By Sarah Daniels, Contributing Writer
On Friday, Majestic Theater, in conjunction with the Sunderman Conservatory of Music, hosted the musical group Time for Three at 8 p.m. Tickets were free due to an endowment from the Conservatory that aimed at bringing fine art experiences to the community of Gettysburg College and surrounding areas.
(Photo Sofia Gutierrez/The Gettysburgian)
The trio includes Charles Yang, Nicolas Kendall and Ranaan Meyer. Yang and Kendall are violin players, while Meyer expertly plays the double bass. Kendall gave insight into the origin of the trio.
“We were just three guys who were doing something really different than the rest of the student body,” Kendall said. “We were the only ones improvising and using all these different genres.”
This trio has gone on to work with renowned record label Deutsche Grammophon, Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
“It’s our air that we breathe,” Yang said. “It’s community, and it’s also exploration for us.”
Most recently, the trio won two Grammys: one for Best Classical Instrumental Solo and another for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Other than Nicolas Kendall, who had a brief high school field trip to the battlefield, this is their first visit to Gettysburg.
Before the performance, Time for Three offered an improvisation workshop for any interested Conservatory student, instrumental and vocal alike.
As the concert began, Time for Three captured the audience’s attention with some songs from their recently released album “Time for Three,” including “Deanne” and “Vertigo.” They continued with “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” which involved the audience singing alongside Yang.
“Jackrabbit” and “Banjo Love” followed and were both original, fast paced songs. Next, they sang an unrecorded song, “Learn to Love,” and, for the finale, the group performed “Chaconne In Winter,” an eight minute long classical piece.
Students join Time for Three on stage. (Photo Sofia Gutierrez/The Gettysburgian)
An encore then began with the participation of students. The Gettysburg choral group that participated in the workshop began singing “Joy,” a Time for Three original. The students stood from their chairs in the audience and walked up to the stage. Student musicians joined them as well.
“We had to blend as a group,” choral group member MJ Johanson ’27 said. “We learned that really fast.”
Riley Dunbar ’27 participated in the workshop as a violinist.
“They just let everyone do something different,” Dunbar said. “It was incredible, and we built on the music they had already made. Music doesn’t have to be serious all the time, you can still make incredible music with incredible musicians.”
After the show, Time for Three greeted people from the audience and signed CD’s and other items.
“I can see why it’s Grammy award winning,” audience member Marcy Zimmer ’27 said. “They managed to grab your attention for every single song continuously. I was absolutely in awe.”
