Audience Comments

audience comments on Rob Lake Magic

On Sunday afternoon, October 18, Hancher presented Rob Lake Magic. When we asked our audience to email us their comments for the blog, here is what we received.

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 It was great fun. Thanks for bringing such talent to the area.
 Karen and David Drake

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Al and I enjoyed the Rob Lake magic show very much.  We liked the performance and it was also fun to be with all the families who brought their children.  What a great way to spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon! 

Jean and Al Hood

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 My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed Rob Lake.  Even though you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that all of his magic tricks are illusions, it's great to see a show where the illusions are so seamless and convincing.  One of our neighbors was chosen to go on stage to help with one of the tricks, and he came back saying he couldn't see at all how it was done.  Bravo!

Connie K

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We enjoyed Rob Lake’s show very much.  Also, the seats at City High were more comfortable than many venues.  A lack of bathroom facilities makes it a bit more of a problem.  Overall, I give it an A minus.
 
Dave, Denise, and Mike Tiffany

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My party of four enjoyed the show. Maybe ran slightly long, but nobody made such a comment.
Fun way to spend a sunday afternoon. Nice type of entertainment.

My grade for the act: B
My grade for Hancher providing this: A

Thank you!

PS: down the road, try to consider Billy Elliot the Musical for the new Hancher!

David Keeley

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After seeing 1) the canary, orange, lemon and egg first disappear and then re-appear (canary inside the egg that was inside the lemon that was inside the orange); and 2) the assistant’s head sawed off and carried across the room, my 5 year old daughter exclaimed “Mommy, Rob Lake is VERY good!”.  Needless to say, we had a blast!

Thanks for bringing family friendly events to Hancher.

Kelly Messingham

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Magic should be magical.  This wasn't.  The illusion of magic was marred by long pauses, side comments, and low energy on the part of Rob Lake, not to mention the young ladies who need to learn how to be a part of the action rather than book-ends.  Disappointing at best. 

Hancher afficianados   

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How'd he do that?
Sherwood Wolfson    

audience comments on City Lights Dinner Dance

On October 2, Hancher held a dinner dance with City Lights Orchestra. We asked the audience to send us their reactions to the evening and here are the responses.

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The dinner and dance at Riverside was great!  Our whole table was in agreement that this should be an annual event.  The food and atmosphere were very good, as was the band and the dancing.  Also, unlike at most performances, we had the opportunity to mingle and meet many other interesting people.  This program fills a gap in options for Iowa City entertainment.  The evening felt like a real "event."  We had a great time and would love to do it again next year!

Allison

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It was a great evening and we had a wonderful time. City Lights is an excellent choice and I hope you bring them back again sometime. 

We had only a couple of complaints. The music got so load by the time we left you no longer could do any talking at all and it bothered our ears. That was not the case when they first started playing. You could hear the person next to you just fine then. This actually becomes a health issue with hearing loss problems. The other issue was that the steak was overdone and tough. The rest of the food was wonderful which totally made up for it for me but not so much for my husband who is much more of a steak fan. 

Thanks for your efforts.

Karen

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Great time!  Food was good, music was great and the company extra special.  The crowd really dropped off after 10:30 or 11.  I’d consider a 3-hr dance as an alternative.  The “break” for dessert was a good idea.  We will plan on doing it again.  I suspect the floor was as large as they have, but it was not big enough when you’ve got people who really want to dance…carpet worked. 

Roy & Rita Justis

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We absolutely loved the performance. That orchestra is one of the best I have ever seen.  Please bring them back again next year.  I will guarantee a table.  We also really enjoyed meeting the people at our table.  The only criticism I have is that the food quality and the wine list (which was only an $18 bottle house wine) could have been much improved.
 
It was a super night!

Thanks,
Mark

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Great evening with a wonderful band playing danceable music of all types!  The only negative comment we could make was the dance floor was too small for the dance-loving crowd in attendance!  but you could see couples dancing wherever there was a space on the carpet.  Riverside event center was a nice place to have such a special dance.  We met wonderful people at our table. The steak was tough from sitting around--the chocolate cake was wondrous!  I would enjoy another event such as this one--maybe one a year! 

Thanks for being creative in your programming during these difficult times!  I appreciate the inventiveness and courage it takes to keep going without our wonderful facility.  I do hope we keep Hancher where it is.  I look forward to the day when my husband and I and our friends can, once again, spend evenings with the arts in a very special place called Hancher!  Hancher makes such an important contribution to our quality of life in Iowa City! 

Lee and Bev Witwer

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The evening was exquisite! The City Lights Orchestra was amazing! Thank you.

Kimberly Stewart

audience comments on Imani Winds event

On September 25th, Hancher presented the Imani Winds with Stefon Harris. We asked the audience to send us their reactions to the evening and here are the responses.

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Attending the Imani concert reinforces the view that a live performance where one can see the instrumentalists and hear them at the same time cannot be matched by a mere audio recording.  It was most enjoyable and enlightening to be able to see the individual contributions made by each performer to the music. The integration of the sounds made more sense than one can grasp by merely hearing a recording.

Art

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excellent

• 
I absolutely loved the Imani Winds performance!  I hadn't yet seen them and I was not at all disappointed by their performance.  They all have lots of character in their playing.  The compositions they performed were very creative, the kind of thing that usually inspires me to write music.  I would love it if the Imani Winds would return in future years.

an audience member

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Great musicianship, music so-so for us toe tappers!
Sherwood

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Susan and I thought that the Imani Winds with Stefon Harris was terrific. Good show!
Cheers, Gene 

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I've been a fan of Imani Winds & Stefon Harris for some time and have yet to tire of their creative talents.  I think we need them back again.  It'd be great to have Imani Winds for a summer residence or tour around the state.
 
bob

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An outstanding performance.  What wonderful talents. We hope you can continue to commission new works.
We think it is amazing how well you are keeping the Hancher tradition alive.
 
Lois and George

audience comments on Alpin Hong event

On April 24, 2009 Alpin Hong performed after spending several days in the area with Hancher's Can't Contain Us project. We asked the audience for comments after the concert and here is what we heard.

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We very much enjoyed Alpin Hong.  He is not only a very fine musician but we love the way he connects with younger musicians.  His Super Mario etude with three junior high students was a highlight of the evening.

He also gave a varied program that shows true love of music.

Mark

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Phenomenal performance and the venue actually enhanced his personal style of audience connection.  Would like to see more opportunities for interaction with students outside of immediate ICSD (other piano instructors, Solon, CCA, etc).  Should consider making Mr Hong a recurring event.

Thomas

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A great performance.
Jim

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My husband and I went to see Alpin Hong, and we enjoyed it very much!  I would reccommend any future shows by Alpin Hong to my friends.  We enjoyed his mixture of classical music with playful tunes.  Thank you for bringing him back!

We had previously seen another show at IC West High School this year and were not as impressed with it's atmosphere b/c of the lack of intimacy in it's lighting.  We were a bit aprehensive about seeing another show at a high school, but were pleasantly surprised with the IC City High auditorium and we will try to see more events at that location.  We know that there aren't a lot of options for alternate locations at the moment, but we have enjoyed the shows at the Old Capitol as well. 

-Kathie & Sam Gonzales

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I loved the concert. Alpin was very very good and I really enjoyed his style of showmanship, profesionalism and his story telling. I really hope that he returns to hancher in the near future as I would love to see him again.

Thank you.
Ken Daullary

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It was a wonderful performance!  Alpin is so enthusiastic and so full of heart, on top of being a virtuoso.  I actually laughed out loud during some of his playing, It was so delightful!  The most enjoyable evening I have had in a long time.

Looking forward to hearing him again asap!
Lise Marcell

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WOW! What an awesome performer.
MS

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Awesome performance! 
Mike and Joan

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We enjoyed Alpin Hong's performance immensely and would love to see him return in years to come. His inclusion of the three Southeast students was particularly wonderful for me because one was a former fifth grade student of mine. The magic of Hancher for me has often been watching the effect of live performances on children's lives. This was one of those magical moments.

I am anxious to see and hear what experience and age bring to such a young and vibrant performer. He was completely charming and his program was full of choices I have long loved.

Thanks again for the memory!
 Mary Nell (and Robert) Jackson

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When my nine-year-old daughter who complains about practicing piano looked up at me with the most grateful smile just after Alpin started playing his first piece, I knew the travel to Iowa City and the late night were totally worth the effort. She wanted to stay for the entire concert instead of leaving at intermission!

Robert

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Terrific show!  Mr. Hong is a wonderful entertainer.  I hope he will return to Iowa City soon.
Amy

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The complete package….an exceptional artist and personality.
 When can I buy tickets for his next performance here?

Steve Johannes

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Thank you for inviting Alpin Hong.  I was able to listen to his playing at City High auditorium and at the Colloton Pavilion of the UIHC.  Alpin is an extraordinary entertainer.  He engages the audience. He tells great stories and ties them to each piece that he plays.  I love how he participates in numerous community outreach activities and gets the youth excited about music.  I also listened to him play in 2006, when he was here before.  It is wonderful to watch his musical talent develop.  I would be delighted to hear him again anytime.

Sincerely,
Roxanne Walder

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A most enjoyable evening with an outstanding talented artist who has the  rare capacity to engage audiences of all ages.  Enjoyed pieces he played and his comments.  He would be excellent as an outreach ambassador for the arts.  Bring him back for a residency and put him in every secondary and high school here.  Too bad we couldn't adopt him to spend more time in I City and surrounding communities. Keep him on your return list! Best thing since sliced bread!    --hancher attendees

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I'm so glad to have this opportunity to talk about Alpin Hong. It's
wonderful to see someone who loves music to be so outgoing about it,
to show kids that classical music can be fun, to be such a well-
rounded, funny person and to share that side of himself so
enthusiastically.

  I went to South East Jr. High to watch his classes with the seventh
and eighth grade orchestra students and loved it! There he was, in
sweatpants and a T-shirt, just a normal guy. He has the ability to
tune into any age group to share his loves and talents. He had the
kids' complete attention in the first minute. Then when he played a
bit of Super Mario and the two cellists and bassist said, "We know
that!", he immediately told them to get their instruments and play for
him. It sounded all cobbled together, of course, but he recognized
their talent and said, "Hey! Would you consider opening the second
half of the concert with me?" (He asked them, as though it would
genuinely be a favor to him - and he was sincere.) Wow! How often does
that happen? This was Wednesday afternoon, and by Friday night, Hong
and the kids sounded fantastic. When he said he had made three new
friends for life, I believed him.

I'm sure it was amazing to the students to see the transformation of
Alpin the skateboarder, in his workshops, to Alpin Hong the concert
pianist: suit, hair pulled back, on stage with the grand piano. But
his personality shone through and spoke to audience members of all ages.

And as for his playing, his style is unique. I heard even the most
familiar pieces, like the "Moonlight" sonata and "Rhapsody in Blue",
as though for the first time. His have become my favorite renditions.

My husband, son, and I went to his concert a few years ago at Clapp
and were very impressed. We were excited that he was coming back.
Unfortunately, my family was sick the week of the concert at City and
couldn't go, so my one ticket, with shipping and handling, cost me
$100. But he was worth it at any price. Is it his doing that the cost
of tickets to his concerts is so reasonable ($28.) just so he and his
music are accessible to everyone? It would be like him.

Severe chronic depression has been with me for well over two years.
Alpin Hong gave me joy in an otherwise dark existence.
Thank you.

Sincerely,
MJD

audience comments on the Richard Stoltzman event

On April 3, Hancher presented Richard Stoltzman with the UI's Johnson County Landmark band—Salute to Benny Goodman. We asked the audience for their comments.

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Outstanding show, very engaging and the music was hot. The swing dancers were fun to watch, and the banter between John and Richard was warm and heartfelt.

David Hesli

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The Richard Stoltzman performance was fabulous!  Johnson County Landmark was at their best, too.  The evening's music was exhilarating, the comments were both informative and amusing, and the dancers were amazing.  It was an evening well spent.  Thank you.

Diane Winegarden

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In response to your request, I'm writing to say I found the Benny Goodman tribute and recreation program more than just outstanding.  It was so masterful.

However, my praise is directed entirely at John Rapson and Johnson County Landmark (JCL).  Under Rapson's direction, the young musicians' recreation of the Goodman sound was so good it was an emotional experience for me.

From opening with "King Porter Stomp" to "Stealin' Apples," and then the all-time killer-diller, "Sing, Sing, Sing," it was as if I were being transported back to that January night in 1938 at Carnegie Hall.

On the other hand, I felt Richard Stoltzman was at times almost counter-productive.  He played notes, but he didn't swing.  In some instances, it actually detracted from the great big band swing sound being produced by JCL's outstanding brass and horn sections.

The Englert, for both sight and sound, was an outstanding setting for the entire program.  I hope both the Englert and Hancher will revisit using Rapson and JCL for recreation of other classic swing/jazz bands such as Basie, Ellington, Woody Herman, Glen Gray, or smaller groups such as Bob Crosby's Bobcats.

Thanks for the Goodman-JCL program.

Bob Elliott

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It was great. Do it again.
Nancy

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What a performance...and not just
from the guest artisit! Have more events like that.

D

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The intimacy of the Englert theater enhanced our evening with Richard Stoltzman and the Johnson County Landmark Band.  When you add in the dancers, there was a crowd on stage and they were swinging.  It was like a party.

Stoltzman had the generosity to share the stage with the young Johnson County Landmark players.  He was a member of a team both playing with one another and complimenting one another.

Stoltzman is richly talented (and also gave helpful background for the music) but the young Landmark band is also terrific.

Samantha Blickhan can sing--and scat--and the Swing Dance Club can dance.

Mark Isham

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We really enjoyed the evening,   Was much better than we expected it to
be.  Sing-Sing-Sing was the highlight.

James

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One of the best Hancher Events I've ever attended - and I have been
to many through the years.  Benny (I mean Richard) was out of this
world as was the JCL!  The JCL continues to be the BEST jazz
orchestra any where (IMHO)

Julia Klapper

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In response to your request for opinions about the performance of Richard Stoltzman, I'd say that the stars of the show were the members of JCL.  I have not previously heard Stoltzman attempt popular music and my experience listening to his recordings is very limited.  However, given the title of the show, A Tribute to Benny Goodman, I had expected some approximation of the fluid and graceful phrasing that marked Goodman's clarinet playing.  I left with the impression that Stoltzman is a reader who can try to emulate BG but who will rarely attain that goal.

JCL, however, was terrific.

Kenn Hubel

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My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our evening with the Johnson County Landmark, the dancers, and Maestro Stoltzman and his clarinet. Being a musician and an ex-band director, and one who used to play many jazz gigs in highschool and college and beyond, I can say it was professionalism at it's finest. If I had closed my eyes, I would have thought I was in a dance hall in 1940. Thanks, and we miss Hancher Auditorium. We hope things will take flight on the rebuilding of a world class facility soon.

Our best in this endeavor,
Lee and Bev Witwer

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While Stoltzman was the star, JCLB, Sam & the dancers were clearly the show.  A marvelous credit to the University's music faculty.  I'm glad we were able to get this one in.  Even after a 14 month wait it lived up to my expectations.  Do some more like this!!

Bob

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excellent
Byron

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One of the best programs of the season. The JCL was just terrific.
Sherwood

the Academy of Ancient Music commentary

On March 25, 2009, Hancher presented The Academy of Ancient Music, Bach's Brandenberg Concertos. When we asked for comments on the event, here is what we heard back.

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I was thrilled they had returned to Hancher and were going to play the Brandenburg Concertos!!!  The music was glorious and their teaching was superb.  What a wonderful evening.
Sandy Heistad

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Great performance, even though sometimes the instruments appeared to have been out of tune. Then, all 6 concerts were a bit too much. A mix of Bach and something else would have been useful. But I do not mean to complain. It was a wonderful evening. Thank you!
 Alexander

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I loved it. I thought isn't it great to be able to enjoy the same
music as our ancestors from the eighteenth century had. 
Nancy Kennedy

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Wonderful! Despite the limitations of the venue, we were delighted by the music, the instruments, and the performers.
Robin

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Dynamite playing; informative and enjoyable comments by Hogwood. Wish he’d told us a bit about the theorbo- the instrument that looked like a lute on steroids! Bring them back –maybe for an evening of Vivaldi. 
Dick Kerber 

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we enjoyed a rare evening of BACH . played by musicians ( all of which were soloist quality) who were visually full of bliss and contentment. Our director and harpsicordist was a grand host , full of life and wealth of knowledge (or theories) on the pieces played . another great treat of live Art .
all the best

km

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We really enjoyed the concert of The Academy of Ancient Music.  Both of us were looking forward to it, but didn't realize just how special their music was going to be.  They were a big hit with us, and we hope they return to Hancher. 

We really miss going to Hancher but so far we've not been disappointed in the concert hall at West High.  We will next be attending at the Englert and then at City High.  We are grateful that some of the concerts are able to continue.

Thanks for all your good work,
Karen and Al Albertus

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Great evening of Bach music - have always loved the Brandenburg concerti, but have never heard them all played in the same concert!   I thought the performers were wonderful!   Only wish the director had had a microphone!    As I was sitting up in the back, I missed most of his remarks.
Cynthia A. Vaughan 
Le Claire, IA

• Again we enjoyed the musical performance.  The West High auditorium is a good alternative location.  We wondered about the very large stringed instrument, not clearly identified in the printed program.
Earl

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IT WAS GREAT!
C

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My husband, Bob Kelley, and I have attended many Hancher productions, so we know about the high quality of the productions.  Throughout the recent concert by the Academy of Ancient Music (Bach concertos), I kept thinking that this group travels all over the world, and how incredibly fortunate we are to have them in Iowa City.  Just amazing.

dixie saylor

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It was absolutely great.
Bill and Fran Albrecht

our audience comments on the Afro-Cuban All Stars

On March 10th, we presented Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuan All Stars at West High School. We asked our ticketholders what they thought of the event and here is what we heard:

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I had a wonderful time at the Afro-Cuban All Stars concert; it was well worth the ticket price!
Christy Clark

What fun! They were wonderful. What a superb group of musicians. The pianist has to be one of the best out there. We loved them all.

Karen

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A fantastic show.  My only complaint is I wanted to hear the drummers solo more and the band play another 2 hours!  They played 90 minutes plus as it was, so I guess I can't complain.  An amazing group that played with incredible dynamic control and energy.

 jd

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The Afro-Cuban All-stars was everything advertised and more.
They put together a great interactive show for all ages.  We loved
it.  The only criticism: The sound volume was unnecessarily
deafening.  Aside from reasons of health, a lowered volume would have
allowed better appreciation of the music's subtleties.

Gene and Susan Spaziani

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They had the beat!
Sherwood

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My husband and I both really enjoyed the whole program and thought they were wonderful. The piano player was awesome and all the singers too. It was very enjoyable and we are glad we attended.

Carol and Rich Schmidt

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We enjoyed the performance.  It was great to have the opportunity to get up and dance.

Dan and Beth

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The group was great, but the sound was poorly mixed. The brass coming from the speakers  made my ears bleed. It was almost painful at times.

Kyle

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Amazing!

Gloria

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What a wonderful, cultural treat

I'm from Tampa Bay, FLA. but have lived in Iowa since 2003. i grew up hearing this music in my home, on the streets, on the radio...and i miss it so! having spent my 1st 46 years around this stuff (as well as Soul, R&B, Rock [hispanic groups like Santana being a huge influence], Gospel, Reggae, Zydeco, etc.), i couldn't keep my hands or feet still during the performance: this music energizes my spirit.

thanks again for fostering "World Music" appreciation and supporting these musicians by bringing their diverse musical cultures into our midst here in Iowa.

sincerely,
dave hill

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Betsy and I thought the performance was terrific.  It happened to be my first time out following my knee replacement, and only the fact that I found it hard to sit in one position caused me to leave when the dancing started.  But what fun to watch.  I thought the group was great.  The connection between the band and the audience began to build after about the first quarter of the program, when the soloists and the leader took over. Great pianist, too.  I would have preferred the noise level to be lower, but I realize that West High is not Hancher as far as acoustics go, and I neglected to bring earplugs to tone it down a little.

Susan

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thoroughly enjoyed the talents of so many wonderful musicians who had an esprit de corps that was engaging and enjoyable.  It was nice to be closer.  You felt like you were in their living room.  Their music was what we all needed on a cold night....accessible and engaging.  thank you

---Hancher afficianados

a riser?

Since we have been having events at venues not Hancher, we have been asked several times about why the musicians aren't put up on a short riser at the Brown Deer location. The sight lines are more blocked when the musicians are on the floor.

We really do understand raising the question and we thought it would be good to answer it! The ceiling at Brown Deer is low and raising the musicians really destroys the sound. There are lower beams that baffle the sound. So when a chamber music group is playing there, we decided that the sound should take priority. We wish we could give you both but the feeling is that all the concerts there were well worth this small flaw.

audience comments on Musicians from Marlboro

On March 11, the Musicians from Marlboro played as part of Hancher's 2008-09 season. We asked the attendees for comments and here are some of those.

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I very good performance by a group of spirited young musicians. Lilly Francis rocks. She is a wonderful first violinist, on her way to become another Natalia Prishepenko (Artemis Quartet).
One suggestion for improvement. A podium for the performers might help.

All the best,
Alexander Somek

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They were wonderful
 Barbara A. Schwartz

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The concert was wonderful---great musicians.  Is there a way to get a
slightly higher rise or stage for performers where there is no rise in the
seating? Seeing was hard, but most importantly, listening was great. P and
V kelley

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Hi...I just received your email askign for feedback on last night's concert...I've already shared my rave reviews with several friends by email this morning--it was just a superb experience all the way around! This is what I told my friends:

"These Musicians from Marlboro play chamber music exquisitely--and I've always known that, but last night really was over the top... Especially Beethoven's Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola--I'd never heard it before...it's an early Haydenesque piece, with such unbelievable charm and humor--and all of it was lifted out with such subtlety by these performers--and then the Beethoven Quintet that followed was also breathtaking!  I wouldn't have missed this concert for the world."

Thank you for this wonderful evening!

Gerhild

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Loved the concert last night. They were wonderful.
It is very hard for our family to get to the concerts at 7:30 and I would like Hancher to think about changing the time to 8:00 again. We both work and our kids are teenagers with homework and after school activities. We usually take the kids to most shows at Hancher and it is very hard to have dinner after work and then go to a concert. There is not enough time. All restaurants are closed after the shows, especially during the week. I think Hancher can gain more young families if you change the time again. We live very close to Hancher now, but when we have to go to the schools and to Brawn Deer for shows, we are almost always late and it is not a relaxing outing.

I hope you consider my suggestion.

Thank you,
Kineret Zabner

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The Musicians from Marlboro were marvellous and we really enjoyed the evening.  The location worked out very well.
Earl and Susan Rogers

St. Lawrence String Quartet

We asked our audience to tell us about their experience attending the performance on Feb. 4 of the St. Lawerence String Quartet.

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Just wonderful!
Pat

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We thought the performance was wonderful.  Next time there is an event like this, it would be nice to set them on a stage were we could see the performance.  It was almost like listening to a CD.  I understand this was a change brought on by the flood, but we were dissapointed that we paid the price of the ticket to see the quartet and then were not able to.

Thanks,
Sean

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This concert was great! My husband and I especially liked Geoff Nuttall’s lively introduction to the music, which gave us a greater appreciation for what we were hearing. Also great, was watching the musicians interacting with one another, and so obviously enjoying the music as they played. The more intimate setting of the Brown Deer Golf Club may have contributed to our enjoyment of the musicians’ interactions and emotions, as we were able to sit unusually close to them. I’ve rarely had such a great feeling at a concert. Thanks very much for making it possible in spite of the unusual logistics of planning the Hancher concerts this year!

Chris Blaumueller

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The Adams' String Quartet was stirring and stunning.  It was a privilege to hear it in Iowa City played by the St. Lawrence String Quartet for whom it was written just days after they  premiered it at Lincoln Center in New York City.   Bravo St. Lawrence Quartet, bravo John Adams and bravo Hancher.

Allyn Mark

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The St. Lawrence event at Brown Deer worked out a lot better than Ianticipated. The sound (acoustics) was quite good, the size  of the hall  right for the audience although sight lines could be improved
if the performers were on a platform.  The program selection and the playing were magnificient! That Adams quartet is an exciting although overly long (in the first section) work. The interaction with audience by the first violinist a needy and relaxing thing to do.  Wish this would be followed  by the leaders of other
ensembles in classical music programs.  A happy event all around.

Arthur