Upstart 10 Nov 09.pdf - Grocott's Mail

10 UPSTART 10 NOVEMBER 2009CHAMBER CONCERTreceived mixed reviews from Upstart membersUpstart members were invited by Mariel Ilusorio to attend two chamber concerts held at the St Andrew’s DrillHall. Learners from Ntaba Maria and Nathaniel Nyaluza and Archie Mbolekwa schools were privileged to havetheir first taste of chamber music. We wish to thank Mariel and Friends for sponsoring their tickets and transport.In our everyday lives, noteveryone gets to go toa chamber music concert.The Upstart members wereso lucky because they wereinvited to go to the chambermusic concert at St Andrew'sCollege on October 22. I wasone of the lucky 15 Upstartmembers invited. The concertwas enjoyable and it wasexciting to listen to the musicplayed.The first half of the concertwas for the memory of W.A.Mozart. The songs Allegro,Adagio, Rondeau etc. Theinstrument players playedminiature quartet for oboeand strings and lastly in thelast half of the concert a pianoconcert no2 (string quintentversion) for F.Chopin. Theconcert was great becauseeven though I knew not evena single song the musicianswere playing, I was able toadapt and accept the natureof chamber music.The best song was theVivace and the quasi Lentoand the worst song wasthe Rondeau allegro. In allthe songs the audiencereacted appreciatively,although they sometimesclapped when there wasno need to. For example,when the concert was beingintroduced every single thingthat Mariel Ilusorio said theaudience clapped whichwas unnecessary and timeconsuming.In conclusion, I would adviseother people to watch thisconcert because it brings allthe happy memories. I wouldgive this concert 5 out of 5.That's how good it was. Tobe truly speaking the concertwas “worth a watch”and I canbet you on that.Review by Thandiswa NqowanaGrade 9Ntaba Maria Primary Schoolthink that from myI experience the concertwas boring because I didn'treally understand what itwas about. I really really feltbored because I thought thatwe were going to somethingvery interesting like a gospelcompetition, drama or poetry.I really didn't like the concertwe went to.When we got there MarielIlusorio stood in the frontand introduced herself andthen the performers took tothe stage. The instrumentsthat they played were piano,violin, and viola, all orchestrainstruments. The instrumentswere pretty familiar butthe songs that they playedwere completely notunderstandable, especiallyto me. The artists were JuanMunoz, Susan Andile Kunja,Mariel Ilusorio, DorothyHolder and Barbara Kennedy.The concert was at St AndrewsCollege at a beautiful smallhall and the music they playedis called chamber music.It was not a bad concert butit was kind of boring to mebecause I didn't understanda thing about the music theyplayed. I saw a lot of whitepeople there who were reallyconcentrating on the musicbeing played. You neededto pay a lot of attention tothe music being played. Isaw that some women wereso captured by the musicthat it seemed they werealmost going to cry. We wereso bored me and my friendOdwa. Every time we weretold to shhh because we werejust talking and complainingabout what a waste of time,time that we could have beendoing something at homewith.I suggest that people whoare interested in musicalinstruments go to the concert,but for people like me whoTV the whole day and watchGenerations should not go.This is because they will justmake one hell of a noise orsleep while the concert is stillon.Review by Mawande TyatyaGrade 10Nathaniel Nyaluza High SchoolJuan, Mariel and friendswere at the St Andrew's hallto host their last performanceof chamber music on 22October. The people thatwere performing there knewwhat they were doing andthey had passion for it. Theymade me want to cry andeveryone in the hall wastouched and happy about theperformance. It was a goodconcert and encouraging tooto put your foot down andfocus on what you really lovethan what you like. Almostmade me change my mindabout becoming a doctor orlawyer.The first song was Allegro,it didn't hit me that muchbecause I was still wondering“is this what we really camehere for?” and the first songbored me. I wasn't touched atall by it. Then came the secondone which was promising andthe others that followed suchas Adagio, Rondeau, Allegroetc.The audience were veryhumbled and they didn'twant to move even an inch.You'll be told to sit stilland listen because theywere concentrating andresponding to the music verygently. The audience reactedgood and no mistakes weremade by the performers, theywere cool and calm.If it was up to me I would'veinvited everyone in mycommunity to come andenjoy the chamber music.Mariel and friends with Upstart membersUpstart members enjoying tea at the concerttheir feelings and chambermusic is what makes themfocused and keen towardseveryone.Review by Sinethemba BaxanaGrade 9Nathaniel Nyaluza High School