Concert Report: Ithaca College Trombone Troupe 11/20 Ford Hall

Yesterday I went to my second concert at Ithaca College. This was a small concert performed by the Trombone Troupe of students at the music school here at IC. I have never seen a strictly trombone-based concert and I really had no clue what to expect. The concert took place in Ford Hall in the Whalen Center at 8:15 on Thursday, November 20.

The performance opened with all of the students in a half circle on stage. There was a conductor who seemed to be a professor. Although the concert had a very casual feel to it, all of the trombonists were dressed in formal attire and the music matched their professionalism. The two songs of the performance that stuck out to me most were "Sweetheart of the Sun" (the 2nd song) and "The Hex Files" (the 3rd song).  

After the first song, everyone got up and changed positions. The conductor swapped with a student conductor and the song opened, very slowly. It had a deep and ominous texture to it. It had a flowing to it where one set of trombonists would follow the set before them. It grew gradually and went from a dark, church-chorus sound, to a hopeful, almost heroic call to action sound. The trombones acted like they were imitating voices. Layering on top of each other a lot like ideals we studied from the 19th century. It was still somewhat predictable but had a very majestic and powerful tone color throughout the song. 

As the 2nd song closed, the trombonists repositioned again and a new conductor was put in place. This 3rd song began entirely opposite of how the 2nd song started. It started with the lower-pitched trombones blaring and cutting out quickly and then coming back in louder than they were before. As those trombones were repeating their pattern, a new set of higher pitched trombones joined in, but on what sounded like a different rhythm. Both sets kept up their own patterns, while others joined in on different layers. The song gradually built as new sets of trombones would enter doing their own thing and then mix together with the others to create a more fluid and synchronized sound. This song instantly reminded me of Stravinsky and all of his trickery with rhythm and tone color. It was very unpredictable and there were a few points in which everything would stop and a single trombone would come in with a very jazzy sound and then cut out for the other sets of trombones to continue. It was very climactic and it felt like the music that would be played if I were running frantically through a forest away from an axe murderer! The song cut off unexpectedly and I was struck with the very unfamiliar silence. It was a brilliant piece. 

I was thoroughly impressed with all the music I heard that evening. Never had I imagined that that kind of emotion and song variety could be made with just an abundance of the same instrument. Yet again, the music school has not let me down, and I will be sure to return expecting the same, if not better, work that was performed that evening.