I always walked past the sign, “Baruch Performing Arts Center” (BPAC) near the first-floor elevator and pictured something like a small multi-purpose room that we have in Baruch’s ground floor. But, I was wrong. As I walked down the circular path down to the basement and reached the center, I was awe-struck. The architecture of the Arts Center was sophisticated. The walls and set design were aesthetically pleasing to look at. The platform on top of our head was arranged like a runway so when the lights went off, it felt like a plane took flight. When Sara Buechner came out to perform, the lights turned off very smoothly.
This was different from most outings we did as a group.The audience consisted of diverse age groups this time, ranging from old couples to young college students. Some were there to have good time and get aspirations and others were taking notes and pictures for their classes. The vibe was very calm throughout the whole performance.
I always thought that being pianist didn’t require as much as body language we saw in previous performances. But, It turned out to be a misconception. As the mood of the performance switched from calm to little aggressive, I would notice Buechner would move her fingers faster and when it got more aggressive, I thought she was about to jump up her seat. Also, she seemed very confident with what she was doing through her finger movements and hair flipping. I think those movements complemented the entire performance.
Before she began her fourth performance, she gave us a backstory of the composer George Gershwin. She mentioned about the time Gershwin moved into Los Angeles. During the performance, I followed the rhythm of her piano and felt like I was in Gershwin’s shoes walking around the city. It was amazing how she gave us a picture of how it would be like walking through a busy Los Angeles street through piano.
After applauding, the audience got excited when Buechner mentioned performing an “encore”. As part of the backstory, she was describing a moment she had with an elderly Japanese lady. She would first say the conversation in Japanese and then translate. I was amazed how well she picked up the language while she stayed in Japan. During her performance, it sounded like I was listening to an intro scene for a Japanese anime show.
I think Buechner could’ve gave us a backstory for the first three performances as well. When she gave us the backstory of the fourth performance, I felt more connected to it and understood the rhythm. But, during the earlier ones, I was lost and couldn’t keep up with the rhythm because I didn’t know much about the composers’ backgrounds or the story behind the performance. To solve that situation, I would close my eyes and gently listen to her playing the piano. It didn’t help me the analyze the rhythm perfectly, but I felt a sense of tranquility. It was different than most of the hip-hop and rap music I listen to where the fast-paced lyrics follow the loud beat.
