The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Friday, December 5, 2014 - 7A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, December 5, 2D14 - 7A
UMMA to present
'Over the Line'
Collaboration with
SMT&D showcases
saxophone talent
By KATHLEEN DAVIS
DailyArts Writer
There's an instrument that
transcends the line between clas-
sical and jazz,
old and new, fl th
that can elicit
deep passion Line
or a sooth-
ing backdrop UMMA
to a situa- Friday, Dec. 6
tion. It's been 1-4 p.m.
featured in Free
hit songs
in genres from blues to rock 'n'
roll, and it's been caricatured as
overly sensual by a shirtless Jon
Hamm in an SNL Digital Short.
I'm describing the saxophone,
the instrument that'll be featured
prominently in Saturday's instal-
lation concert "Over the Line," a
collaboration between the Uni-
versity's School of Music, Theatre
and Dance and the University of
MichiganMuseumofArt.
The sixth annual installation
concert highlights four student-
composed pieces, which will be
performed by SMTD students
in the galleries of UMMA. Each
piece was composed with both
the acoustic properties of the
saxophone and the artistic venue
in mind, to compliment the per-
formance space as well as to offer
the audience an interdisciplinary
museum experience.
Lisa Borgsdorf, Manager of
Public Programs at UMMA, is
excited about the opportunity for
music students to expand their
creative process outside the class-
roomin this showcase.
"We're giving students a space
to step outside the traditional
ways they might be working in a
studio practice, and instead work-
ing towards a public performance
in a museum setting, which is out-
side the norm for performances,"
Borgsdorf said.
Making the saxophone the
center of "Over the Line" was a
choice influenced by several fac-
tors. The installation concert
marks the 200th anniversary of
the invention of the saxophone, by
the eponymous Adolphe Sax, as
well as honoring the retirement of
Donald Sinta, Professor of Saxo-
phone in SMTD, who is one of the
world'stop classical performers of
the instrument as well as a much
loved University professor.
"Also, the saxophone just
sounds really awesome in the
museum spaces," Borgsdorf said
with a smile.
UMMA and SMTD have along-
standing collaboration, with the
most recent student performanc-
es developing out of UMMA's
2006-2009 renovations, which
consequently gave more space in
which to experiment with outside
collaborators.
"One of the strategies for how
we would enliven this new space
was to work in partnerships with
a number of different depart-
ments and organizations on cam-
pus to create programming for
the museum," Bergsdorf said.
This plan has been successful in
organizing unique performance
content in UMMA, like 'Over the
Line."'
"Over the Line" is unique in
several ways, one of the reasons
being that the installation concert
is one of the only performances
UMMA holds during museum
hours, rather than after closing
like most are. The structure of
"Over the Line" is also non-linear,
and audiences are urged to come
any time during the performance
and to explore the different gal-
leries and student performers in
whichever order they wish.
"This is just a completely dif-
ferent way to experience the gal-
leries," Borgsdorf said. "Being in
a gallery where the music is being
played in complete response to a
work of art changes the way you
interact with the art. (Over the
Line) opens up new possibilities
for how a person might connect
to the art, and it's pretty awesome
to celebrate the talents that these
students have, both the perform-
ers and the composers, and give
them a showcase to experiment
with."
A touching moment from the fifth season of NeC's "Parenthood."
The importance of
Max Braverman
ByALEXINTNER discovery of his disability
DailyArts Writer after overhearing an argument
between Adam and his brother,
There's a lot to love about to managing the complexities
"Parenthood." Nearly every of his education. He attended
character and storyline are several schools during the
gems that make me both smile show's run, including schools
and cry. However, the stories for children with special
surrounding Max Braverman needs, mainstream middle
stick out as the most important schools and, most recently, his
for me. No other show portrays parents's specialty school.
the difficulties of raising a child The most poignant example
with special needs this directly of this came in the fifth season
and effectively. I've never seen episode "The Offer." Adam
anything else that captures the and Kristina had just picked
range of emotions so vividly up Max from an overnight
and accurately. As the show field trip after he asked to. go
tracks Max's parents's journey home. The scene begins with
through, well, parenthood, Max asking Adam and Kristina
so many moments resonate why the other kids hate him,
with me, because my parents eventually revealing that one
have gone through similar of the boys peed in his canteen
challenges in raising my sister. because he was a "weirdo-
In the first episode, freak." He talked about how the
Adam Braverman and his other children make fun of him
wife Kristina receive the because he's different, saying
diagnosis that their son, Max, how he doesn't understand why
has Asperger's Syndrome, a they are making fun of him. All
form of autism. Through six Adam and Kristina can do is try
seasons, the program followed to comfort him.
the family as they deal with I cried when I first watched
adjusting their lives after the that scene. From Adam's first
diagnosis. Adam and Kristina reaction to the other kid's
coped with everything awful act - "I'm gonna kill
from Max's difficult self- him" - to Kristina climbing
into the back seat to hug her
son, these are emotions that
resonated so strongly because
they came from such a real
place. That scene represents
the combination of the
Braverman's anger at anyone
who would hurt their son and
their sense of helplessness"
because they weren't there to
protect him from those kids. I
identified with these feelings so
strongly because that's exactly
how I would feel if someone
were to hurt my sister in that
way, and the show portrayed
them with such frankness and
authenticity.
In the end, that's why I'll
miss "Parenthood." The series
has told so many beautiful
stories over the years with all
of its characters. However,
in Max, Adam and Kristina,
there are three characters
whose journey I've particularly
identified with, To have such a
truthful and sincere portrayal
of a character with a disability
and the challenges that he and
his parents faceis something
that I'll never forget when this
show ends, and I'll be grateful
to have had the opportunity to
watch.
COLUMBIA
I gotta moisturize these hands.
How to judge an
actor's performance
A millennial's ode
to YouTube videos
By MAYANK MATHUR
DailyArts Writer
I've been a fan of awards
shows for as long as I can
remember. Even as a little kid I
enjoyed the self-congratulation
bonanzas an unreasonable
amount. To be fair, the only
awards shows I used to watch
as a kid were Bollywood ones
and let's face it - there's way
too much going on there for
people to focus on insignificant
things like actually handing
out awards for cinematic
achievement. There's an insane
amount of song and dance, just
the right amount of controversy
and an unhealthy number
of actors making painfully
awkward jokes during the
ceremony. Rewarding the
people involved in film seems
almost incidental to the entire
process.
It was only when I got older,
invested more time in film and,
most importantly, began to
watch movies from the West,
did I begin to appreciate award
shows for what they were ...
or what they could be. There's
something about Western
awards shows that oozes class.
It seems to me like everyone
cares about the pageantry
and everything is done in
earnest. I've wasted hours on
end on YouTube on the official
"Oscars" channel, looking up
clips from award ceremonies
through the years.
It was a lot of fun while it
lasted.
Despite the fun I used to
have while watching these
awards, I could never really
shakei
ultimat
especia
"Best A
awards
about t
others
that sto
event.I
whole:
that yc
perforn
actress
in diff
the ye
purpos
Pe
sho
Wha
literally
to be s
best act
be judg
to play
far the
person
mighti
play fo
because
are. Sor
go to g
portray
perhaps
acting c
Thou
perform
year, it
judge
period
the feeling that it was actors to experiment with
ely pretty pointless, roles and explore their ranges,
lly when it came to the bringing in the element of
ctor" and "Best Actress" versatility. Versatility is the
I only really cared defining element of a great
he acting awards - the actor. Because judging single
were just distractions performances is inherently
od in the way of the main subjective, it only makes sense
fell out of love with the to judge actors over a period of
process when I realized time at how convincing they are
u can't really rank the in different roles.
mances of actors and Two actors that continue to
es across different roles impress me for this reason are
erent films throughout Jessica Chastain and Christian
ar - the fundamental Bale. Each of them are eye-
e of awards shows. catching in very different roles,
movies and situations. Whether
she's playing a CIA intelligence
analyst (Zero Dark Thirty),
rformanCes a fun-loving girl who turns
S versatility suicidal (The Disappearance of
Eleanor Rigby) or a frustrated
with age. daughter pining for the return
of her father (Interstellar), her
performances are striking in
their ability to convince that
she is actually that character.
t is acting? Taken Christian Bale is a complete
y, it's basically trying wizard when it comes to this,
omeone you're not. The as can be seen by the variety
ting performance has to of his performances. Granted,
ed on how difficult it is the roles are almost always
the character, or how dramatic in nature, but no one
character is from the can deny his ability to pull off
playing it. Some roles anything thrown at him.
inherently be easier to Ultimately, this all
r some people, simply comes down to the fact that
e it's closer to who they individual performances show
me people might have to signs of a talented actor, but
reat lengths to skillfully performances analyzed over
their character ... time show proof of versatility;
s this is where method the latter is the more important
omes in? when actually judging
gh it's hard to judge performances. Question is -
nances in a single according to this logic, if you
's easier to dissect and choose to accept it - how many
performances over a legitimately great actors are out
of time. Time allows there?
ByKAREN HUA year, Grace Helbig three years
DailyArts Writer ago and NigaHiga seven whole
years ago. I have watched some
Exactly 330 days before content creators from the time
Playlist Live, my freshman their videos were still grainy
year roommate and I jittered and their viewer count only
the ants out of our pants as held four places. I followed
we obsessively refreshed our as their fetus faces gradually,
browsers to snatch the first matured, as their budding
pre-sale tickets. We were channels gradually surpassed
college students - "adults" milestones of quality and
- but we allowed ourselves a quantity.
minute of tween squeals and Some of them are now
fangirl spasms. The prospect of household names and regularly
Playlist became our pick-me-up appear on television. Seeing
for the rest of the year. their success grow from
Essentially, Playlist Live Tri- the roots up is incredibly
State is a three day convention rewarding, even if I have no
in Secaucus, New Jersey. The stake in it. I still can't quite
event invites YouTubers, web understand how I can feel so
filmmakers, bloggers and invested in people I never met
other online content creators until last weekend. However,
to mingle among a community seeing their faces every single
of other media enthusiasts. week for years - watching them.
There were open dialogues speak passionately and believe
about finding individual whole-heartedly in their work
artistic passion, seminars on - their dedication is nothing
how to become involved in the but admirable.
industry without a "new media After years of watching the
major," and panels discussing same YouTube characters, they
the responsibility to raise have simply become friends
awareness and incite social I have never met. I sit alone
change on this platform. with my laptop in my bedroom,
Playlist proved firsthand with voices seemingly aimed
how YouTube and filmed solely toward me - I feel a
content have evolved so far connection even with a lacking
beyond cat and prank videos. physical aspect. However,
People can now make a living by the personalities I grow close
sharing their creativity online. to are still barricaded by an
YouTube has become an open impossibly impenetrable
stage for aspiring comedians, screen. Online, connections are
an accessible venue for not-yet- forever one-sided - they feature
rockstars, and a mic for anyone my reactions to people in a
to voice social activism. People video who cannot reciprocate
develop personalities onscreen expressions. At Playlist though,
and some even amass massive these bonds came to life.
followings. Relationships become concrete,
I discovered Andrew Lowe and connection is immediate.
last week, Troye Sivan this past Back in high school, I
raced home from school to
reunite with familiar faces
onscreen. When AP exams
and college applications blew
a storm over my life - when
everything became depressing
and overwhelming - YouTube
became my refuge. I was a
teenager too anxious to find
alternatives to drama at school,
too eager to immerse myself
in a community that didn't
include people I saw every day
since elementary school.
. Looking back, my love for
YouTube feels lame to admit,
but I can honestly say not
much has changed now. I still
retreat to videos for comfort -
for study breaks that keep me
sane. YouTube grounded me
from imploding in high school,
and it has since bonded me
with my best friend in college.
Most importantly, it remains
a source of a guaranteed smile
every time I hit play.
For a weekend, an entire
expo center all knew the words
to "Happy Little Pill" and
belted it together. For once, I
didn't cowl in judgment when
I pointed my own camera
at myself. Selfies were not
shameful and vlogging was
not considered strange. We
all understood the value of
capturing every moment. It
was a widespread FOMO that
didn't feel so lonesome.
At Playlist, we blurred
the lines between content
consumers and content
creators. Regardless of
"fame," age, gender, race or
any other identity - we found
a simple common ground: an
enthusiasm for new media that
is rapidly expanding our world.