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Marginalia
Andrew Webb-Mitchell, Artistic Director UIC Sinfonia and Chorus and Lecturer at UIC’s General Education Office, was one of the featured composers at the 2014 Beijing Modern Music Festival. His two songs were chosen to be performed at the finale in the Beijing Concert Hall on 22 May, following performances of works by many leading Chinese and international composers.
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On a late evening in May, I sat anonymously in the Beijing Concert Hall, took a deep breath and braced myself for the cacophony that would surely follow. A week of rehearsals had done little to overcome the intrinsic rhythmic challenges of the work; the soaring melodic lines had lain submerged under secondary strata of orchestration and the transparent harmonies were blurred into impressionistic ambiguity. Mercifully of course, my pessimistic predictions proved unfounded. Reinvigorated by the sense of occasion and professional pride, the orchestra drew upon comradery, experience and technical mastery to launch into the opening bars of The Inspiration of Night. The cellos crafted the melody as it surged forward with passionate abandon; the woodwind danced on high with delicate arabesques and by the time the soprano eventually entered, the stage had been set for triumph. For the next ten minutes my artistic soul was unveiled to the world, nothing was held back. A stand had been made against the brutal and dictatorial trends of modernity. A romantic and unaffected voice had been heard, a voice that was mine.
Nothing was inevitable about the success or failure of this performance. But this high-risk unpredictability is perhaps at the very essence of why concerts of classical music provide such a unique, exhilarating and, at times, spiritual experience for those who attend them. Music is not only an aural experience but also a visual and physical experience. But most of all, it is about identity. Composers want to communicate to you who they are and what they are, the performers are trusted custodians of their message. For a few brief moments, composer, performers and audience form a unique bond, united by a common sense of purpose. Sometimes, just sometimes, something magical happens.
Identity is perhaps at the core of all music making and this is one reason that UIC Sinfonia and Chorus have an essential role to play within our university. A world-class university must have a world-class music department. Our music making and performances give us an opportunity to make a public statement and to significantly raise the profile of our university on the international stage. Classical music is a quest for perfection, for beauty, for enlightenment - all transferable attributes that will benefit our students in every aspect of their studies and future lives. The time has come to throw down the gauntlet to our musical students – it’s time to raise our game and to show the world what we can do.
(Reprinted from MPRO's First Step in Four)
