I had the pleasure of
attending a concert at the Royal Albert Hall of Music. Since learning that I
would be studying in London during the prestigious BBC Proms concert series, I
have been determined to find tickets for at least one of the fantastic events.
When leafing through the Proms booklet, which outlines each day’s concert and
the music to be performed, I was immediately drawn to one of the “Late Night
Proms” where a group called Naturally 7 was to perform. Most of the Proms
concerts feature symphonic and classical pieces performed by celebrated
musicians and orchestras, but this one appeared to be quite different.
Hailing
from New York, Naturally 7, is a group built upon the power of the human voice
and its many capabilities. I have always loved and appreciated good music, no
matter the style or performer, yet I have developed a growing passion of a
capella music since I joined an a capella performance group in high school. A
capella music is an ancient musical practice utilizing only the human voice to
produce sound, without the assistance of any instruments whatsoever. Its modern
practice dates back to 14th century France, when street performers realized the capabilities
to which they could train their voices. When you strip away the instrumental
accompaniment, it is truly amazing how the human voice can be used to replicate
and enhance the sound of an existing song, or even create new ones.
At the
concert tonight, Naturally 7 described their style as ‘vocal play’, where each
member of the septet replicated an instrument or vocal line to create harmony
and melody. I was blown away at how the group was able to incorporate DJ
scratching, percussion, harmonica, brass, and electric and bass guitars into
their musical arrangements– doing so naturally, with just their voices. The
group performed its own original material as well as magnificent arrangements
of iconic hits, including George Harrison’s ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’,
Phil Collins’s ‘In the Air Tonight’, and Coldplay’s ‘Fix You.’ They explored
Hip-Hop, R&B, and gospel music, sometimes all within the same song, to
provide the crowd with a diverse flavor of their many talents.
As someone who
has participated in an a capella group comprised of nearly 30 people, it is
breathtaking what these seven men were able to accomplish on stage. To sum up
the talent on stage tonight is nearly impossible and just not fair to the
musicians who have trained for over a decade to provide the quality of music
presented at the Royal Albert Hall tonight.
Aside from the fantastic music that
Naturally 7 presented tonight, it was difficult not to be moved by the beauty
and grandiosity of the concert venue itself. I have never experienced a musical
venue so well thought out and executed, with respect to the acoustic profile.
Throughout the concert, the music was magically amplified and created an
awe-inspiring atmosphere. The concert tonight marks a wonderful end to what has
been an amazing experience in London, and I hope that I will be able to return
to the Royal Albert Hall for the fantastic BBC Proms series again in the
future.
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