The Elon Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (ECCE) held its debut with “Unrelent” on Monday, Sept. 20 in Whitley Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. with a pre-show discussion about the background of the concert pieces and their experience related to the music.
The Elon Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (ECCE) held its debut with “Unrelent” on Monday, Sept. 20, in Whitley Auditorium at 7:30 pm. A pre-show discussion at 6:30 p.m. engaged audience members in a conversation with a group of panelists about the background of the concert pieces and their experience related to the music.
The panel included the founder of the ensemble and Elon professor of music Jonanthan Poquette, along with other Elon professors Cora Palfy in the Department of Music, Tony Crider in the Physics Department and Damion Blake in the Department of Political Science and Policy Studies.
The concert began with “By-By Huey” by Ted Hearne, a finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize. The ensemble played intense, personal and multi-dimensional work with unconventional playing methods. Following was “Noon Dance” composed by Joan Tower, widely regarded as one of the most influential American composers living today. Beginning with meditative bells stemming from the band percussionist, players “moved” with each other, creating a sensational experience for the audience with dance-type rhythms and a variety of energies of the piece.
The closing piece, “Unrelent,” the title of the concert, was written by composer Harry Stafylakis around the 2016 election and expressed the turbulent emotions many felt around that time. The flutist started with a mystical flute tune contrasted with sharp disruptions of strings, causing the members of the audience began to creep to the edge of their seats with their hearts racing.
The ECCE is composed of professional musicians from across the Triad that collaborate to create, promote and share contemporary music with the public. They believe in commissioning new works by underrepresented composers and creating engaging musical experiences for all.
The ensemble’s next concert is Wednesday, Nov. 3, in Whitley Auditorium at Elon University starting at 6:30 pm with a pre-show discussion and the concert starting at 7:30 pm.
For further information and queries, contact Arts Administration Professor and ECCE Marketing Lead Wen Guo at wguo2@elon.edu.