Pierce College Music Department organized a “ASO Faculty Spotlight Concert” on Tuesday, March 4, in the Media Arts Performing Building. The students gathered to support their instructor’s performances.
ASO Concert Director Kevin Good started the concert by showcasing his drumming skills.
“My hope was that people would see the diversity within our department’s musical styles and types of music,” Good said. “I played some world music drum stuff, and then there were some various classical pieces, hoping that people see what our department is all about and our instructors.”
Michelle Do, staff accompanist and piano player, shared her hopes that her performance will gain reactions and evoke emotions in the audience.
“I want my audience to feel something. If it’s joy, or if it’s laughter, or if it’s sadness, or if it’s anger,” Do said. “And I want them to feel it to their fullest, without holding back.”
Applied Music instructor Ryan Espinosa, played clarinet and expressed the emotions he delivered to his audience through his music.
“The piece that I played was a work that the composer wrote towards the end of his life, he was very sardonic, kind of sarcastic, but with dark humor,” Espinosa said. “Playing the music today, I thought I tried my best to bring out the composer, both the sinister side of his writing and also the really happy and passionate side.”
Pierce student, Rhenar Boncato, shared the piece that moved them the most and their reason for attending the concert.
“Michelle’s piece at the very end. I think it’s very powerful to see her being able to take the whole room by herself as just a one-person act,” Boncato said. “I think it’s just really moving about specifically, her movements, how she can capture the whole audience in raw motion with no limits on it.”
Another Pierce College student, Darwin Manansala, enjoyed seeing the faculty members together on stage.
“I loved it, personally, it is very rare to see some of our vocals, our professors, and session instructors play on stage,” Manansala said. “I believe every musician deserves a chance to be on stage, and seeing them in their natural element is great.”
Pierce student Alexander Tholke shared their love for the flute performance.
“I have to say the flute piece by my music theory teacher. She is absolutely amazing,” Tholke said. “I love the flute as an instrument all on its own. It’s a beautiful sound to it.”
Good added how this concert contributed to the overall LACCD’s mission.
“I think building a sense of community, having this kind of weekly time that people can decompress or listen to music, achieve whatever they want with music,” Good said. “Overall, I think having a sense of place to gather on a consistent basis is a really nice way of building a sense of community both within Pierce and LACCD and also the kind of greater community around the Woodland Hills area.”
