News
Art, Music Intersect at ’Pictures’
Published on October 30, 2023 - 12 p.m.
Southwestern Michigan College’s fall band concert “Pictures” Oct. 27 featured the SMC Jazz Ensemble, the SMC Jazz Combo and the SMC Symphonic Band conducted by Director of Bands Mark Hollandsworth.
When the visual arts intersect with music, sometimes music influences artistic output. Other times, art inspires a musical composition.
The program made audience members listen for splashes of blue and green being woven onto a canvas by Georgia O’Keeffe, explore the Louvre French art museum, the ghastly catacombs of Paris, flee the witch of Baba Yaga and gaze in wonder at the Great Gate of Kiev.
Mikayla Williams of Cassopolis, who plays clarinet in the Symphonic Band and bass in the Jazz Ensemble, created the visual production with technical support from Kenneth Creameans and the theatre crew.
The Jazz Ensemble opened with Stan Kenton’s “Opus in Chartreuse,” featuring Cassopolis alto saxophonist Reese Williams and Watervliet trombonist Dameon Bell.
“Art of the Matter” spotlighted trombonists Owen Lingle of Niles and Ryan Peterson of South Haven and Cassopolis tenor saxophonist Seth Kalina.
Kalina also soloed in “Soundsketch,” which also featured Justin Nunez on piano.
Freddie Hubbard’s “Povo” featured Stevensville trumpeter Alex Foster and Kalina.
Creameans led the Jazz Combo through Hubbard’s “Red Clay,” featuring Kalina and Lawton’s Dominick Lampe on trumpet.
After an intermission, the Symphonic Band played “Scenes from the Louvre,” “Blue and Green Music” and four movements from Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”
Choir members closed the night with “Here’s to Thee,” SMC’s alma mater by former choir director Robert Briggs, arranged by Hollandsworth.