arts // no. 8

 

The backstage takes centre stage

> Music Technology grads present work in portfolio show

 

Caroline Ho
Arts Editor

 

tudents of the new Music Technology

Diploma Program showed off their
specialized skills at the Current Sound
Waves VI concert this past Thursday.

Being the first year that the Music
Department has offered this two-
year diploma instead of the one-year
certificate, a few students of this year’s
graduating class have returned to Douglas
after years away. A lot of these musicians
are already working professionally in
Vancouver’s music scene as artists,
producers, and sound engineers.

In the hours before the concert, the
graduates held a portfolio show outside
the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts
Theatre, where attendees could meet the
students and experience some samples
of their work. Some had audio clips of
songs or albums to show off or music
programs to demonstrates, and all were
very willing to engage with visitors.

The concert itself began at 7:30

p-m., featuring live performances by
Douglas College’s four Fusion Bands
along with recorded compositions by
MTD students. The opening act of
the night was by the first stylistically-
diverse Fusion Band. To this listener, the
ensemble sounded like a mix of jazz, ska,
R&B, pop, and other elements. Whatever
the genre, it was certainly an effective
combination of musicians, particularly
their rendition of “Careless Whisper.”
The concert then showcased a
few original recorded compositions by
students. As MTD program coordinator
Blair Fisher explained, students in
both their first and second year of the
program produced many excellent
works over the past two semesters, far
too many to fit into a single concert. To
pick the pieces presented on Thursday
night, an anonymous list of works was
sent to the faculty, who chose six of the
best pieces to feature in the show.

The first three of these selected works

were audio recordings unaccompanied
by visuals. Even without anything to
look at, it was an engaging experience—

the audience was able to sit back and
appreciate the pulsing bass, the layers of
rhythm and harmony, the expertly-woven
effects, and the high-quality production of
the three works as they filled the theatre.

Next up was the Fusion Pop Band,
featuring a lineup of vocals, guitars, bass,
keys, and percussion. The ensemble
played a mixture of popular pieces like
Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die”
and the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams.”
The band also got to show off the fun
side of sound effects with Tenacious D’s
“Tribute,” and “The Greatest Song in
the World”—demon voice included.

After an intermission, Fisher
announced the recipients of the two
Long & McQuade Student Recognition
Awards, given to one first-year and
one second-year MTD student for
their outstanding musicianship.

Then came a performance by
another ensemble, the Classic Rock
Fusion Band. The group was less
varied in genre, but certainly no less
professional in sound quality and
showmanship, and the audience got to

theotherpress.ca

rock along with familiar hits by artists
like the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

The stage was next handed over
to three more student projects, which
were original recordings accompanied
by visuals. First was a lyric music
video for a song completely composed,
written, produced, and mixed by MTD
students. Then the audience heard two
film scores for trailers of the movies
Man of Steel and Miss Peregrine’s
Home for Peculiar Children. With
the meticulous synchronization of
audio and video, the trailers created
an epic cinematic experience.

Finally, the aptly-named Fusion
Rock/R&B/Pop Band gave the fourth
live performance of the night.

The group filled the theatre with
a masterful blend of genres and a
palpable level of musical passion.

Even though the Music Technology
Diploma is new, this year’s crop of
graduates seems already jam-packed
with musicality and professionalism, a
trend bound to continue in future years.

Chairman of the board: How to get a head

> ‘Guillotine’ board game review

Ed Appleby
Illustrator

 

Ve la révolution! What better way
to celebrate a great nation winning
independence than by lopping off the
heads of anyone who'd ever wronged you?
Guillotine (1998) is a thematic
hand management game for two to five
players, designed by Paul Peterson, and
most recently published by Wizards
of the Coast. In the game, cards with
various people are lined up before the
guillotine. Each character has a different
point value, faction, and special effect.
On a player’s turn, they can play cards
from their hand to affect the lineup, and
then claim the character card next to
the guillotine. The player with the most
points at the end of the game wins.

Guillotine mitigates its morbid
themes though humour. Illustrations are
very approachable and funny, and the
actions cards tell a story of the ill-fated
proletarians trying desperately to delay
their fate. This theme caries over into the
gameplay, as players are not just trying to

score points but also actively interfere with

other players’ strategies. I did find that
sometimes the winner was all but decided
as the game came to a close, which can
cause the last few rounds to be pointless
or cause players to end the game early.

I found Guillotine to be a fun and
highly competitive game, but with a
short play time and simple rules. The
humour of the game can take some of
the harshness out of the competitive
aspect, which can plague some other
games. This makes it ideal for players
without a lot of experience or a desire
for longer or more in-depth games.

 

Photo by Caroline Ho

Illustration by Ed Appleby