Preserve The Music

During the last week of November, CIMC set up a table in lane promoting their ‘Preserve the Music’ concert, scheduled to be held on the 28^th. The preceding days before the concert, the music majors asked for donations to support their department with hopes of spreading the word about not only the concert but their organizations as well. That Wednesday night of the 28^th, students gathered in the lower lobby but before 8:30, music students congregated outside the doors and covered songs such as Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”, their cases open and awaiting donations for the music department.

Emilie Gallagher and Beau Hartman
preforming "Goodnight Loving Trail"

In hopes to kill time, the musical students not contributing to the show attempted to keep the room amused with their own miniaturized and limited performances. When the lights fell dim on a half-filled room, however, the crowd waited patiently—and rewarded thoroughly. A concert of differing styles, from a cappella to Amanda Gold’s clarinet to full-on band performances- each artist demonstrated a range of not only talent but courage to present themselves boldly.

Even for the sparsely occupied room, the show started off strong with a cover of Nickel Creek’s “Jealous of the Moon”, three harmonizing voices of Beau Hartman, Sam Flowers, and Tanika Henry accompanied by Beau on piano. From then, many students exemplified their talents through covers- Mikayla Young performing Adele’s “Someone Like You”, and the a cappella rendition of “Goodnight Loving Trail” by Emilie Gallagher and Beau Hartman. Everyone enjoyed students’ Eric Harman and Travis Cohen’s version of “Call Your Girlfriend”, Eric on guitar and Travis on the cajón—or more simply, a wooden box used for percussion. Sean Scriber appealed to the crowd as whole with Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’”. Even President Gibraltar enjoyed the performances, claiming “It’s a great show so far,” only a few songs into the set.

Sean Scriber  preforming  "Free Fallin'"

Elenilson Nelson Ayala and his band stole the show, performing Maroon 5’s sexy and soulful song, “Secrets” their vocal capacities beyond the norm, eliciting cheers and whistles the entire time. Their stage presence was unlike any other performance that night, exciting and brazen.

And despite a few technical difficulties, most of the show went off without a hitch. However, the concert wasn’t all just for fun, between each song students were reminded to support their music department through donations. “We need the money,” Ayala explained with a smile, still rushing with adrenaline, “I’d do this all the time if it helped!”