Being part of a 14-piece pop-music ensemble requires a lot of collaboration. Instrumentalists and vocalists learn to communicate with one another while workshopping arrangements, experimenting creatively, and trying new things.听
It鈥檚 a dynamic learning environment that asks students to bring vulnerability, empathy, and mutual respect to the process.
While Dal鈥檚 Bachelor of Music is often thought of as a predominately classical program, the DalPop Ensemble, led by instructor Zoe Leger, has attracted a wide range of students from first to fourth year.听
鈥淭here鈥檚 no hiding in this kind of an ensemble,鈥� says Leger. 鈥淵es, there are a lot of people, but everyone has their own distinct part to play.鈥�
Shown left: Ensemble vocalist Ally Cribb.
DalPop Ensemble鈥檚 Unwritten: The Music that Wrote Us fills the Joseph Strug Concert Hall with a boatload of chords and earworm guitar riffs March 14, at 7:30 p.m.
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There's no I in ensemble
Being a Fountain School of Performing Arts ensemble member means exploring your individual passion while being immersed in group projects.听
Nic Redmond, freshly transplanted from the Nova Scotia Community College鈥檚 two-year advanced diploma in Music Arts, is a self-proclaimed 鈥渢hird year first year AV俱乐部 student.鈥澨�
Drummer Nic Redmond, left, and bassist Nyx Matheson.
Nic has played in rock, funk, and Latin jazz ensembles, but being in a pop ensemble that brings together a variety of instruments and vocals is different.听听
鈥淲e鈥檙e all fairly confident in our own instruments individually, but as the school year has gone on, we now trust in one another.鈥澨� says Nic, whose love of drums started with getting the Xbox 360鈥檚 Rock Band for Christmas in the late 2000s.
First-year Music student Nicole Anderson, who plays flute, piccolo, guitar 鈥� all self taught 鈥� and piano, lovingly accepts the role of 鈥渃hord monkey,鈥� providing clarity on timings and a strong pulse for the ensemble.听
鈥淲e have our percussionists like Nic who do a great job on the drums and keeping us on track,鈥� says Nicole. 鈥淏ut the singers especially, often look to the pianist or main guitarist for singing cues. We鈥檙e carrying most of the melody.鈥�
Nicole Anderson.
A set-list of guilty pleasures
While building the set list for their upcoming concert, Leger asked her pop students to suggest music connected to moments that inspired them to become artists. The exercise resulted in an eclectic mix that reflects the group鈥檚 broad-ranging influences.
Top 40 music is often dismissed as less significant, but its instantly recognizable riffs become the soundtrack to people鈥檚 lives. Growing up with it on heavy FM radio rotation, George Harrison鈥檚 Set on You is Nic鈥檚 guilty pleasure, which they enjoyed learning for the concert.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 such an infectious song, it may be one of my favourites.鈥澨�
Shown right: Guitarist June Davis.
Nicole enjoys performing the concert鈥檚 namesake, Natasha Bedingfield鈥檚 Unwritten, a fun, uplifting piece. But then there鈥檚 Kenny Loggins. Yes, the Footloose and Danger Zone guy.
鈥淜enny Loggins creates melodies and sounds that are very much of the time, like saxophone solos for no reason and great guitar licks,鈥� says Nicole. Whenever I call you a Friend, by Loggins and Stevie Nicks, challenges Nicole as the ensemble鈥檚 pianist with key changes and a 鈥渨hack ton of chords.鈥�
Playing the unwritten
Leger likes giving pop ensemble members as much creative control and autonomy as possible. While they are given sheet music, students are also doing a lot by ear.听
鈥淭he arrangement we decide on is seldom how it is originally written,鈥� says Leger. 鈥淭hey have to learn how to listen to each other, and how to improvise.鈥澨�
Some have more experience doing this than others.
Shown left: Vocalist Keira Tomietto.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a joke amongst drummers that nobody knows how to write drum parts. We don鈥檛 do a lot of reading music,鈥� says Nic. 鈥淲e may be following along with a lead sheet that has a piano melody and bass part, but we鈥檙e also picking up songs on the fly.鈥澨�
Leger tells students that being a working musician means being a good reader, having a good ear, and really knowing your theory.听
鈥淲hen you are playing this kind of music at a high level, you鈥檙e not just a pop performer, you鈥檙e an arranger,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e composing on the spot.鈥澨�
Zoe Leger, DalPop Ensemble leader.