Green Machine Ensembles Showcase
6/25/2021
The Green Machine Ensembles Showcase is a year in review
Who are those masked artists? Batman? Canary? The Lone Rangers? D; none of the above. It’s our talented students and staff coming to you with the 2021 Green Machine Ensembles Showcase! Produced by Josh Cruse and mixed by GM alum Garrett Henkle under the supervision of Dr. Matt Deivendorf, Co-Producer Tina Telep does a brilliant job hosting and making solo narration to a camera magically not seem awkward, like when I do it.
We begin our groove by getting your blood pumping with a spirited performance from our Spirit Drumline under the direction of Professor Shane Nickels (Let’s Go Mason!). Then, we are magically whisked away to the National Monument for a moving commemoration of the attacks on September 11, 2001 with our Patriots Fife & Drum Corps. Under the direction of Prof. Nickels and Prof. Emily Barone, we are treated to a heartfelt rendition of “America the Beautiful.” Newly hooded Dr. Chris Troiano talks to us about the ensemble he founded, The 8th GM Regiment Band, and we get to experience a performance on period instruments.
At this point in the program, our attention turns to our competitive groups, having both faced the challenges of keeping their communities together and programming meaningful and highly exceptional artistry in a distanced, digital format for this season. Both the Mason World Winterguard, directed by Lindell Palmer and Dr. Carolyn Drislane and the GMU Indoor Drumline,directed by Dan Schack and Travis Peterman won awards for their breathtaking and truly outstanding performances this year. First we get to experience the Winterguard’s show, “In a Sentimental Mood,” featuring some world-class and deeply moving choreography bookended by some pretty amazing “Wizard of Oz” style technicolor moments. Then, we get to collectively watch in awe as the Drumline puts its emotive performance and technical prowess on full display in a two part, original composition called, “Close to the Sun.”
Reeling after all of those excellent performances, we get a minute to catch our breath with Dr. Michael “Doc Nix” Nickens as he talks about the year and what the future might hold for our ensembles. Celebrating Mason, the Green Machine and Emerald Desire Dancers perform “Onward to Victory!” or as some might call it, the GMU Fight Song. It’s clear from this video, compiled and edited by Andrew Montiero, that the pandemic didn’t take away our sense of spirit and joy in performing.
Next up, Bobby Lacy II’s group, the aptly-named Super Green Funk Machine grounds us and absolutely slays with a cover of John Mayer’s “Gravity.”
Bringing us home and closing out our showcase is an original song composed by Andrew Velez called “Homecoming” for our Dirty Gold Brass Band under the direction of Joe Antonucci. As we watch the credits roll under this fantastic performance and solos, the long list reminded us of how many talented people from all over collaborate to make the Green Machine Ensembles what they are - the best of what we all can be when we lift each other up and work together.
To watch the fabulous 2021 showcase, please click the link below: