Voices in Brass; Blog #3: Live reaction to Khirkiyaan: Three Transformations for Brass Quintet (2017) – Reena Esmail
Khirkiyaan: Three Transformations for Brass Quintet (2017) – Reena Esmail
Today, I’m doing a live reaction post based on our class listening project. Of all the pieces we listened to, this one stood out the most. The performance features Watson Brass, the faculty brass quintet from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts—where I initially began graduate school before transferring to the University of Iowa.
Instead of my usual post analyzing the piece and highlighting the role of a single instrument, I want to focus on the recording quality and videography.
Audio Quality
The sound quality in this recording is exceptional. It was filmed in Watson Hall, a beautifully designed recital space with incredible acoustics. Having worked in the hall’s audio/video recording booth and performed two recitals and a chamber concert there, I can confidently say it remains one of my favorite venues. Beyond the natural acoustics, it's clear that the audio was professionally mixed and mastered post-recording. There are one or two moments where the trumpet valves don’t perfectly align with the audio, but overall, the production is top-tier.
Video Production
The video quality is equally impressive. It’s evident that a professional handled the filming, with camera angles thoughtfully chosen to highlight each instrument when its voice was most prominent. The variety of shots and seamless transitions create a polished and immersive viewing experience. The cameras were unobtrusive, allowing the musicians to perform naturally without distraction.
Musical Performance
Beyond the technical aspects of the recording, the musicianship is outstanding. Each performer is a highly accomplished musician with extensive careers outside of their teaching roles. The quintet features:
- Trumpets: Dave Dash & Mary Elizabeth Bowden
- Horn: Dr. Maria Serkin
- Trombone: Dr. John Ilika
- Tuba: Seth Horner
I highly recommend looking into their individual careers—they are not only phenomenal players but also incredible people and educators.
This performance of Khirkiyaan is an excellent example of both musical and production excellence, and I’m glad to have revisited it for this post.
I also posted a blog post on this piece, it is such an interesting piece. I had the opportunity to perform this piece last year, and it required a lot of coordination and outside practice with a metronome. I love your video and audio analysis as well as the musical analysis. Thanks Robert!
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering what inspired them to invest this much money into a recording of this piece. Out of all the pieces they could play, why this one, and why in this format? Undoubtedly, this cost a pretty penny and funding for projects such as these is already difficult to come by. I appreciated your analysis of each individual element!
ReplyDelete