AMBER MATTICE
Reverb Editor
After approximately 20 years of writing and planning, musician and former member of both the Moody Blues and Wings Denny Laine’s musical “Arctic Song” had its U.S. debut here on Fredonia’s campus.
The musical touches on issues of climate change through a fantastic story about an environmentalist and an extraterrestrial being.
There was a great deal of excited conversation being had as students, professors and community members made their way into Rosch Recital Hall on the night of Nov. 16. No one really knew what to expect of the performance due partially to the fact that it was premiering (though it had been done previously in the U.K.) and partially because there were several Fredonia students contributing to the final product.
The event illustrated the opportunities that are available to Fredonia students and the unique materials they are presented through the various programs. Students sang and performed alongside Laine onstage and worked to promote the premiere in the weeks beforehand.
“It was cool and fun working with a famous musician. An event this large shows that communication is really important so everyone is on the same page for everything so [that] everything goes smoothly,” said Valerie Bachowski, a sophomore music education major. “A lot of people put in a lot of work to make this event happen, and it was a great experience that I’m happy I was able to be a part of.”
“Arctic Song” is an iconic project that has had a great deal of work and revision put into it. The fact that students got to be on stage with as well known of an individual as Laine is certainly a unique experience.
“It was definitely interesting. He is a very talented person, and it was an honor to perform with him,” said Jonah Rosel, a junior music industry major.
The musical is composed of 16 songs that feature sounds from various cultures around the world, and the storytelling was told predominantly through the each piece as well as through a transition narrative done by Ron Pullman.
Each song had sounds that stood out to make each one very unique, and some even featured sounds such as rain on trees to correlate with the protagonists’ journey through the rain forest. Many students who performed had songs that stood out to them and became their favorites.
“My favorite song was ‘Precious Trees,’ so getting to sing that was probably the best part. It was really good,” said Gabby Carr, a senior music industry major who was a part of the choir on stage.
As the musical progressed, many members of the audience seemed to be enjoying it more and more, and by the last song, “Crystal Vision,” almost every audience member was clapping their hands along with the music.
At the end, everyone who performed came out on stage and thanked everyone for being part of the premiere. It was certainly evident that everyone who played any part in the musical was grateful and excited about the opportunity to finally reveal what had been years in the making.
It not only showcased a unique talent and an important message, but illustrated the hard work and dedication put into the arts by Fredonia’s students and community members alike.