Moorpark College Orchestra & Jazz Ensemble
Moorpark College Performing Arts Center
December 2, 2023, 7pm
Ask Moorpark College adjunct music instructor Brendan McMullin about his upcoming program ‘Harmonious Journeys’ and he quotes Albert Einstein.
“A calm and modest life,” McMullin read from his phone, “brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.”
McMullin then calmly and modestly went on to tell of the mission of ‘Harmonious Journeys,’ the December 2nd show at Moorpark College’s Performing Arts Center. McMullin and the school’s Jazz Ensemble will present an eclectic slate of tunes from the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, along with selections from Aaron Copeland and ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’
When McMullin talked recently in Moorpark College’s instrumental rehearsal room, he described the unique juggling act of unifying his students for this year’s performance.
“I’m getting students now that graduated middle school online. I’m starting to get students that were never in a classroom when they started their instrument, or didn’t have that opportunity. So it’s not so much the ability to play as it is the ability to play together. To connect with other people.”
“There’s a natural sense of competition thru middle school, high school, even college,” McMullin said. “What I’m trying to do here is make it so it’s not about competition but about the experience. I don’t audition for chairs. Performing arts is diplomacy: you’re forced to listen to people, express emotions without being insulting. And music’s been the bridge.”
The collaborative experience of the Jazz Ensemble, McMullin said, contains lessons worthy of a lifetime.
“There are certain skills you learn with the performing arts, not just music but also theatre, life skills you can’t learn out of a textbook. The ability to self-reflect is not a natural skill. Playing music develops spatial-temporal reasoning. The ability to visualize complex math problems. It helps with poise and charisma and the ability to connect with people. The whole point of playing together is to connect. If you’re not connecting then you become that speed bump rather than the one that contributes. We have to actively hear each other.”
“I’m training working-level musicians,” McMullin said. “If you become a superstar, you’ve hit a lottery. Kenny G is an anomaly. David Sanborn. But if your goal is to be a working musician, your goal is to make yourself marketable. You’ve gotta take business classes, because you are your product. Being able to network, talk to people, all that – you can practice it like you practice your instrument. By having to be more proactive, a lot of musicians end up becoming business owners.”
How do these future leaders approach the ‘Harmonious Journeys’ performance?
“Our job is to sell an audience on the experience,” McMullin said. “To the point of where they’re going to want to pay money to come see us again. And tell their friends. The goal as a musician is to make other people feel better about themselves, having experienced something with you.”
McMullin and his students first had to collaborate and choose an eclectic mix of tunes for the weekend’s ‘Harmonious Melodies’ performance.
“All the pieces had to fit a theme,” McMullin said, “specifically that they’re American music that lends itself to a jazz ensemble. Blood Sweat and Tears were more mainstream, but they were heavily influenced by jazz. The music is generally a little more sophisticated than your typical pop. There’s improvised jazz solos. There’s changes in style within a tune. The harmony is a little more colorful. It’s more about arc and telling a story as opposed to a lot of repetition. In jazz, there’s a ton of subtlety. More is required if the audience. Jazz is a small community, but they live the life.”
McMullin had to finesse the tunes a little to make the parts fit. “The Blood Sweat and Tears music was not written for jazz big band. They had like four horn players. So I had to take it and rewrite it, expand it for the full band. I think it adds an extra level of energy. ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ is mainstream Broadway. It’s very tragic but there’s a lot of story behind it. In my opinion, it’s one of the most incredible musicals out there, along with ‘West Side Story.’”
McMullin hopes that audiences will take away something unique from the Jazz Ensemble’s performance this weekend.
“Having an experience that makes them feel better about themselves, having participated, getting to know people you wouldn’t otherwise get to know. Be inspired, be moved to where they want to come back and see more.”
Does he think a little jazz can help heal the world?
“Things by far are not perfect right now,” McMullin said, “but progress is being made. And that’s what jazz is – the imperfect notes blending in.”
HARMONIOUS JOURNEYS
December 2nd, 2023
Moorpark College Performing Arts Center
Moorpark, CA
Tickets: $20 adults, $15 for students and seniors
For more information and to make reservations: https://facebook.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=546d4ac269b670ed2af1b85c6&id=d564f6cb34&e=c201b3f27d
