“Soul Man” features special guests Jason and Dan Ploof.
Senior music composition students Mackenzie Boeck, Holly Von Weimer-Haley and Jack Wald presented their personal compositions in a Virtual Composers Convocation on Zoom. An additional two videos feature performances by the Contemporary Music Ensemble Directed by Terry Vermillion. Student Jack Wald helped compile all the videos for presentation.
“The videos are another example of how we might need to present our artistic expression in the absence of live performances under the restrictions of social distancing,” Vermillion said.
The Virtual Composition Convocation featured:
- “Pristine Waters by Mackenzie Boeck
- “Le Cheval” and “The Upper Peninsula in Winter” by Holly Von Weimer-Haley
- “Song for the Tragic Death of a Piano” and “High Water” by Jack Wald
The 30-minute convocation featured a welcome by Dr. Kristian Twombly, an introduction of the students by Dr. Scott Miller and an introduction of the performances by each of the student composers.
The Contemporary Music Ensemble presented two songs with each of the 11 musicians recording their individual part with Wald compiling them into one video and Vermillion editing the audio together.
“The Chicken” features solos by students Seth Rhoda and Max Friedman.
“Soul Man” features special guests Jason and Dan Ploof singing the lyrics as the musicians perform.
“The performing world is deep in the weeds trying to strategize on how we are going to be able to present performances and restart the performing economy,” Vermillion said. “If we can help teach our music students how to do this, we can help them engage in the new ways of presenting remote or socially-distanced performances.”
“The Chicken” features solos by students Seth Rhoda and Max Friedman.
