Drake’s latest project takes a mellow turn

Just under a year after releasing Views comes Drake’s newest musical endeavor. Labeled as a playlist, the Canadian rapper dropped More Life on OVO Sound Radio on Apple Music’s radio station on Saturday March 18. 

Unlike Views, this playlist arrived with little advanced hype—but it’s no small addition to Drake’s musical repertoire. With 22 tracks, More Life is over an hour of Drake grappling with getting let down by friends, family and lovers, all the while exploring the sounds of black music; this ranges from the United States and his hometown of Toronto all the way to Africa and the Caribbean. 

More Life boasts more of Drake’s brooding, melancholic sentiments, while also offering the mic to various other rap and R&B artists. If there is one thing about Drake, he keeps his lyrics personal and honest. In “Lose You” he ponders over losing someone—or some people—close to him while trying to remain true to himself, saying, “Inspirin’ and never takin’ credit/I know I deserve more, I just never said it/Two middle fingers as I make a exit.” 

With relaxed beats enveloping each track, this playlist seems to scream R&B more than Drake’s usual hip-hop nature. Some critics argue that Drake is worn out, but he assures his audience that this is untrue. In “Sacrifices,” Drake openly acknowledges his opponents, noting, “Niggas see me in person/First thing they say is ‘I know you need a break’/Hell nah, I feel great, ready now, why wait?” 

One track that stands out from this playlist is “Passionfruit.” Musically more upbeat than most of the other tracks, Drake croons in his balmy voice, “Passionate from miles away/Passive with the things you say/Passin’ up on my old ways/I can’t blame you, no, no.”

It seems like Drake is ready to explore other facets of music production through his experimentation of marketing More Life as a playlist. Playlists tend to be made up of songs brought together under an overarching theme or mood. Besides “Fake Love,” there are no standout party anthems, however—something that Drake always manages to include on all of his other albums. The mood of More Life is an air of tranquility and placidity, as evoked by each track.

A review from Slate refers to More Life as “long and meandering, but never exhausting.” This description perfectly encapsulates the playlist. The review goes on to name Views as “Drake’s safest and most unadventurous album to-date.” More Life was a bit safer in terms of musicality, in my opinion. The beats are a bit redundant, and sometimes his raps become monotonous. 

Drake certainly stepped out of his comfort zone in terms of format, though. By playing around with brief interludes from artists Jorja and Skepta and by shifting from an album format to a playlist, Drake’s passion for music remains clear, even if some of the tracks fall flat.

More Life seems like a playlist that will continue to grow on fans with every listen. Drake remains a master of his craft, and only time will tell with what he chooses to experiment with next.

Milne Library’s digital publishing manager helps students reach career goals

If you’re a student interested in editing and publishing, take some time to get to know Allison Brown, the digital publishing manager at Milne Library. A Rochester native, Brown has been a member of the Geneseo faculty since 2012. She was originally hired as the evening and weekend circulation supervisor for Milne, but within a year she was brought on to develop the library publishing tool kit.

“The college was starting publishing programs, and I had a background in InDesign and book production, so I was brought on board to do a research project on library publishing,” she said. “Then, I was kept on as the editor and production manager for the Open SUNY textbooks. I coordinated the publishing process for all of our Open textbooks.”

With technology rapidly advancing, Brown ensures that Milne’s services and books remain up-to-date and accessible for faculty and students.

“We’ve created Open SUNY textbooks, but we also want to provide services for the faculty and students who want to use other educational resources,” she said. “So we’re trying to work with other SUNY schools to band together to solve problems with textbook affordability and making all of those resources user-friendly for faculty.”

Beyond focusing on Open SUNY, Brown is also involved with other publications on campus.

“I support the publication and public access publications here on campus, including student publications like Gandy Dancer,” she said. “I also work for the proceedings of G.R.E.A.T. Day, supporting the training of students, interns and managing editors to learn the technology and walk them through the publication process.”

Brown enjoys working on collaborative projects like Gandy Dancer; she has been a wonderful resource for student editors to gain field experience here on campus.

“I paired up a student editor with a faculty author and gave that student some really good hands-on experience with editing and gave that faculty member some more editorial support where they may not have had access to that,” she said.

Brown has been fond of editing and publishing for a while, but grad school is what solidified this interest. While obtaining her master’s degree in fine arts at Emerson College, Brown took a handful of elective courses in electronic publishing and book design. Working as Milne’s digital publishing manager has helped Brown to hone her publishing and design skills further, becoming a master in her craft.

“I really like the graphic design book production part of it,” she said. “When I began working here, I started to really understand how electronic publications and websites and e-books are structured and how to design for both print and electronic formats.”

But Brown isn’t just tech savvy—she’s also a poet. She has had multiple poems published in various literary journals, including White Whale Review.

Every book lover has their own guilty pleasure books, and Brown is no exception. She prefers to read fiction, and shamelessly indulges in young adult fiction every now and then.

Even if editing and publishing don’t interest you, Brown is a delightful source with a wealth of knowledge to offer students of any major. As students, whether it’s textbooks or novels, we are all responsible for reading, and who better to consult than Geneseo’s own digital publishing manager?

Beyoncé album empowers black women

After giving fans just one week’s notice, Beyoncé dropped her new album LEMONADE as well as a visual album that aired as an HBO special of the same title on Saturday April 23. Beyoncé had a lot to say on this album, and it’s safe to say that she didn’t hold back.

Some common threads that Beyoncé wove throughout LEMONADE include betrayal, racism, empowerment and forgiveness. Using her art and a revolutionary platform that the music industry hasn’t seen before, Beyoncé spoke her mind on these heavy topics not only through her lyrics, but also through spoken word, images and videos on her visual album.

With LEMONADE, Beyoncé effectively channels her anger toward her husband—rapper Jay Z—into her art in order to help black women worldwide move past their own emotional pain. In addition, Beyoncé incorporates instances of racism to specifically acknowledge black women’s struggles throughout history—struggles that remain relevant today.

According to The New York Times, “Marital strife smolders, explodes and uneasily subsides on ‘Lemonade.’” Admittedly, I was shocked by how explicitly Beyoncé calls out Jay Z for cheating. But she does more than just express her anger—she acknowledges the ridiculous backlash that women often receive after expressing this anger when they discover their significant other has been cheating, which I think is admirable of her.

Amidst the cheating that Beyoncé fearlessly brings up throughout LEMONADE, she also discusses racism. In the middle of “Don’t Hurt Yourself” on her visual album, there is a pause in the song that cuts to videos of various black women as Malcolm X intones, “The most disrespected woman in America is the black woman. The most unprotected woman in America is the black woman. The most neglected woman in America is the black woman.”

While some people may recall Malcolm X as an advocator of violence, I think that the point Beyoncé is trying to make is that Malcolm X’s words remain true today. Incorporating this quote from Malcolm X links black women’s pain—both historically and contemporarily—to the pain that Beyoncé experiences throughout her life as an African American woman. 

Huffington Post notes, “‘Freedom’ is also filled with stirring, soulful lyrics and powerful images of black women who have lost black men in their lives, including Gwen Carr, Sybrina Fulton and Lezley McSpadden, the mothers of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, respectively.” Showing these women emphasizes Beyoncé’s point in that black women today continue to suffer and lack the respect they deserve from society because of their race.

Beyoncé may be a wealthy, popular vocal artist who’s known around the world, but as a black woman she’s still unprotected, disrespected and neglected. Due to the placement of the Malcolm X segment in the middle of an angry track that targets Jay Z’s lack of loyalty, I would argue that Beyoncé is calling out her husband for making her feel unprotected, disrespected and neglected. It took a lot of courage for Beyoncé to stand up to Jay Z in a public manner, but through this she shows women—especially black women—that they deserve to be protected, respected and cherished.

Time suggests that “in black women’s music, trifling men have long been metonyms for a patriarchy that never affords black women the love and life they deserve,” so perhaps Beyoncé used cheating as a metaphor for black women’s experiences in society ruled by men. Therefore, it’s possible that through the creation of LEMONADE, Beyoncé sought to empower and to support black women using a social construct with which women are familiar.

While this album feels quite personal, Beyoncé reaches out to black women in solidarity, showing the world that African American women still lack the respect they deserve because of their gender and the color of their skin. Beyoncé recognizes that silence isn’t the answer to these social problems—generating conversation is the only way to enact change—and Beyoncé is effectively using her music to foster the changes that we need to see in the world.

Guest Speaker educates students on Title IX

As individuals on college campuses around the country deal with the persistent issue of sexual assault, the Geneseo Women’s Action Coalition hosted “Know Your Rights: Know Title IX”—their last event for Sexual Assault Awareness Month—on Monday April 25.

Know Your IX—or KYIX—began in 2009 and is a “survivor and youth-led organization that aims to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools.” Guest speaker activist and development coordinator for KYIX Marybeth Seitz-Brown held an insightful lecture covering a myriad of topics revolving around Title IX and how important it is to be educated on your rights as an individual, student and survivor.

Seitz-Brown was an organizer of the No Red Tape campaign at Columbia University, where she studied linguistics. Title IX is a cause that is near and dear to her—a cause in which she firmly believes.

After a brief introduction from WAC president junior Jes Heppler, Seitz-Brown began explaining what Title IX is and how it relates to gender violence. Gender violence includes rape, sexual assault or harassment, intimate partner, domestic and dating violence, stalking and online harassment. Seitz-Brown enlightened the audience, explaining that gender-based violence “maintain[s] structural and cultural gender inequities.”

The statistics for gender violence among college students is staggering. According to the data in Seitz-Brown’s presentation, one in five women, one in 16 men and one in four transgender persons experience gender violence on campuses across the United States. For women of color, these statistics are even higher.

Seitz-Brown said, “Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education.” Essentially, because of Title IX every student—of any gender and race—has the right to a fair, safe education.

People often question why schools are required to get involved in instances of sexual assault. Many believe that the police should handle these situations. Seitz-Brown addressed this argument by explaining that gender violence doesn’t just have bodily effects—it also affects “your education, your emotional health, your psychological health, your financial health and it has these stigmatic community harms, as well.”

Beyond the fact that schools are required to handle sexual assault cases that affect students, there are a variety of other reasons for this protocol. According to Seitz-Brown, “colleges and universities can usually respond more quickly to a lot of things that are specific to being a student and living on a college campus.” These responses can include changing a victim’s classes if they have the same class as his or her offender, changing a victim’s housing or dorm if he or she lives in the same building as their offender, extending a victim’s deadlines for schoolwork and the list goes on.

Furthermore, it’s dangerous for certain communities—such as people of color, undocumented people, transgender people and Muslims—to approach the police after suffering sexual assault. Seitz-Brown noted, “All of the[se] communities are targeted by the police and disproportionately experience violence from the police.” Therefore, in many cases the school is the only safe option for a victim to turn to.

Seitz-Brown closed her talk with suggestions on ways to enact change at your own university and how to make people—particularly college students—more aware of their Title IX rights. Different ways for students to get involved include filing complaints—which is something Seitz-Brown did at Columbia—targeting decision-makers, getting to know media reporters so they can cover your actions, connecting with people online in places like Facebook groups and storytelling. Sharing your story—whether it be through speak outs or anonymously online—is a way to generate conversation and awareness around an important topic.

I’m disappointed by how unaware I was about Title IX before attending this lecture. Title IX should be something that students learn about in-depth at college orientations, and I hope that we see this change in the near future. Geneseo is lucky to have organizations like WAC to bring attention to such critical topics that are especially relevant for college students today.

Wedding soup to stifle sniffles

It’s that time of year again. It seems as though everywhere you look, someone is coughing or sniffling into a tissue—of course, perfectly timed with the onslaught of end-of-semester papers, projects and exams. The common cold is spreading like wildfire—and whether you’re the patient or the caretaker, here’s an easy, delicious Italian Wedding Soup recipe that is sure to make you feel better. Ingredients:

1 egg ½ lb. ground beef

2 tbsp. bread crumbs

2 tbsp. olive oil

1-8 oz. package of Wegmans diced vegetables—onions, celery and carrots 2 cans of chicken broth

2 cups chopped escarole (easiest to get 15 oz. package)

½ cup Acini DiPepe pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. 1. Mix ground beef, bread crumbs and egg. Form into small meatballs. Rinse hands occasionally with cool water as you make the meatballs—this will help to keep the meat from sticking to your hands.
2. 2. Brown meatballs on all sides in 2 tbsp. olive oil on medium heat for about five minutes. Remove meatballs.
3. 3. Cook diced vegetables on medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for six to eight minutes until vegetables are soft, but not browned.
4. 4. Add salt/pepper to taste.
5. 5. Add meatballs and broth. Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower heat to medium and let it simmer for five minutes.
6. 6. Add escarole and return to summer on medium-high.
7. 7. Cook pasta in a separate pan and drain and rinse with cold water. This removes the starch and won’t soak up all the broth when it’s added to the soup.
8. 8. Add cooked pasta to the soup and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Lederer Gallery exhibit fuses subject matter, uses different mediums

The Bertha V.B. Lederer Gallery held an opening reception for its “Carving Through Borders” exhibit on March 23. “Art/Artist/Immigrant” also debuted in Gallery B2—a smaller space located within the Lederer Gallery. Though the subject matter of the two exhibits largely converges around immigration, the pieces and the messages they convey differ in several—sometimes surprising—ways.

“Carving Through Borders” is a collection of striking, large-scale wood prints, most of which are done entirely in black and white. These high-contrast prints were created by a group of California-based artists. While their overarching subject matter is the deportation of Mexican immigrants, the pieces also address LGBTQ+ issues, women’s rights and concepts of justice and liberty.

According to Director of the Galleries Cynthia Hawkins, the social justice themes inherent in the prints are especially relevant in light of current events. “People are always saying it’s too soon and that change will happen over time, but it’s just to maintain the status quo and find workarounds and eventually people stop talking about it,” she said. “That’s what the hope is anyway, but I don’t think people stop talking about it the way they used to.”

One particular print by lead Oakland, California-based artist and activist Favianna Rodriguez virtually shouts in huge block letters, “Rise up for justice/Rise up for women & young girls/Down with machismo.” Another by D.J. Agana depicts a stylized Statue of Liberty with the words “Move Freely” printed underneath.

Clearly, the floor-to-ceiling size of the prints is integral to their bold social impact. “The size makes it so much more powerful,” Hawkins said. “You have to engage with it because it’s so big.”

English major senior Michelle Nitto observed that the print making process is labor intensive. “I’ve only carved wood once and it wasn’t the right kind of wood, but it was small and it took hours, so I can’t imagine how long these must take,” she said.

Whereas “Carving Through Borders” is relatively uniform in style and subject, the works exhibited in “Art/Artist/Immigrant” largely diverge from the prints—as well as from each other—in terms of both their formal and cultural qualities.

Each of the pieces featured in “Art/Artist/Immigrant” are by a Rochester-based immigrant. Jose Portas’ painting “Calling the Archangels” blends Latino culture, mysticism and religious symbolism through a variety of different textures and media. In contrast, Russian immigrant Eva Davidova uses a different medium altogether: video. Manipulating space and form in abstract and unexpected ways, two of these videos are looped and projected on the gallery walls in between the paintings.

“I think it’s interesting that [the pieces exhibited in “Carving Through Borders”] are wood prints and [those in “Art/Artist/Immigrant”] are paintings because wood prints are much more reproducible, and with the kind of art that it is I feel like being able to reproduce it is really important,” gallery coordinator senior Britina Cheng said. “Whereas it’s really important that the paintings are sort of a unique thing that exist in their own time and space.”

Junior Laura Brown noted that she found the diverse pieces to be similarly impactful. “I want to support underrepresented artists in America because they are underrepresented and they deserve to be represented,” she said. “When we don’t have a representative form in all realms of media, I feel like we’re really missing out on really cool and artistic, new things … so I’m just really excited to be here and to explore.”

Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus pays tribute to iconic female performers

The Geneseo community was in for a treat when the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus performed in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom on Monday March 21. The RGMC performed a sample of their larger show “I’m the Greatest Star: The Fabulous Female Singers,” celebrating women such as Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand and Billie Holliday who broke ground in the music industry by overcoming various societal issues. Offering more than what a regular concert usually does, the RGMC’s performance was accompanied by tributes to “fabulous female singers” by artistic director Robert Strauss as a way to honor these women.

Strauss explained that the RGMC chose to put together this set of songs—made famous by iconic women—because it “spoke to us in the LGBTQ+ community and issues we face.” The actions of these women very much reflect the actions of those who pioneered the creation of RGMC in 1982. During the height of the AIDS crisis in America, the RGMC was created by five homosexual men whose desire was to help “make the world a better place for their brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ+ community.”

Now made up of about 50-60 singers, the RGMC is still striving to meet that goal. By performing such songs such as “My Man”—a controversial song that speaks about abuse popularized by Diana Ross—Strauss explained that the RGMC works to “be part of the solution … and part of the conversation” by “tell[ing] a story through song.” This encourages others to do so, as well.

Accompanied by pianist Mark Brennan, the group sang a total of 13 numbers, including hits such as Fitgerald’s “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” a rendition of Judy Garland’s duet with a young Streisand “Happy Days Are Here Again” and “Get Happy” and “Over the Rainbow,” which was first sang by Garland in The Wizard of Oz.

Some of the numbers were particularly meaningful, showcasing the way that these certain female performers broke barriers in their time. One such song was Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues,” which was the first ever song to be recorded by an African-American woman. Bessie Smith was also honored for “I Need A Little Sugar in My Bowl” for its unapologetic demand by a woman to have the same freedoms as men do when it comes to talking openly about sexual desire.

The RGMC praised Barbara Cook as well—who stuck it to the man by renting Carnegie Hall for her own very successful solo concerts when Broadway told her she was too heavy to star on stage—by singing “Here’s To Your Illusions.”

The chorus also chose to give credit to female vocalists from the 1940s big brass bands, which often went unrecognized and unnamed during their time. Strauss explained to the audience that singing “I Had the Craziest Dream” and “And The Angels Sing” was the group’s way of putting emphasis on the vocals and the women who sang them, instead of on the big bands, as is the norm with such songs.

The RGMC will hold another performance on June 18 entitled “Premiere!” This show will feature new theatrical numbers written for the RGMC, as well as other related numbers. Things are being kept under wraps for now in terms of theme, but there’s no doubt this performance will be as charming and inviting as the last.

Book-making workshop provides hands-on outlet for creative expression

The Genesee Valley Cooperative hosted a bookmaking workshop with professional bookbinder, photographer and printer Rebecca Lomuto on March 6. Lomuto’s goal is to “break the barrier between photography and other media, specifically print and book arts.” Based in Rochester, Lomuto teaches at The Genesee Center for the Arts & Education, which offers a wide variety of programs and classes for both adults and kids, as well as facilities and galleries for artists.

At the workshop, attendees learned the step-by-step process of creating a softcover, long stitch journal. In the process of creating their very own journal to bring home with them, participants also learned some finer points and tips for bookmaking.

Lomuto guided students on the different professional and household tools that are used, a few technical bookmaking terms—for instance, a “signature” is a group of pages that go inside the book, whereas a “book block” is a stack of signatures—as well as tips like the more you crease the pages, the better they will sit inside the binding.

Lomuto emphasized the fact that personal preference is an imperative aspect of bookmaking. She noted that imperfection is OK; sometimes it even gives your book or journal character—or as Lomuto called it, a “cute aesthetic.” Second, the journals made in the workshop can be used for any purpose the creator wants and thus, they can design it to fit their needs.

What was so special about this workshop was the mere fact that it has been offered here at Geneseo. Attendee senior Angelica Hadley expressed her belief that the college does not typically offer many creative opportunities such as this workshop on campus. She heard about this particular opportunity through GVC’s Facebook page and was very interested in the event because she holds a certain fascination with handmade books.

Geneseo does have various art galleries on campus and around the community such as the Kinetic Gallery in the MacVittie College Union, the Lederer Gallery in the Brodie Fine Arts Building and the Lockhart Gallery in the McClellan House on Main Street, but they typically focus on the student as an observer, not a creator. Of course, galleries such as these are fantastic for young adults to have access to, but students also crave the opportunity to create for themselves.

Lomuto’s bookmaking workshop did give students that important creative outlet in a very hands-on and interactive class. In order to teach her eager students, Lomuto first described the appropriate steps and then quickly circulated the room, closely guiding students when needed and explaining details along the way. She mentioned that some of the paper being used was hand-made and went on to explain how it is made at Saint-Armand Papermill.

This bookmaking workshop is just one of the “hands-on” activities that GVC offers. Earlier that week, they invited members of the Geneseo community to join them at a dinner which had a variety of vegan-friendly options and they also hosted a composting workshop last month.

Not only does GVC enrich the Geneseo arts scene, but it also actively contributes to bettering the community as a whole through unique opportunities.

Zootopia encapsulates Disney wit, charm

Zootopia—Disney’s newest solo animated film—continues the franchise’s legacy of spectacular animations through the use of creativity and relatable situations. Zootopia seems to do something those other films haven’t, though: create its own unique world for its inhabitants to live in. In Zootopia, directors Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jared Bush create a world similar to Disney Pixar’s Cars and Monster’s Inc.: one purely based on the creator’s imagination. The city of Zootopia is divided into multiple districts for the myriad of different animals in the world, including the Sahara Square, Tundratown, Little Rodentia and the Rainforest District. Each district has its own little quirks that fit to the inhabited animals’ lifestyles.

The film follows rabbit Judy Hopps—voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin—who dreams of becoming a cop in the city of Zootopia. Zootopia is a place where animals of all kind—prey and predator alike—coexist and have the opportunity to be whoever they want to be, regardless of their own natural instincts that pit them against each other.

Even though Hopps passes through the ranks and becomes a cop at the choice of Mayor Lionheart—voiced by J.K. Simmons—she struggles to gain respect from her superior Chief Bogo—voiced by Idris Elba—and the rest of her community because of her identity as a rabbit.

While attempting to prove herself as more than just a bunny and a “meter maid,” Judy meets the charming con-artist fox Nick Wilde—voiced by Jason Bateman—and eventually blackmails him into helping her with her case. Together, the duo attempts to solve the case of a missing otter, who is among 13 missing ex-predators from Zootopia.

The film started with a fairly corny opening, as the young animals boasted about individuality and being able to surpass the fictional universe’s limits and expectations. It seemed as if the film was going to be strictly for children, but as Disney usually proves, the film’s intended audience extended beyond adolescents.

The film steps up from its initial impression by dropping in bits of humor that will resonate for people of all ages, making the film enjoyable for everyone. Whether it’s the animal version of Shakira—Gazelle—or the extremely slow-working sloths at the Department of Motor Vehicles, the film’s clever and subtle humor sparks plenty of laughs.

Without giving away any spoilers, the ending was a bit too trite. It was a conventional, “surprise” ending with the villain who you’d least expect, but with an obvious motive that was perhaps foreshadowed too obviously. For a children’s movie, however, the plot was a bit more substantial than usual.

Regardless of any trite moments, the film was filled with entertainment from start to finish. The actors were perfectly casted, as the always sweet Goodwin—known for her role as the “goodie” Snow White on ABC’s “Once Upon a Time”—proved to be the perfect opposite for the usually snappy Bateman. I personally enjoyed the dynamic between the duo.

Although it doesn’t contain catchy musical numbers like Frozen and it doesn’t tug at your heartstrings like Big Hero 6, Zootopia is a must see for all Disney lovers.

Van Gogh’s legacy honored in groundbreaking film

Vincent van Gogh’s famous paintings are coming to life this year—quite literally. BreakThru Production and Trademark Films have given viewers a chance to experience the Dutch painter’s works like never before through the world’s first fully hand-painted animated film entitled Loving Vincent. Focusing on “the life and controversial death of Vincent Van Gogh,” the film uses live actors who are then rendered in oil paintings, which are subsequently animated. There are notable actors in the film, including Saoirse Ronan—from the 2016 Academy Award nominated Brooklyn—and Aidan Turner—best known as the dwarf Kili in The Hobbit trilogy. Chris O’Dowd—known for playing Irish cop Nathan Rhodes in Bridesmaids—and Jerome Flynn—known for his role in “Game of Thrones” as Bronn—are featured as well.

The film tells its story by recreating some of Van Gogh’s most well known works such as “Portrait of Dr. Gachet,” “Portrait of Joseph Roulin,” “Portrait of Adeline Ravoux” and “Portrait of Armand Roulin.” Drawn exclusively from 120 of Van Gogh’s paintings and over 800 of his letters to various family and friends, the plot “unfolds through interviews with the characters closest to Vincent and through dramatic reconstructions of the events leading up to his death.”

Essentially, the subjects of his paintings—as well as his family and friends—will be reading Van Gogh’s letters and talking to him, yet Van Gogh himself is unseen throughout; there is no actor portraying him. In order to effectively heighten the sense of mystery that surrounds his death, others speak his quotes. Van Gogh is a man whom many are familiar with, but few truly know.

The film is the brainchild of Polish painter and director Dorota Kobiela and Oscar-winning producer Hugh Welchman. Both wrote and directed the movie, as well as recruited artists and painters who worked with them via their website lovingvincent.com.

Though the film is being released this year, the project began back in 2011. The result of the five years of hard work is an innovative film that truly feels like a moving painting. The painters successfully recreated Van Gogh’s style; immediately recognizable to viewers with all of the bright colors and flowing lines.

Van Gogh’s signature wavy backgrounds that evoke so much movement—the ones seen in “Starry Night”—are actually moving in this film. Viewers also see characters in the moment that they were painted by Van Gogh. Unlike a regular film where the audience is a bystander and observer to the events happening on the screen, this film really achieves what all successful movies strive to do: make the audience feel as though they are experiencing the movie in real life.

This movie is the first of its kind and its artistic focus serves the platform well, but one can only hope that more fully painted animated films are to come. This style of moviemaking not only brings professional artists further into the world of media, but it also enriches its audience’s entertainment. At a time when there are only two basic types of movies—those that use live actors and those that are animated—and at a time when media is the primary form of entertainment, it’s vital that the fine arts world is further integrated into the movie industry.

The film’s title Loving Vincent is Van Gogh’s closing signature on one of his letters. The same letter, in fact, in which he reveals, “Well, the truth is, we cannot speak other than by our paintings.” And this is exactly what the film itself gracefully achieves.

Livingston shares story, advice for young writers

Milne Library and the Geneseo Literary Forum hosted author Sonja Livingston on March 7 for a reading of excerpts from her memoir Queen of the Fall: A Memoir of Girls and Goddesses. Livingston shared her own personal stories and offered thoughtful insight to the attendees about writing nonfiction and other genres. Livingston is a winner of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Book of Nonfiction Prize for her first book Ghostbread. Her writing has appeared in literary journals like Iowa Review and Brevity and she is also an assistant professor of English at the University of Memphis.

Queen of the Fall explores the lives of women from a range of generations and impersonal and personal experiences. Based on Livingston’s own memories, the stories help the reader to better understand women in all walks of life.

Livingston read an essay from Queen of the Fall titled “Mock Orange,” which is based on the story of her 16-year-old niece telling her that she is pregnant. In her essay, Livingston uses beautiful imagery of the mock orange shrub and a soft and caring attitude toward her niece during this turbulent time in her life.

Livingston’s creative nonfiction blended reality with art, specifically when she described her thoughts on meeting her niece after she received the news. “What will I see when I visit?” she wrote. “Will I be funny? My humor making little shelters in which to hide?” She later continued, “I cannot know how it will go, because I have not yet brought myself to see her and so this is the moment suspended—the space between imagination and reality.”

The author’s piece spoke on multiple levels, which is what made it so moving and relatable. It not only dealt with the problem at face value, but it also brought up ideas of the unknown, the path to maturity and familial relationships.

During the talkback after the reading, Livingston claimed that the main point in writing “Mock Orange” was to show that “children are gifts, no matter what.” She added, however, that there are more meanings to be derived from the work.

“By making myself continue and push beyond what I thought I needed to, I realized that maybe [“Mock Orange”] is about the grief of my not having children and just that complicated question of what it means to have a child,” she said.

Livingston is currently working on a novel and although she admitted that non-fiction is what she knows best and has more confidence in writing, she claims fiction is “fun in a different way.”

“[I’m] more comfortable with nonfiction, but I love trying my hand at fiction and poetry, and I think each genre offers opportunities,” she said.

Livingston also offered advice to writers wanting to try nonfiction. “My tip is to trust what you notice. Trust that [your idea] means something and trust in the process of writing to help you uncover what [the meaning] is, and if you approach it with that openness and honesty, you might even create ... an invitation to your readers to go on a similar kind of journey,” she said. “Trust yourself and what you care about, because that’s what matters.”

Hopefully, Livingston will continue to inspire readers and writers with her words of wisdom and emotional stories with her new fiction novel.

GENtrai honors Irish history in black comedy

Geneseo’s Irish-American Performance Ensemble—colloquially known as GENtrai—presented “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” from March 3–5. Directed by senior Dennis Caughlin, this is GENtrai’s first fully staged production.Martin McDonagh wrote the black comedy “The Lieutenant of Inishmore”—which received numerous awards—in 2001. The play is set in the popular tourist destination of Inishmore—the largest of the three Aran Islands in Galway Bay—and attracts its visitors primarily because the island successfully preserves Irish language and traditional culture and has avoided the encroachment of modernity. This play is historically-influenced; written as a protest through what McDonagh called a “pacifist rage” toward the senseless violence of the 30-year period called “The Troubles.” This period consisted of an ethno-nationalist conflict over territory in Northern Ireland in which two mutually exclusive visions of national identity and national belonging clashed. This period spanned from a civil rights protest in 1968 to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. By 1993, peace was being negotiated, but there were still republican paramilitary groups like the Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army which sought to liberate Northern Ireland from British occupation. Like its playwright, “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” is very unique in that it carries its message of protest against this violence in a story revolving around a murdered cat named Wee Thomas. In this performance, senior Paige Gordon narrated this story. In the first scene, 17-year-old Davey—played by sophomore Noah Mazer—brings a dead black cat to his neighbor, Donny—played by senior Michael Vecchio—who was watching the cat for his son Padraic—played by senior Aidan Fullerton. Davey insists that he didn’t kill the cat, even as Donny accuses him of hitting Wee Thomas with his mother’s bike. Upon learning that the cat was Padraic’s, Davey pleads with Donny to keep him uninvolved because Padraic was known to have a wild temper; in the following scene, he’s depicted torturing a man for selling marijuana. Donny agrees not to tell Padraic about Davey’s involvement if Davey confesses to killing Wee Thomas, which he does—even though it wasn’t true. Knowing the affection that Padraic holds for Wee Thomas, Donny decides to tell his son in stages. First, he tells him that the cat was sick and that the cat had died, rather than admitting that the cat had been murdered. But even simply telling Padraic that the cat was sick causes him to rush home. Donny then sends Davey on the hunt for another black cat and as Davey is preparing his mother’s bike, his sister Mairead—played by senior Lea Pandoliano—accuses him of killing Wee Thomas, with Davey learning that this rumor has spread. When Padraic returns home and realizes that the cat Donny and Davey tried to pass as Wee Thomas is an impostor posing as his now dead cat, he kills the replacement and prepares to kill his father and Davey, but other characters step in and take Padraic away to kill him instead In the final scene, Wee Thomas is found alive and Donny and Davey marvel at how four men and two cats were dead for no real reason at all. The GENtraí Ensemble performed their parts marvelously and their hard work certainly paid off. Their execution of dialogue in Irish accents aided their accurate depiction of Irish humor and—more importantly—the tension that exists between the two sides of the conflict, which inspired McDonagh to write this play.

Macklemore’s album haphazard, disappointing

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released their unforgettable, number one Billboard Hot 100 hit “Thrift Shop” over four years ago. Fast forward to 2016: when the hip-hop duo released their fourth album This Unruly Mess I’ve Made on Feb. 26. Among other notable artists, Ed Sheeran and Chance The Rapper are featured on this album.

“Thrift Shop” jumpstarted Macklemore and Lewis’ careers. With his succeeding albums, however, Macklemore proved to the world that he was not a one-hit wonder. The Heist was a hugely successful album with hits like “White Walls” and “Can’t Hold Us.” In contrast, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made turned out to be a complete flop.

“Try-hard” is the only phrase that can accurately describe this album. It’s apparent that Macklemore was merely trying to stay relevant after The Heist’s huge success—a plan that completely backfired.

Successful music reaches its listeners through its messages and artistic quality. In this album, however, the messages did not translate and the music was lost. At times, it felt as if Macklemore were talking in a conversational setting rather than rapping in a studio.

It’s tough to say which was worse: the music or the lyrics. “Downtown” raps about mopeds to the beat of funk music—a true tragedy of a song, in my opinion. The song itself is a gag inducing, peppy version of “Uptown Funk,” and it’s hard for me to see how this song could appeal to any demographic.

“Brad Pitt’s Cousin” was arguably the least understandable song on the album. In the song, Macklemore jokes that he’s Brad Pitt’s “ugly” cousin, calling out to all his “Angelinas.” What was supposed to be a lighthearted, funny song only worked to reveal Macklemore’s completely bizarre, unsympathetic sense of humor.

“Let’s Eat” is a track that centers on dieting, in which Macklemore raps, “My girl shaped like a bottle of Coke/ Me? I’m shaped like a bottle of nope.” This song was embarrassingly terrible, highlighting Macklemore’s declining songwriting abilities.

Lastly, “Buckshot” focuses on how Macklemore grew up in a poor and vandalized property with graffiti—a song which directly contradicts his persona. In “Buckshot,” Macklemore identifies with the poverty-stricken population that many rappers come from and use as inspiration in their music. In “White Privilege II,” though—and seemingly the rest of his music—he identifies with a more privileged population that has never had to overcome hardships. If a rapper does not know who they are, how is their music supposed to be understood, let alone appreciated?

In the past, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have been known for cleverly bringing social justice issues to light through their music, as seen in “Same Love” featuring Mary Lambert. “White Privilege II,” however, is just short of a disaster. Macklemore raps for nearly nine minutes about the different opinions surrounding the current racial climate, addressing issues from culturally appropriated rap to marching as a white man in Ferguson protests. 

“Black Lives Matter” is chanted throughout “White Privilege II,” along with people voicing their opinions about the movement. Miley Cyrus, Elvis Presley, Iggy Azalea and Mike Brown are all somehow mentioned in the same verse. While dissing other artists through a song is not a new phenomenon, it can be tasteless—especially when done in a song that deals with such heavy topics as the shooting of Michael Brown. The track comes off as tacky and Macklemore seems like another white male trying to convince others of his understanding of the black struggle.

This Unruly Mess I’ve Made was exactly what the title implies—a complete and utter mess. Connecting with listeners seemed to be the main struggle of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ album, with bad songwriting and poor musicality not helping their cause. While there may be a few tolerable songs off this album, overall, it gives white rap a bad name.

Visiting writer delivers poignant, authentic reading

Visiting writer Leslie Pietrzyk gave a reading filled with honesty and humor in Doty Recital Hall on Thursday Feb. 25. Pietrzyk read the chapter “A Quiz” from her latest novel This Angel on My Chest. Author of Pears on a Willow Tree and A Year and a Day, Pietrzyk is an experienced novelist full of enriching, captivating stories. This Angel on My Chest, however, was especially enthralling, holding the audience’s attention despite its melancholic content.

Winner of the 2015 Drue Heinz Literature Prize, This Angel on My Chest is inspired by the death of Pietrzyk’s first husband Rob, consisting of a series of short stories about widows experiencing grief and loss in different ways. After reading the book myself, I’m glad that Pietrzyk chose to read “A Quiz” because it is one of the lighter stories in the book—if that’s even possible in a novel about dealing with grief—and it takes on a more sarcastic, cynical look at losing a spouse.

“A Quiz” goes through seven different scenarios that a widow encounters, presenting the the reader with four choices about how the widow will react to each situation. The humor comes from the fact that the answer is always “D,” with the widow deadpanning to the person she is with in each situation with the line, “My husband died six months ago of a brain aneurism and he was only 42.”

What makes this humorous—definitely a darker form of humor—is how self-aware and conscious the narrator is of the fact that she is making people uncomfortable with her startling statements. Hearing Pietrzyk read this all aloud somehow only made the chapter funnier. As she read line after line, her sardonic attitude line brought the widow on the page alive and one could tell that Pietrzyk was speaking from experience.

Although This Angel on My Chest is fictional, Pietrzyk admitted that some of the situations in the novel come from experiences she faced after losing her husband. Interestingly enough, however, is that most of the stories in this book were written 14 years after his death. The only story in the novel that Pietrzyk wrote in the throes of grief was “10 Things,” which she noted as an outlier in the book.

My favorite aspect of this This Angel on My Chest was the blur between fiction and nonfiction. All of the stories are different, but each has a diverse tone and such intense details that I originally mistook the book for nonfiction.

During the talkback after the reading, Pietrzyk confessed that she knew it wouldn’t be easy to tell some of the stories because of how her friends and family might receive it, but she encouraged everyone there that if there is a story you feel the need to tell, then you should tell it, even if it might upset others.

Each story from This Angel on My Chest varies stylistically—there’s a quiz, a list, a YouTube video and even a lecture. With this novel, Pietrzyk took a unique spin on the frequently told stories of grief and loss. Pietrzyk has mastered her craft and developed an incredible series of stories that come together to form a must-read work.

I highly recommend reading This Angel on My Chest. Sure, it has some somber moments, but the humor behind many of the stories keeps it from becoming too heavy and depressing. I think that waiting 14 years to write these stories is how Pietrzyk was able to add the comedic undercurrents, as she is no longer in the same anguish that she was over a decade ago.

With midterms approaching, the semester is hectic and it’s hard to find time to read for pleasure. But with spring break nearing, it’s the perfect time to pick up This Angel on My Chest and unwind with a great and uniquely clever read.

Revamped Barbies show acceptance for all body types

The evolution of Barbie is here—and it’s about time. When I was little, I always knew Barbie as the tall, skinny, blue eyed, blonde-haired plastic doll that I loved to play with. Now, Barbie is going to come with different shapes, sizes, eye colors and hair colors. Known as the Barbie Fashionistas Dolls, these Barbies will come in four different body types, seven skin tones, 22 eye colors and 24 hairstyles. Now, kids of all different body types and races will be able to relate to these dolls that they use for imaginary escape.

Playing with Barbies was like flipping through a high-fashion magazine full of gorgeous, skinny, tall models. Though I loved Barbie, I certainly could never relate to her. I was short with brown, curly hair—basically the opposite of Barbie. And even though Barbie is an inanimate object, I admired her and wanted to be—and more specifically, look—like her. But it was impossible for me to suddenly grow into a taller girl and sprout long, blonde hair.

Kids who play with Barbies will be able to relate to these Fashionista Dolls more so than kids of my generation. In an age where you read articles about young kids being ashamed of their bodies and wishing they were 10 pounds lighter, Barbie is making a critical change at an important time.

Growing up in the digital age, kids are constantly influenced by what they see in the media and sometimes it’s hard for me to even believe that kids still play with Barbies when everything has become so technology-based. Time and time again, kids are shown what is considered to be beautiful through the narrow social constructs imposed by the media and this can lead to issues with self-esteem and body shaming.

Barbie, however, is stepping away from pushing only a singular idea of beauty onto kids. It’s vital for the younger generation to recognize that beauty comes in all forms and that accepting your body type is something to be proud of. It’s sickening that toys and the media teach girls and boys to be humiliated by their bodies and that these confidence issues are being perpetuated in kids at such early ages.

Some may argue that the creation of Barbie Fashionistas Dolls is misguided and that it’s purely stemmed from Mattel’s desire for a financial boost. While this may be true, there is no harm in these new Barbies—the ends justify the means. Encouraging kids to be proud of the bodies that they were born with is something to be applauded. It’ll be intriguing to see kids’ reactions to these new Barbies and how they influence their own self-images over time.

From a young age, kids are very impressionable. They’re taking in everything around them from the toys they play with to the programs they watch on television. Barbie Fashionistas Dolls could have the power to set a precedent for other children’s toys in protecting kids from body shaming. If other toys and television shows join Barbie in the quest to show acceptance of all body types and skin colors, then perhaps this would impede the growing trend of low self-confidence.

I’m impressed with Mattel’s decision to develop these new Barbie dolls and I hope that they can inspire a real change in kids that play with them. In fact, I wish they were around when I was a kid and I’m sure many of my childhood friends would agree with this sentiment.

“Grease: Live” lives up to expectations, incorporates modern flair

Fox aired “Grease: Live” on Monday Jan. 31 to an audience of 12.2 million viewers. I’ve been a fan of Grease since I was just three years old; needless to say, I was tremendously excited to see how this live show went. I was not disappointed. John Travolta was my first crush. I loved his swagger as Danny Zuko in the Grease film, as well as his believable dual personality and his good looks and charm. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Aaron Tveit would be portraying Zuko in “Grease: Live” because I was familiar with him as both a Broadway and television actor. I knew Tveit had the looks and pipes to represent this character, I just questioned his ability to portray the Zuko persona.

I would say that Tveit did Travolta justice in his portrayal of Zuko. He wasn’t quite as convincing as a bad boy type because Tveit is a bit softer in nature, but it’s no easy task living up to Travolta’s original portrayal.

Julianne Hough—who played the gentle Sandy in “Grease: Live”—was a perfect fit because she seamlessly emulated a combination of apprehension and purity. I was impressed by her vocals because I had never seen her sing before, but she is no match for Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy in the original Grease film.

Hough is best known for her ballroom dancing skills—her career took off as a professional dancer on “Dancing with the Stars.” Directors Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski did an excellent job incorporating her talent into this adaptation through an additional scene of Sandy nailing her cheerleader tryouts. This doesn’t happen in the movie—in fact, Sandy can barely do a cartwheel in the film—but it made sense to showcase Hough’s dance skills and to add a new flavor to Sandy’s character.

To me, Vanessa Hudgens stole the show in her portrayal of rebellious Rizzo. Hudgens wiped away my preconceived notions of her being a soft-spoken good girl based on her previous role in the High School Musical franchise. I had my doubts about Hudgens being able to represent a girl struggling to find herself while also acting like the leader of the Pink Ladies, but Hudgens surpassed my expectations. She was sassy and cool, all the while being fearful about the uncertainty of her future. Overall, I genuinely believed her character.

What was so impressive about Hudgens’ performance was the way she was able to nail it while dealing with a personal tragedy. Just hours before the show, Hudgens received the devastating news that her father had passed away after battling cancer. She performed the show in his honor and I feel that he would have been proud of her incredible performance.

“Grease: Live” was no easy show to execute. There were multiple stages—both indoor and outdoors—resulting in the cast having to take golf carts from stage to stage. Miraculously, the show went without any obvious glitches and the cast made smooth transitions from scene to scene.

The costume changes were impressive as well. Most notably, Marty’s transition from her nightgown to a fancy dress and back to her nightgown happened in only a matter of seconds in “Freddy My Love.”

The actors, stage crew and everyone else involved with the show were faced with a very difficult task in putting on “Grease: Live” and I think everyone collaborated to put on a wonderful live performance. I knew it was unrealistic to think that it would be identical to the Grease film, but my expectations remained high. I was definitely left feeling satisfied after watching “Grease: Live,” and if I’m being completely honest, there were even some tears shed as it brought me right back to my childhood.

“Making a Murderer” exposes unethical conduct within U.S. justice system

The Netflix original documentary “Making a Murderer” sparked considerable controversy after its release in December 2015. This series generated a lot of hype through both the Internet and traditional media. All over the country, people have been posting their own theories about the documentary, demanding justice for Steven Avery. “Making a Murderer” centers on Avery, a small town man from Manitowoc, Wisconsin. In 1985, Avery was wrongly convicted of sexually assaulting Penny Beerntsen, which resulted in his 18-year wrongful imprisonment. Fast-forward to 2003 when Avery is finally released from jail after new evidence led to the conviction of a different man responsible for assaulting Beerntsen; that’s where the documentary begins.

“Making a Murderer” follows Avery through a new case for which he is being tried. This time, he is accused of murdering Teresa Halbach, who disappeared after leaving Avery’s property. Watching this documentary is proof of how the United States’ justice system is riddled with corruption.

Avery is fortunate to have two incredibly honest and fair lawyers defending him in this trial, and they prove the prosecution wrong time and time again. Prosecutor Ken Kratz clearly has it out for Avery from day one. Watching Kratz speak so negatively against Avery can be frustrating at times, especially since all of the evidence that he presents to the jury is tainted. But with the entire Manitowoc County police department on his side, his confidence is steadfast throughout this case.

The drama continues when Avery’s 16-year-old nephew Brendan Dassey comes forward and confesses to accompanying Avery in murdering Halbach. Dassey is very impressionable and easily swayed by interrogators. Furthermore, Dassey struggles with learning disabilities and is only at a fourth grade reading level. It’s deplorable that the Manitowoc County neglected to take this important fact into consideration when using Dassey as a witness.

“Making a Murderer” is a fantastic representation of the supreme corruption that lies within the justice system. It’s difficult to even use the word “justice” after watching this documentary. The prosecution and the judge in Avery’s trial fail to recognize that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty, and Avery is never given the benefit of the doubt.

Avery’s lawyers Dean Strang and Jerry Buting are the shining lights in this series. Their knowledge is expansive and they are true professionals. They faithfully and—more importantly—rationally defend Avery.

The Avery family comes from a very simple, rural background. As the documentary proceeds, issues within the family are uncovered. Nevertheless, like Avery’s lawyers, Avery’s parents Allan and Dolores Avery unwaveringly stick by their son.

Regardless of the fact that Steven Avery faces a troublesome life, it’s heartwarming to see his parents support him unconditionally and illustrate their tight family bond. Issues with the law tend to tear families apart and it certainly does this to members of the Avery family. Steven Avery, however, is fortunate to have his parents trust in his innocence.

This documentary is full of cliffhangers and unexpected twists that keep the audience on their toes throughout the entire series. It’s hard not to empathize with Steven Avery, even though he is accused of such a heinous crime. His defense is resilient, which provides a glimmer of hope within the U.S. justice system.

“Making a Murderer” provides a thorough look into the corruption that lies within our courtrooms. “Innocent until proven guilty” doesn’t necessarily prevail and this documentary serves as an important window into the ramifications of being accused of a crime you did not commit.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Maggie Maloney

For junior chemistry and math double major Maggie Maloney, her interest in making music began with a sarcastic request from her parents. In 2012, she asked for a ukulele for Christmas because she knew it was an instrument that she could learn within an hour. Her wish was granted and her music career began. So far, Maloney has performed at coffee shops and open mics in different areas around Buffalo. Her workplace at home hosts “acoustic Wednesdays” and her boss insisted she play at one of these shows after learning to play the ukulele. This gig proved to be a perfect opportunity for Maloney. “I did the acoustic Wednesday and then I got picked up by LIPS Records after that,” she said.

After seeing Maloney perform and hearing her impressive chord progressions on the ukulele, head of LIPS Records—Jake Smolinski—immediately wanted to sign her to the label. Unfortunately, an over-protective boyfriend prevented her from signing right away and it wasn’t until after she broke it off with him that she joined LIPS Records to officially pursue music.

In January 2015, Maloney officially began recording with the label and she released her debut album in October titled Tribute. Maloney explained that her music falls in the genre of “twee.” Maloney explained twee as music that “sounds really, really happy but [has] a super-depressing undertone,” which is what she likes to emulate through her own sound.

“I like to see [music] as an outlet of all of the fucked up shit you think about when you’re alone and all that jazz,” she added.

Maloney named the twee band Heavenly as one of her musical inspirations, along with Smolinksi’s band Local Onlys. Local Onlys hails from Philadelphia and Maloney classifies them as “very garage-indie.”

Maloney cited Smolinski in particular as one of her greatest inspirations and musical influences, noting that she admires his versatile musical talent when it comes to instruments. “He plays guitar, drums, everything in the entire world,” she said. “You name the instrument, he probably knows how to play it. He’s one of those kids.”

Maloney’s musical taste is a quirky assortment. Besides Heavenly and Local Onlys, she is a fan of indie band Yellow Ostrich from Brooklyn, NY. Maloney also noted that she “really likes trap beats because they’re funny.”

What makes Maloney stand out among other artists is her unique voice and lyrical writing ability. “My buddies like to say that I’m able to portray a lot of emotion in really simple lines,” she said. This is certainly no easy task—many people struggle to describe their feelings using many words, much less a few lines. Maloney, however, manages to be both straightforward and poetic.

She explained that she has plans for more music. “I’ve been talking to my buddy Jake [Smolinski] … and I think we’re probably going to try to record an EP this winter break,” she said.

Be on the lookout for more music from Maloney—her whimsical talent is worth recognizing.

Music groups collaborate for vibrant oratorio

The Geneseo Symphony Orchestra, the Geneseo Festival Chorus and three soloists performed Joseph Haydn’s “The Creation” on Nov. 22 in the Wadsworth Auditorium. Music department chair and Festival Chorus director Gerard Floriano conducted both groups. The soloists were adjunct lecturer in music Amy Cochrane as soprano, Matthew Valverdo as tenor and Jorell Williams as baritone. “The Creation” is an oratorio—a lengthy composition based on a sacred text that gained popularity during the Baroque era. Together, the orchestra, chorus and soloists made the composition come alive through outstanding vocals and dramatic harmonies.

An oratorio is similar to an opera in that it uses characters, a storyline, an ensemble and a choir. It does not include acting, scenery or costumes, however. “The Creation” tells the story of the origin of the world as depicted in the Book of Genesis from the Bible. The three soloists represented the three archangels Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael. The first movement is the creation of the planets and the universe, the second movement is about the creation of animals, man and woman and the third movement tells the story of Adam and Eve.

The structure of Haydn’s oratorio consists of 13 short movements in the first part followed by 15 short movements in the second and third parts. Recitatives and arias alternated between the movements as well as the choral parts. Recitatives are spoken parts while arias are sung melodies that can be with or without orchestral accompaniment. With each recitative, a harpsichord was played to introduce it.

The soloists showed off a wide range of tones and sounds that they were able to create with just their voices. Cochrane shocked the audience with her ability to hit very high notes with incredible dexterity while Valverdo gave a stellar performance as a tenor. Lastly, Williams impressed the audience with his extremely low vocal tonal range.

The orchestra delivered a performance equivalent to that of the soloists. The orchestra played throughout almost the entirety of the composition, with short breaks during the solo parts.

Tone painting was utilized when the orchestra played. With that technique, the music coming from the orchestra itself depicts actions without words. “The Creation” uses a larger orchestra similar to the one used in the Classical era. The Classical orchestra had the typical setup of the string section but also included three flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons and two horns. In addition, a harpsichord was used during the performance for the recitatives.

Lastly, the chorus was given many major parts during the movements of the piece. Consisting of both men and women, the chorus would split between sopranos and baritones in a duet-like fashion. The chorus elevated the dramatic feel to the movements that were created by the soloists and orchestra.

“The Creation” was one of the two oratorios that Haydn wrote during his lifetime. It is a long and exhausting piece to perform, lasting over an hour and a half. Together, the Geneseo Symphony Orchestra, the Geneseo Festival Chorus and the three soloists delivered a flawless performance of a much-revered piece.