Humor will not be tolerated!! -Portia

Have any of you attended your college's convocation services? What were they like? Specifically, what type of musical numbers did they have?
I'm graduating in April and I've been invited to play a musical number. It's exciting but I'm a little nervous since I haven't had a proper piano lesson in 3 years. Furthermore, I don't know if what I want to play would be acceptable. What sorts of things have you heard?

I didn't attend convocation -- I think I was asked to give a prayer and had to give my regrets. But I'll just say that you don't have to worry about a piano lesson if you practice enough. I'd be much more nervous about what to play (and I think you are). Did your adviser (or advisor) give you any direction? Maybe you should ask your professors, who have certainly been to your college's convocation exercises.

/edited post to remove most bragging, which wasn't edifying unto the soul

But seriously. Why even bring up not having had a lesson?

I suppose the nervousness about the lack of lessons comes because there will be lots of people there who will be expecting something played just about perfectly. Since I haven't had a lesson in 3 years there have been things such as pedaling and phrasing which are sometimes best pointed out by a teacher.

I guess the point of this question is to get a general feel for what has been played in the past. The advisers I talked to said something "traditional" would be appropriate, but since they claimed they didn't know much about music that was about where their advice ended.

And I need to respond by Friday which is why I didn't just ask the illustrious Board itself.

I attended convocation for undergrad and for my master's degree. I honestly don't remember anything about the musical numbers. (I don't think we had any musical numbers for my master's degree convocation, but we probably did for my bachelor's degree.)

Your university library archives or the office of the dean of your college may have old convocation programs, and you'd be able to get a good idea of what's been done before from those.

All the musical numbers at both of my BYU convocations were hymns or classical music. In particular I remember someone singing "How Firm a Foundation" and I think a Bach piano concerto. But I don't know that anything else would necessarily be inappropriate.

NerdGirl wrote:All the musical numbers at both of my BYU convocations were hymns or classical music. In particular I remember someone singing "How Firm a Foundation" and I think a Bach piano concerto. But I don't know that anything else would necessarily be inappropriate.

Deef, your best bet is probably to combine a hymn with some classical music. That way you cover all the bases. And that could be pretty cool anyway.

I went to mine for both my associates and my bachelors, and I have no clue at all about musical numbers. I just remember they (the convocations) were way too early in the morning and way too long and boring.

Dragon Lady wrote:I just remember they (the convocations) were way too early in the morning and way too long and boring.

So, what you're suggesting is a blend of "Awake, Ye Saints of God, Awake!" and Haydn's 'surprise' symphony?

Sounds perfect!

Now the question becomes: how do we sneak a drum into the middle of the whole she-bang?

Tao wrote:Now the question becomes: how do we sneak a drum into the middle of the whole she-bang?

you can fit pretty much anything under those graduation gowns, no problem.

UnluckyStuntman wrote:you can fit pretty much anything under those graduation gowns, no problem.

Well there we go! And it adds another level of meaning to the surprise!

I'm for it.

Pick whatever you want! No one will ever remember or care.

UnluckyStuntman wrote:you can fit pretty much anything under those graduation gowns, no problem.

....Or nothing at all....

I walked into the Wilk today and lo and behold someone was playing Waterfall in the terrace. I think that happens 70% of the time I'm in the Wilk.

I think I'll play that for convocation. That's classy and traditional, right?

Now I just need to learn it.

Marduk wrote:

UnluckyStuntman wrote:you can fit pretty much anything under those graduation gowns, no problem.

....Or nothing at all....

I... have nothing to say...

Defy V wrote:I walked into the Wilk today and lo and behold someone was playing Waterfall in the terrace. I think that happens 70% of the time I'm in the Wilk.

I think I'll play that for convocation. That's classy and traditional, right?

Now I just need to learn it.

Don't. You. Dare.

Bwaha. I sang at my bachelor's convocation. I kind of had the same problem and I chose to go with "Consider the Lillies." I'm with everyone else, going classical or religious is your safest bet, but if you want to be memorable, do some Jazz improv. With nothing on under your graduation gown.

Wisteria wrote:Bwaha. I sang at my bachelor's convocation. I kind of had the same problem and I chose to go with "Consider the Lillies." I'm with everyone else, going classical or religious is your safest bet, but if you want to be memorable, do some Jazz improv. With nothing on under your graduation gown.

Win.

C is for wrote: Deef, your best bet is probably to combine a hymn with some classical music. That way you cover all the bases. And that could be pretty cool anyway.

Would it be cool or just hokey? People might get their emotions all mixed up. Like, one minute they're feeling the Spirit due to the beauty of the hymn, and the next, whoa, there's a cadenza!