Some students at Ohio University have classic tastes in music and the next group to perform as a part of the Performing Arts and Concert series will reflect this.
The modern day chamber music ensemble Project Trio will perform at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Admission for students is $8, $13 for senior citizens and $15 for general admission.
Project Trio, which consists of a flute, cello and double bass, was formed in Boulder, Colorado, in 2005. The group received notoriety when flute player Greg Pattillo’s beatbox flute YouTube video went viral.
Since then, the group has played across the country, including the world-famous Carnegie Hall in 2010. It also has a well-established YouTube channel that displays the group’s eclectic style, which many like Steven Huang believes is the appeal to the group.
“They genuinely bridge their classical music training and their repertoire. They play with a very modern and hip sensibility,” Huang, director of orchestral activities, said. “(It is) definitely one that is approachable to a lot of folks that perhaps don't have a lot of experience listening to or playing classical music.”
The group will be joined by OU’s Orchestra in celebration of the School of Music’s 100th anniversary. The addition of students to the program has enticed students like Courtney Robinson, a freshman studying pre-physical therapy, to attend the performance.
“I think it's just cool to see the mixes of different levels of knowledge about music and what like a professional group would do with a piece they play with students,” she said.
OU’s Orchestra will accompany Project Trio on a modern day, Brooklyn-set telling of “Peter and the Wolf” by composer Sergei Prokofiev and “The Bodega.” Huang feels it will give the students a chance to learn from two perspectives.
“Anytime that we have guests artists come in, we always want to have students interact with them, both as listeners but also as collaborators,” he said. “We want to be active participants and partners.”
Project Trio also has plans to reach outside of campus with their visit. Andrew Holzaepfel, the senior associate director of student activities, said the group would be involved in other musical activities in the surrounding area.
“We are thrilled to have them in the community for a four day residency that will include outreach / educational activities for OU School of Music Students as well as K-12 kids throughout the region,” he said in an email.
Huang feels that the orchestra’s performance will help it learn a new aspect to performing.
“It’s not just learning from their wonderful music mastery, like how well they play an instrument, but it's also to really learn about their personalities and learn about how they are able to communicate on a deeper level beyond just pitches and rhythms,” he said. “It's how they communicate as artist and one human being to another.”
