Concert Critique

After either attending a live concert or watching a full-length concert online, write a critique of the performance following the format below.

Here are a few examples of full-length concerts you can find online (by conducting a web search using the criteria below) that could be used for this assignment:

· Coldplay Live In Boston 2012 (Full Concert DVD)

· Sting: If on a winters night-Live from Durham Cathedral 2009 (watch all 14 songs on concert)

· Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ron Wood, Bill Wyman, Jan Hammer, Charlie

· Duke Ellington The Great Paris Concert

· Richard Galliano/Winton Marsalis – Billie Holiday meets Edith PIAF

· Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz Center Orchestra @ The BBC Proms 2004

· Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson, Amazing stuff!

· Loretta Lynn — You're Looking At Country – Legends In Concert

You may choose a different concert video to watch, but be sure you include the URL of the concert you chose in your critique, or scan the program of the live concert you attended and attach it. The musical style of the concert should include at least one of the genres studied in this course.

Your concert critique should be 2.5 pages long, double-spaced.  It should contain five paragraphs that describe the following aspects of the concert you attended:

I.  Who are the performers?  Give the title of the concert and write something about the performers.  Is it an orchestra? A choir? An ensemble? Solo artists?  Why did you choose to attend this particular performance?  Tell as much as you know about the musicians that performed – are they professionals? Students? Teachers?  How long have they been performing? Etc.

II. Describe the music that was performed on the concert.  Use the musical characteristics that we have been learning in class.  What genre is the music (blues? jazz ? rock? country?)

a. What time period was the music written in?  What was the tempo, dynamics, texture, etc.  Sometimes the music in a concert will be only one genre.  Sometimes there will be several genres performed.  Attach the program to your critique, and then refer to the titles in the program.  For example:  “Autumn Leaves” was performed by a small instrumental ensemble (guitar, bass, percussion).  It is a standard contemporary tune.  The tempo was a moderately slow ballad.  It had a very mellow sound…

III. Tell how well you think the performers interpreted the music that was on the concert.  Were the singers in tune?  Did the piano player play musically and rhythmically?  Do you think the performers communicated the music as it was meant to be communicated by the composer?

IV. Tell which pieces or part of the concert was most moving or enjoyable for you.  If you didn’t enjoy the concert very much, tell why you didn’t enjoy it.  What could have been better?  Be as specific as you can when expressing your opinion of the performance – don’t just write generalities like “It was nice” or “it made me feel like dancing”.  Tell why the music made you feel like dancing.  Write about why you particularly enjoyed that part of the concert.

V. Conclude your critique by summing up the performance and telling us if you would go to hear these performers again – or would invite your friends or family to hear this performance/performers.