About The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2010)
NEWS & VARIETY The Red & Black | Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | 5 JENNA FINLAND | The Red & Black ▲ Combining ‘venue rock and concert abstraction,’ the New Music Festival features students from Hugh Hodgson performing original work. Music festival blurs genre lines By ADAM CARLSON The Red & Black It’s about to get loud. The New Music Festival, sponsored by the Student Composers’ Association, is bringing pop-rock to the student world and experi mentation to the masses. “The main idea behind this festival is Athens obvi ously has a very rich musi cal tradition,” said Ashley Floyd, a graduate student in music education and one of the organizers of the event. “And we are obviously trying to stake our claim to that tradi tion.” Begun just months ago as another in the continu ing line of concerts orga nized by SCA, the event grew larger — and noisier — after a little self-evalua tion. “Our main purpose, just from a composer’s point- of-view, is to just reach out to an audience we know is out there but just doesn’t know where this stuff is,” Floyd said. Realizing that self-pro- motion had become an issue, SCA decided to branch — and hopefully reach — out. “The idea for this small concert then became, ‘Well let’s bridge this gap,”’ Floyd said. Spearheading the move ment was student Adrian Foster, a composition major. Now the group will be integrating two opposites: venue rock and concert abstraction — wildly differ ent, but essentially similar in their desire to attract and engage an audience. “There’s a lot of that happening in a university setting as well,” Floyd said, adding that many people may not realize the level of interesting musicality among University music students. Throughout the day, both will play at Hugh Hodgson, which will pro vide its own specific atmo sphere to the music. “There’s something to be said for when an audi ence has to sit down in a concert hall,” Floyd said. “They take on a different persona.” At night, the remaining performers will take to Caledonia, whose own past embrace of more edgy music has made them very welcoming to the Festival, Floyd said. “They were really open to it right away,” he said. Among the student composers, three bands — Groove Tangent, Geister Katzen and The Instrumentals — will play, with their melodic accessi bility providing variety and counter-weight. Indeed, each band was chosen not just for its con nection to SCA, but also for its “aesthetically pleas ing” sensibilities, Floyd said. “They’re showing a dif ferent side of ‘composing,’” he said. And among the pop- rock stylings, more experi mental, individualist work will be performed — like Floyd’s own, all-improvised piece. “We really are ranging the gamut,” he said. That variety and inclu sion has become the cen tral, connecting theme of the Festival; indeed, it’s MUSIC FESTIVAL When: Today at 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Where: Hugh Hodgson (The Dancz Center for New Music), Caledonia Lounge Price: Free one of the main reasons SCA hopes the event will continue on in the future — and continue growing and evolving. “We don’t necessarily have our big vision yet,” Floyd said. Now, at least, the group hopes there is sufficient difference between each performance — not only to allow student composers to reach out to interested, but unaware, music-lovers downtown, or to help dis pel stereotypes about the cloistered music student, but also just to show those in attendance: it’s always been about the work. “We’re not necessarily about genre,” Floyd said. “Instead, we’re just about writing music.” MAN ON THE STREET: No More Disney Princesses? Since releasing Snow White more than 70 years ago, the Walt Disney Company has made almost every little girl want to become a princess. But on Nov. 23, the Los Angeles Times reported the company has recently stat ed Tangled — a movie about Rapunzel released Nov. 24 — will be its last film about a princess for the foreseeable future. However, according to Disney’s Facebook page, the company has no plans to discontinue the golden crowns and pink dresses that made it famous. The Red & Black took to the streets to find out what students thought about Disney’s princess movies possibly disappearing. Will there be a crown shaped hole in the hearts of students? Or will students celebrate the banishment of the fair maidens? —Adina Solomon JESSIE POWELL freshman psychology major from Lawrenceville “Every little girl wants to be a princess. Boys say they don’t want to watch them, but they know what we’re talking about, so it’s for everyone.” MEGANNE BUTLER senior Spanish major from Cumming “It kind of makes me sad because the Disney princess movies are the classic ones and some of my favorites and I feel like everyone’s favorites, and I think they can apply to both boys and girls.” THOMAS BAUER junior English major from Atlanta “I’m going to miss the princess elements of movies. I think they added an element of magical realism to children’s stories. I’m kind of sad that political correctness in the movie industry in general is taking away from that kind of magical element.” RYAN DUNCAN public administration graduate student from Dewitt, Ark. “Why not continue to make them? I also feel like they can in turn by making princess movies, maybe make movies that are more conducive to boys.” Born -’ DURAMOO UQ3 a u s t r a I i a downtown • masadaleather.com • • „ Leather & Leather Outdoor Athens' coolest boots! R AD Red&Black Then Recycle LAKESIDE TflTf J '\\. _ APARTMENTS LLUD APPLY ONLINE @ ATHENSSTUDENTHOUSING.COM
