Concert Reflection

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Concert Reflection

The concert was a one of a kind experience. In fact, one of the defining aspects of the musical experience comprised the collection of harmonized sounds performed by the Ebony Heritage Singers. The concert was similar to a performance of sacred music mostly done by African Americans. Based on this perception, the concert was a unique experience on a personal basis. This is mainly because of the differences that are evident when compared to other musical concerts that I have attended before this one. Foremost, the manner in which the members of the choir sang was different from anything that I had ever heard. From personal experiences, most of the performances that I had attended were mainly carried out by singular musicians such as rappers. As such, the performance done by the Ebony Heritage Singers was considerably different especially due to its sensibility. One of the aspects that fascinated me was the harmonization between the vocalists and the different forms of musical instruments used throughout the performance. Another fascinating aspect of the performance comprised the hymns, which were done by each member of the congregation. One final element that succeeded in imposing a sentimental effect on me comprised the soaring voices of one of the female singers as she soulfully sang her praises.

The concert took place at the South Park United Methodist Church. In total, 30 singers comprised the choir. As the concert took place, I noted that the members of the respective group were close to each other. This made the songs more cohesive particularly under the tutelage of the main conductor, Daria-Yvonne Graham. From where I was seated, the proximity of the choir members was strategic since it provided the conductor with a close-up view of every individual. Hence, this made the conduction of the hymns much easier for the conductor as well as for the members of the choir. Additionally, the proximate distance of the members from one another was influential in the communication process among them. Unlike other performances I had witnessed over the last few months, the concert at the South Park United Methodist Church was promoted by the ease of interaction that each member of the choir facilitated with one another. Furthermore, accessibility to interpersonal communication enabled the conductor to utilize non-verbal strategies that were effective in aligning and harmonizing the vocals of the singers with the instruments. Aside from the communication and the closeness of the characters, the way in which the members of the choir represented themselves was unique. As part of an African American tradition, the respective singers were dressed in African-oriented attire. This was evidenced by the brightly patterned dresses that each singer wore during the performance.

Indeed, the differences between the recordings and the live performance were evident as well as considerable. In person, most of the effects that were present in the audio recording of the performance were not identifiable in the live performance. Because of this disparity, I found the live performance to be spectacular and enthralling than the audio recording. Additionally, the audio recording was subject to considerable interference. From the onset, I could not avert from taking note of interferences that characterized the recording. Conversely, the live performance was not subject to such technical disruptions. Experiencing it in real-time offered a truthful and enjoyable account of the choir’s immense efforts in respect to singing. Undeniably, in contrast to the recording, the live performance was clear and pleasant since it was not subjective to interruptions that mostly characterized the former. On the other hand, the recording was precise. In addition to this, the recording focused particularly on specific songs that the choir sang during the respective performance. Based on this, it was much easier to follow up on particular songs that were appealing to me. This was disparate from the live performance considerably. During the live performance, the choir members would provide a blend of the original songs present within the recording. Therefore, on a personal basis, it was difficult to keep track of the songs that were more entertaining.

Significant emphasis was placed on the accessibility of the music sung by the Ebony Heritage singers. This is evidenced by the audio merchandise that was available to the members of the congregation at the premises of South Park United Methodist Church. The ultimate goal of this was to ensure that every member of the church’s gathering engages in a course of worship with the rest of the choir. In terms of the assessment, the songs that the choir sang were easy and melodious. Additionally, the members of the respective group sang the melodies within a high vocal range. Other aspects that were mostly evident in the performance comprised the consistent utilization of repetition, especially in bridges and choruses. Most of the songs also exhibited a familiar chord progression as well as a limited harmonic palette. This similarity in the songs that the choir presented was illustrated by the use of similar chord notations as well as a secondary keyboard source.