Second Annual UCSB Music Festival Showcases Student Talent

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Jack Shea
Staff Writer

Last weekend, University of California, Santa Barbara hosted its second annual UCSB Music Festival, a vibrant three-day event sprawled out across campus. The festival, which was a collaboration between UCSB’s Music Department, Office of Summer Sessions, Art, Design, and Architecture Museum, MultiCultural Center, and College of Creative Studies, provided attendees with diverse sonic offerings, courtesy of UCSB’s graduate and undergraduate departments and visiting scholars.

With stages at Karl Geiringer Hall, the CCS Old Little Theater, and the MultiCultural Center, the performances entertained guests while promoting a new understanding of art in all of its forms. Festival organizers created a platform to showcase the music department’s talents while building a stronger, more inclusive community via acts from across the global spectrum. Some artists chose to perform traditional Irish music, Arabic standards, and synthesized classical works, while others presented original pieces.

UCSB’s eclectic mix of artists generated a thrilling experience for festival-goers. Graduate composers Marc Evans, Federico Llach, and Mason Hock performed new music. UCSB alumnus Jonathan Morgan played viola and electronics works that enchanted listeners.

A designated children’s festival allowed young guests to meet artists. The opportunity gave guests the chance to see first-hand how musicians craft their art.

The weekend came to a close in the Music Building courtyard with a performance by LA-based act Aperture Duo, accompanied by drummer Ziyad Marcus. The group played upbeat pieces that drew from an array of genres, including classical, folk, and pop. Aperture Duo’s violin and viola blend filled the courtyard with energy, as though it were a ball. The duo’s sounds was a sweet compliment to children’s laughter and lively drumming by Ziyad.

Overall, the festival strengthened UCSB’s ties to music and culture both near and far, giving listeners a compelling reason to look forward to what the Music Department has in store for the rest of this season.