The Baruch College Department of Fine and Performing Arts returned to the Engelman Recital Hall for its semesterly “Baruch in Concert” series on Nov. 21. The series has featured the musical talents of CUNY students for over 25 years.
The show consisted of nine performances ranging from solos to ensembles, ballads to pop music, and the use of various instruments representing the diversity and talent of CUNY. The lineup for every concert is different each semester, with some students returning to perform for consecutive semesters.
“Anyone who would like to audition, typically can come audition in person or send us a link,” Abby Anderton, an associate professor of music in the Fine and Performing Arts Department, said. “And then the committee goes through and we select a wonderful lineup of participants, including everyone from classical musicians to hip hop artists, to jazz pianists, to singer-songwriters.”
Anderton expressed excitement about the variety of submissions and performers the department reviews every year, including students who are outside of the department.
“We really have students who have totally interesting, fascinating, diverse musical tastes,” Anderton said. “That’s been really fun to kind of watch that change and evolution.”
Students are welcome to show their skill through performing covers or original works. Half the program this semester consisted of original work.
“They’re not only musicians, but they’re also composers,” Anderton said. “This is kind of their life blood, their life work. We’re excited to have this platform for them that they can share.”
Jamel Hudson, a professor in the Communication Studies Department, opened the concert with a cover of “A Change is Gonna Come,” accompanied by Anderton on the piano. Hudson commanded the attention of the room through his deep vocals. It was hard to notice the presence of the microphone as the projection and strength of his voice filled the room.
Ryan Alwi, a Baruch senior studying public affairs, then took the stage to perform “Imperfect with Me,” playing the piano while singing. The song is an original piece dedicated to his grandfather, who he was unable to see before his passing due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“One of the things he always said to me is that it’s okay to make mistakes,” Alwi said in an interview with The Ticker. “I decided to make this song and perform it so that other people can get that message and maybe be inspired to not be afraid to just be themselves.”
This was Alwi’s third time performing at the semesterly concert. He chose the song because he wanted to perform a different, more upbeat genre compared to his past performances.
Warren Arthur then performed an original composition titled “Op. 1.” Arthur’s passion could be felt through the movements of his fingers on the piano keys.
Arthur’s performance was followed by Martina Tamayo, who performed an emotive cover of “Nina.” The song is a classical piece composed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi in the 18th century, according to Musopen. Tamayo sang completely in Italian, capturing the heartfelt longing of the song through her vocals.
Noah Tobing and the Indubitables took the stage to perform an original song titled “All These Days,” surprising the theater with a cover of “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez at the end of their performance. Tobing encouraged audience members to sing along.
The band, which formed recently in October, performed for the first time at the concert. Their name was only created on the day of registration by Tobing.
“We motivated each other to do things we never did before,” Amelia Marczenia, a freshman at LaGuardia Community College and pianist of the band, told The Ticker.
Marczenia and electric bassist Juanita Herrera, also a freshman at LaGuardia, said they felt supported performing on stage with their band.
Arvin Mehra performed an original song titled “Future Lover” while playing the acoustic guitar. Alex “NOAN” Delarosa then sang “Better Place,” an original song from his EP released this summer.
John Lim performed a cover of “6, 8, 12” by Brian McKnight. He jokingly dedicated the performance to single people who don’t have anyone to spend the holidays with this season, sparking laughter throughout the theater.
The concert was closed by Baruch’s Lexington Music, who performed an instrumental cover of “From the Start” by Laufey.
“If you think about the qualities you need in the business world to succeed, you need to be able to deliver under pressure, be well-spoken, need to be confident, and you need to be thinking of all the sides of your brain,” Anderton said. “I think those skills are definitely at play when you’re learning or performing music.”
Students and staff can look forward to the spring show of “Baruch in Concert.” Submissions and live auditions typically open the second month of each semester, according to Anderton.
Additional reporting by Sonia Kalo.
Editor’s Note: Sabrina Kippes, The Ticker’s anchor, was in the promotional video for the event. She had no involvement in the editorial process for this article.
