FMU presented the Music Industry (M.I.) Ensemble at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) located in downtown Florence on April 11.
The concert showcased the versatility of the band, as they performed a variety of musical genres, including modern jazz, pop, rock and soul. The audience was excited as the band played hit songs from famous artists, such as “American Boy” by Estelle and Kanye West, “Heart Attack” by Demi Lovato and “24k Magic” by Bruno Mars.
The ensemble consists of sixteen members: Javier Myers and Griffin Thompson on Drums, Vee Latora and Wyatt Hill on Bass, Dani Conti and Shammond Fullwood on guitar, Tabitha Modrell, CJ Gass, Sydney Osman, Tia Spann, Emilierose Volpe, Heaven Nelson, Olivia Parrott, Jasmine Myers, Lindsey Navarro and Tisha Mae on Vocals.
The band gave a well-received performance, garnering mass-applause from the audience.
“My favorite song was the one by Bruno Mars,” Juan David, junior business major, said. “I don’t really know a lot about music, but I really liked that one.”
Brian Goff, professor and director of music industry at FMU, composed the performance. He shared that one of the goals was to allow the attendees to take away what they needed from the performance.
“Much like any concert, I want the audience to feel each song within the context of their own life. Hopefully, everyone takes away what they need from each performance.” Goff said, “On top of that, I hope the audience sees all of the work and talent that goes into producing a show with this many students on a stage this size. That talent pool here at FMU is incredible, and this is one of the best outlets we have to experience it.”
Vee Latora, a sophomore music industry major on the tech track, has been performing for two semesters and is most excited to play the song “Good 4 U.”
“I would say I’m most excited to perform ‘Good 4 U’ by Olivia Rodrigo,” Latora said. “It’s a really fun song to play and I think it’d be even more fun in front of an audience.”
CJ Gass, a junior music industry major, wanted to leave the audience feeling immersed in the music and enjoy themselves while there.
“The way our instrumentalists sound and the environment they create always lead to the superstar performances of our vocalists,” Gass said. “I want the audience to feel electrified, mystified, and absolutely beautified. The audience came to have fun, and I want to make sure they do that. I want the crowd immersed, engaged, excited and alive when I’m up there.”
And the band did just that. Following their successful performance, the M.I. Ensemble received a roaring round of applause and cheers from the audience. One of the attendees shared that he had attended the event on his music teacher’s recommendation and enjoyed it.
“I came here because my music teacher suggested it,” David said. “I liked it, and yes, I recommend it.”
The M.I. Ensemble prides itself on building its members in both their talent and their knowledge of music industry. Consisting of students, it frequently hosts solo and group performances. Other FMU student-based music ensembles include the percussion, string, jazz and choir ensembles.
If you’re interested in catching the M.I. Ensemble, they’ll be performing at Seminar Brewing on Friday, April 19, from six to nine in the evening. For more information about upcoming performances at FMU, visit the website.