from this concert, along with all the other performances by the concert band, is to “take advantage of all the free live music around you. You will never have another time in your life where you will have all these opportunities available to you.”
The KSC Concert Band will perform next on April 24 in the Main Theatre.
Clare Moylan can be contacted at
cmoylan@kscequinox.com
