I wanted to comment on the BYU Synthesis concert that took place on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. Allow me to set the scene. Two professionals were flown out from New York to be featured as guest performers in the show, along with some of BYU’s greatest musical talent led by Ray Smith, who is a reputable jazz legend himself. Then these musicians put together some of the most beautiful and technical music in the world.
During their classy performance there were two less-than-classy incidents worth noting. First, there was the dance party in the other partition of the ballroom. Not only was the noise bleeding through the walls, but random bumps against the temporary wall threw off the groove of the music and performers. Now I understand it is difficult to schedule events, but when you bring big guns from the Big Apple, this is disrespectful and humiliating for both artist and listener.
Second, there was a group of several high school bands — about 75 people — within the first three rows of the stage. These groups got up in the middle of the show and left — a poor demonstration of etiquette by those who should have known better.
The result: Much of the fire and chemistry of the band fizzled out, as the performers grew weary from the distractions and tough crowd. I am not complaining that I did not get “my money’s worth,” but I am disappointed that we as BYU could not be decent hosts to such talent.
Nolan McCulloch
Provo
