Semester 1

Arts TRYathlon #1: NextNOW

Event Logistics 09-08-23, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Silent Disco

#music #dance #presentation

I attended many events at the Next Now Fest, but the one that stood out to me was the silent disco. A silent disco is like a dance party but with headphones. There were three different channels with live DJ’s that I could switch between on the headphones (the headphones changed colors with the channels). From the outside it looked silly, just a bunch of college kids jumping silently to music and occasionally singing one word then humming the rest of the lyrics. But when I put the headphones on, I was in my own world. Music is a very personal art form. Everyone has their own taste in music, and some have very loud opinions of other people’s taste in music. The silent disco was a perfect place where I could listen to songs that I liked while dancing with my friends who were listening to songs they liked. Sometimes, a channel would have a very popular classic (like Gangnam Style by PSY), and every headphone would be the same color. From a sound engineering perspective, I liked that the headphone volume was adjustable. It is hard to create a perfect volume for a large space without blowing out the eardrums of the people closest to the speakers. Every headset had an adjustable volume, so no matter where I stood in the room, I could hear the music clearly at a non-deafening level. The silent disco at the Next Now Fest was a unique experience that made me appreciate the intimacy of sharing music with others and bonding with friends by dancing.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

Event Logistics 09-24-23, The Clarice, College Park Community Food Bank Benefit Recital

#music#presentation

This benefit recital for the College Park Community Food Bank emphasized the relationship between arts and community. Before the recital began, a woman from the food bank talked about the impact the food bank had on the community, and what donations meant to them. The recital was free to attend, but they had QR codes on the program and a box outside the theater for patrons who were able to donate. There were a few families and students, but most of the people at the concert were senior citizens. Combining fundraisers with performances is a very effective way to raise money, because art usually makes people reflect on their lives and donating makes people feel good about themselves. The recital consisted of different student groups (mostly graduate students) performing their music. My favorite part of the recital was the two graduate students playing two different marimbas. Before they started their piece, one of them mentioned that they “choreographed” the performance. I thought they meant they choreographed the way they were using the mallets on the marimba, but the two students actually switched which marimba they were playing a few times throughout the performance. Both students had slightly different intonations while playing, so the switches changed the tone of the song and made it more interesting to listen to. This recital was fun to watch, and it made me reflect on how arts can bring together communities for a common goal.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Arts Scholars Event

Event Logistics 10-18-23, Bel Air Lounge, Fall into Clay

#visualart

As a sculpture enthusiast, I was very excited to see signs for an air dry clay event. This turned out to be a very relaxing event where I hung out with a few friends and made little figurines. I was a little disappointed when the “air dry clay” turned out to be Model Magic (which is very rubbery), because I usually work with mediums that are easier to blend. For this event, I focused on creating cartoon-like elements that would just stick to the main body of whatever I was creating. My favorite figurine is the piggy bank. I have made bigger versions before out of regular clay, but I like the cartoonish look the Model Magic gave to it. Since I showed up to the event late, there wasn’t table space in the lounge. So, my friends and I sat on the floor with some bucket lids as place mats. It was very reminiscent of my childhood when I used to sculpt with Play-Doh on my kitchen floor. This event showed me the importance of remembering the roots my art stems from, and that going outside of your comfort zone can lead to masterpieces.

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