The goal of any performance is to make the audience feel something. Few, however, aim to tell a story that gives each audience member a unique emotional experience. One such group is the University of Memphis Symphonic Band.
The band held a concert titled “Storyteller: A Journey Through Music and Narrative” on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center. The program aimed to tell stories through music that would impact each listener differently.
“The goal is always for the audience to feel something, and it's always going to hit people differently based on their experiences and where they are coming from,” said Dr. William Plenk, assistant director of bands and conductor of the Symphonic Band.
The concert featured a variety of pieces inspired by well-known characters and parables, including Gandalf from "The Lord of the Rings" and “The Tortoise and the Hare.”
“You might say that all music tells a story, but the music on this concert does it more specifically and literally,” Plenk said.
After the concert concluded, Plenk expressed his hope that the audience took something meaningful from the performance.
“There is nothing that we hope to gain other than helping students see the end of the process, hoping that it reaches the audience and finding out that their hard work paid off,” he said.
The Scheidt School of Music's next performance is the Choral Invitational on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. More information about tickets and other upcoming events can be found on the department's website.
Darien Anderson can be contacted at djndrsn8@memphis.edu.
