{"id":319,"date":"2017-04-24T18:10:42","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T23:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jessicamannion.com\/?p=319"},"modified":"2018-03-09T10:18:15","modified_gmt":"2018-03-09T15:18:15","slug":"sinfonia-not-just-for-music-majors-anymore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jessicamannion.com\/?p=319","title":{"rendered":"Sinfonia: it’s not just for music majors anymore"},"content":{"rendered":"

Features Article for University of Alaska, Anchorage newspaper The Northern Light<\/em><\/p>\n

by Jessica Keil (maiden name)
\nNorthern Light Features Editor<\/i><\/p>\n

If music hath charm to soothe the savage breast, members of the University Sinfonia might well be the most placid people on campus.<\/p>\n

A sinfonia is an orchestra scaled down. Way down, if you’re looking at UAA’s sinfonia, with its core group of about 15 members.<\/p>\n

The University Sinfonia is run as a two-credit class, so anyone can sign up, but the prerequisite may make some people rather squeamish. You have to audition to get in.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The auditions are really informal,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d says Russell Guyver, assistant professor in UAA’s music department. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I’ll just say: ‘Please come and play,’ and I’ll maybe put up a little sight-reading of something we’re planning to do and see how they handle that.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So somebody will come and play and I’ll either tell them they’ll work well with the group or maybe they need to wait a year,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says.<\/p>\n

But don’t let that scare you off. The sinfonia isn’t only for music majors. Guyver, who’s been with the sinfonia for five years, says \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It’s open to anyone. A lot of very talented musicians are in other fields, I’m glad to say.<\/p>\n

Music is an overcrowded profession, so I’m glad to see a lot of people doing very different things who are in the group.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

So what is it about music that brings diverse people together?<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Music has universal appeal,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Guyver says. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rhythm is such a natural part of our lives \u00e2\u20ac\u201c from day to night to the beating of your heart \u00e2\u20ac\u201c these things have rhythm.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think performance of any type, if it’s done well, is attractive. Whether it’s a stand-up comedian or a symphony orchestra. If it’s done well, there’s a focus of energy that’s universally exciting. In the case o the music we’re dealing with, from classic masterworks, you can’t go wrong. They’re resonating on many different levels,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says.<\/p>\n

Or, there’s always the appeal of a challenge.<\/p>\n

Dick Reed, 48, is a local architect who plays violin for the sinfonia. Reed said he decided to play violin when, as a child, he was told it was one of the hardest instruments to play. Reed says he enjoys the challenge and that he finds music to be very satisfying.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I saw the sinfonia as a group that is committed to playing good music,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says, when asked why he chose to join the sinfonia. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think Russell works with us very hard and that we’re all committed to playing music the best we can,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says.<\/p>\n

The sinfonia’s music isn’t confined to the pint-sized concert-hall in the Arts Building, however. According to Guyver, the group usually does one big concert a year as well as what he referred to as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Institutional Series.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The sinfonia packs its bags and tours places around Anchorage which house people who wouldn’t normally be able to get to a public concert. Last Tuesday it went to The Mary Conrad Center.<\/p>\n

Reed says he enjoyed performing there. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was very informal. The audience was enthusiastic and they seemed to appreciate us a lot. It was a ground-breaking experience and I look forward to the next one.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Elementary education major Teresa Nathanson, 21, agrees. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was very pleasant and we were very well-received,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she says.<\/p>\n

Nathanson, who has played cello for 14 years, says she also enjoys the camaraderie the sinfonia offers. But, she admits, although she does enjoy performing, she often gets nervous.<\/p>\n

Guyver says this is a relatively common occurrence.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 You work for such a long time and then the feeling you get before a concert is, you suddenly see the negative side and what you haven’t managed to do. I think that’s a very general feeling,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he says.<\/p>\n

But the other feeling among the sinfonia seems to be a feeling of unity.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The sinfonia is a group I’ve really enjoyed as it’s changed over the years,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Guyver says.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think I’ve always enjoyed working with it. It’s always a nice atmosphere here, it’s small enough so you get to know everybody, you can hear everybody playing and how they contribute. It’s always been very positive.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\"Sinfonia<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Features Article for University of Alaska, Anchorage newspaper The Northern Light by Jessica Keil (maiden name) Northern Light Features Editor If music hath charm to soothe the savage breast, members of the University Sinfonia might well be the most placid people on campus. A sinfonia is an orchestra scaled down. Way down, if you’re looking … Continue reading Sinfonia: it’s not just for music majors anymore<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[28,22,29],"tags":[58,59,56,57,54],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9TvP3-59","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":307,"url":"https:\/\/www.jessicamannion.com\/?p=307","url_meta":{"origin":319,"position":0},"title":"Controversial artwork removed; Professor says potential for violence led to decision","date":"April 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"News Article for University of Alaska, Anchorage newspaper The Northern Light Jessica Keil (maiden name) Northern Light Features Editor A sculpture depicting a Ku Klux Klansman was erected in the Arts building on Wednesday, but was taken down two days later after repeated threats were made to tear it down\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","img":{"alt_text":"Controversial artwork removed 1 of 2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jessicamannion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Controversial-artwork-removed-1-of-2-1024x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":314,"url":"https:\/\/www.jessicamannion.com\/?p=314","url_meta":{"origin":319,"position":1},"title":"Connachen talkes life, hitchiking and underwear","date":"April 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Features Article for University of Alaska, Anchorage newspaper The Northern Light by Jessica Keil (maiden name) Northern Light Features Editor From beehives to bell-bottoms, it appears the 70s are making a comeback in a big way, so one might assume that the era's favorite mode of transportation \u00e2\u20ac\u201c hitchhiking \u00e2\u20ac\u201c\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","img":{"alt_text":"Connachen talks life, hitchiking and underwear 1 of 2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jessicamannion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Connachen-talks-life-hitchiking-and-underwear-1-of-2-939x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":760,"url":"https:\/\/www.jessicamannion.com\/?p=760","url_meta":{"origin":319,"position":2},"title":"Video: The Economy","date":"August 5, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unclesean\/status\/1260215254233092100 My husband Sean and I made this video short for a contest by online publication Mythic Picnic on Twitter. 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