The fourth performance composed by Guo Wenjing was definitely an unexpected type of musical piece. Though the compostion did not rank best against my own ratings, it surely had unique features. To begin, each musician held in each hand two wooden rods. The fact that they were capable of controling each hand, and even more amazing each individual rod and sending them out in different directions simultaneously was clearly a dominated skill. Hence, just visually watching their hand work served as a treat. Especially, when one musician went on a kind of solo performance and his movements were so empowering and swift, that the wooden rods seemed like blurs in the air. Their figures had been lost in their movement.  Another aspect of their visual work was the way in which the three performers would completely freeze in mid air. Their backs curved in, their heads held high, their facial expressions frozen, and their wooden rods all horizontally straight and still. And then before you knew it, they were off again to do their deeds.

    As for their music in itself, the percussion work was stellar. I was truly amazed at the incredibly wide range of tones they could pull from one single plate. For instance, when one of the musician pulled a plate from the table and held it high and still, while his partner used his rod to spring it to life. The sounds ranged from deep to shallow, to high pitch to low pitch, to high frequency to low frecuency, and to the all combinations in between. At times, the tones were so precise and perfect that it almost seemed as if there was a tape in the background playing the music. I surely was in disbelief at how percussion instruments alone could comprise such beauty.

  On another note, in class when we were discussing discursive places and how this affects interpreation of art I stumbled across a valid point. Often when on the subway awaiting a train, there are musicians sitting in the alley playing their instruments with quite talent. Yet, perhaps their music does not receive as much praise because they lack the black tie wardrobe, the fancy auditorium, and the conventional acceptance. However, I do not lie when I say that as I await the R train to go to school each morning,there is this one individual who plays percussion instruments. He lacks a classical set of drums instead uses everyday items such as aluminum cans and other such metals. And let me just say that this man is not merely slapping away at the articles. No, he is creating music and truth is it adds a nice touch to my morning. My point is not to devalue the talents of these college graduate muscians that play in the auditorium. Instead just to shed light on the fact that there are some born talents out there, who we direct a blind eye towards. And this society does merely because their environment may not be as top notch, but keep in mind their space is equally inviting.