Music performance sophomore Tyler Bourque often finds himself overwhelmed with appreciation during LSU Symphony Orchestra rehearsals and performances.
The musicians’ countless hours of practice and dedication to learn more each day inspire Bourque to become a better member of the symphony, he said. Each player in the symphony is constantly looking out for each other and comes together to create a resonant sound.
Bourque has played the clarinet for five years, but he still doesn’t fully “know” music — his drive to continue learning is what keeps him going, he said.
“Music is all about experiencing something greater while offering life to something that has stood the test of time and is still beloved and performed,” Bourque said.
This appreciation of something greater is precisely why the Baton Rouge community and University students need to immerse themselves in one of the symphony’s performances, the Erath native said.
The symphony will perform tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the LSU Student Union Theater. The symphony will host two more concerts before the semester’s conclusion, with the last event being the Candlelight concert that includes the College of Music and Dramatic Arts’ chorale department.
Bourque urges the public to attend an event and explore a new avenue to hear music.
“Attending a performance almost places everything in your life on pause,” Bourque said. “All of the stress of living in today’s society immediately vanishes once the performance begins. All of your focus and energy goes into what the musicians in front of you are presenting.”
Tuesday’s performance, entitled “Women in Music,” featured songs by female composers. The symphony is under the direction of orchestra studies associate professor and maestro Carlos Riazuelo, who has been a guest conductor in 12 countries.
The color in the performances is challenging to describe, as it can only be felt by coming to a performance and witnessing it first hand, Bourque said.
With an impressive conductor in Riazuelo and passionate musicians like Borque, the LSU Symphony is bound to impress and move audience members in their many performances to come.