On Sunday evening, people strolling and picnicking in Millennium Park could stop for a few minutes or a couple hours to listen to music by Northwestern students and faculty.
The concert, “Percussion and Jazz Alive at Millennium Park” was held at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the park’s outdoor concert venue. It featured the Northwestern University Percussion Ensemble, directed by She-e Wu, and included performances by special guest artists Bob Becker and Peter Soave. The second half of the evening featured a performance by the NU jazz faculty, including Jazz Studies Director Victor Goines.
Sunday’s performance was the fourth annual School of Music concert in Millennium Park. Each year has featured a different combination of performers and instruments. The concerts are free and open to the public, and the outdoor, downtown location allows people to wander in and out as they please, which is different from a performance held at any of NU’s small concert halls.
Different concert venues require different programming, said Music junior Patrick Slevin, who performed with the NU percussion ensemble.
“It is harder to get the level of intimacy with the audience, so you have to find a program that is still quality music, but a more eclectic variety that can accompany what people are doing in the park,” Slevin said.
The NU percussion ensemble’s collaboration with world-famous percussionist Bob Becker and bandoneon virtuoso Peter Soave offered a unique combination of instruments and styles of music, Slevin said.
The Millennium Park concert was the third concert this quarter for the students in the percussion ensemble, and the second in which they collaborated with Becker and Soave.
The students were excited to perform with Becker because he is the best-known percussionist in the world, said Dylan Frank, a Music sophomore who plays in the percussion ensemble.
“Playing with him really made us step up our game,” Frank said. “Most percussionists are only really good at a few instruments, but he can play anything.”
Students said they also enjoyed working with Soave. The collaboration was unique because the bandoneon, a type of accordion, is not usually paired with percussion instruments.
“I didn’t know what bandoneon was, because it is not a big collaboration instrument,” said Slevin.
Becker and Soave arrived a day or two before each of the concerts and played with the NU students to rehearse before the concerts, said Becca Laurito, a Music junior and percussion ensemble member.
The students also spent a great deal of time rehearsing without the guest artists to make sure they “had everything figured out” when the special guests arrived, she said.
The styles of music included in the performance varied greatly and included Latin-style music, African conversation drums and 1920’s style dance music, among others. The concert had “something to please all the different types of people in the audience,” Slevin said.
Performing in Millennium Park was an exciting experience for students, both because of the music and the venue.
“So many people are just hanging out on the lawn or watching from the sides,” Laurito said. “It was cool to play there and be recognized as Northwestern School of Music students.”
