Thursday Concert: Pierce Student Showcase

From classical music and original musical pieces to Lana Del Rey, the Pierce concert building was quickly changed tunes like a radio on Thursday Nov. 20.

Since Sep. 25 the music department has been putting on free concerts for anyone to attend.

Pierce musicians took to the stage for an exclusive student-body-only performance to display original pieces and covers for fellow peers and audience members.

Host and Associate Professor James Bergman explained to the crowd how the Pierce Student concerts are a staple in their semesterly line up.

“This is our whole mixed bag of Pierce students. Some have been here a number of times and a couple newbies, which is great,” Bergman said.

The first to perform was music major David Durrani who performed an original piece on the guitar titled “Lost.”

It was his sixth performance at Pierce and he described the feeling of performing for fellow students.

“I love it,” he said. “Its definitely a different feeling in the sense that you’re not performing for people that are expecting anything at school.  They don’t really know what to expect since most of them are required to come to the performances. I would say it’s not nervous, but a different feeling.”

Music major Maya Glasgow was next to take the stage and performed a cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Jeans.”

Glasgow, a first time performer at Pierce, thinks the Thursday Concert Series is a great opportunity for artists as well as students.

“I think it’s a good thing. Its better than not having them. It gives people an opportunity to play and others an  opportunity to listen,” Glasgow said.

As for performing in front of fellow students Glasgow said, “It’s more nerve racking for sure because if you mess up, you see them everyday.”

Halfway through the concert, singer Nusku Utley-Sanders, pianist Sean Boutte and bassist Akito Taylor performed an original song titled “Four Broken Strings.”

After the concert, Utley-Sanders expressed his mood when performing.

“I always enjoy the feeling of performing no matter where it’s at. I take every chance to meet new people. So as I’m singing a song I’m also talking to the people at the same time because there is a person behind the performance.”

Utley-Sanders, another first time performer at Pierce, shared his thoughts on the Thursday Concert Series.

“I think it’s great because for people that want to perform that can’t necessarily get a label to pay for a big performance, all they can do is dream  and they have to work really hard to even show people what they got. If I can get it easily at the school I go to everyday that’s great,” Utley-Sanders said.

The last Thursday concert will take place on Dec. 11, with pianist Andrew Brownell performing.