Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

Ali Luciani, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

On Tuesday, Berry Winds performed “Migration Symphony no. 2,” a symphony composed by Adam Schoenberg. In preparation for the performance, Berry Winds’ musicians practiced as a group for an hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They were also encouraged to practice individually or with their respective sections. According to junior music education major Samuel Rivers, preparing the piece involves both sectional work and full-ensemble rehearsals, where the group focuses on balance and interpretation.

“We work through the details in our individual sections first, then bring that balance to the full rehearsals,” Rivers said. “We also listen closely to each other and to recordings from other ensembles to help shape how we want the symphony to sound.”  

According to the performance notes on Schoenberg’s website, “Migration Symphony no. 2” was inspired by his wife’s family’s journey to America and his own reflections on the courage, sacrifice and hope that define the immigrant experience.

The piece had five movements that came together to tell the sweeping story of a migration, capturing the hopes, struggles and journeys of those traveling across lands and seas.

The first movement called “March,” expressed the idea of an agent of change, or a call to action. Rivers, who plays trombone for the Berry Winds, noted that the brass section took an unusual approach in the first movement.

“The brass has a lot of sustained notes, which isn’t very march-like,” Rivers said. “The only real march-like characteristic is the snare, which makes sense, but having the brass sustain notes in a march isn’t as common.”

According to senior music education  major Kyle Freeman, the second movement created a dreamlike, hopeful atmosphere as the immigrants imagined their future, while the third movement, “Escape,” shifted sharply into a hectic, urgent sound.

“It’s very hectic, full of weird, atonal things,” Freeman said. “A lot of people are probably not going to enjoy that movement, and that’s okay because it’s not meant to be comfortable.”

The symphony’s final movements moved from the emotional turbulence of “Crossing,” which captured the fear and courage of entering the unknown, to “Beginning,” a bright, forward-looking movement that embodied the optimism of a fresh start.

As the Berry Winds prepared to bring Schoenberg’s composition to life, Rivers and Freeman said that the work demanded more from the performers and the audience than simply listening for the beautiful melodies. For Freeman, part of the symphony’s purpose lies in the discomfort it creates. The unsettling qualities of the third movement, from its “weird rhythms” to its “atonal things,” were intentional.

“A lot of people are probably not going to enjoy that movement,” Freeman said. “And that’s okay because it is not meant to be comfortable.”

Freeman said that the music’s tension and dissonance are intentional and reflect the story behind the piece.

“Part of this event is escaping something,” Freeman said. “And part of that is being uncomfortable, not necessarily enjoying the whole thing.”

He added that the value of such music comes from the reaction it creates rather than how nice it sounds.

“Ultimately, all growth comes from being uncomfortable first,” Freeman said. “There’s no growth that comes from hitting where you’re at and being comfortable where you’re at. Being challenged by the difficulty of the music or the difficulty of the subject material, I think it’s quintessential to our growth as people and as performers”

Rivers said that the piece carries a message that extends beyond the notes on the page. He said the ensemble spent time discussing the narrative of immigration and displacement so that they could communicate it clearly during the performance.

“As a musician, it’s very important for us to be able to express what we’re playing to the audience,” Rivers said. “That’s the main goal.”

Rivers said that he does not expect the audience to walk away with a definitive opinion about the issue, but hopes the performance encourages reflection.

“This piece is about immigration, which is  a hard topic to talk about right now,” Rivers said. “I think what we’re trying to portray is that it is something that needs to be discussed It’s not something that should just be set aside and continue to have problems with; it’s just bringing the attention to bettering the world.”

The Berry Winds’ performance of “Migration Symphony no. 2” showed not only the students’ musical skill but also their dedication to telling a meaningful story. Through moments of tension, hope and uncertainty, the ensemble invited listeners to think about resilience and the realities of migration.