Pentathlon

Semester 2

As an experiential component of College Park Arts Scholars, I attended a selection of five art events during my second

semester. These events ranged in art mediums and each sparked dialogue among my peers.

Pentathlon 1: Spirited Away

Event Logistics 02/09/2023, Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli, streamed film on CrunchyRoll

Pentathlon category #film

On February 9th, 2023 my roommate, Michelle, and I sat down and watched the movie "Spirited Away," by Studio Ghibli on the streaming service, Crunchy Roll. It was my first time watching the film despite it being recommended to me many times over the years. I am a fan of other Studio Ghibli movies, and this one did not disappoint. The animation style of the movie was smooth yet pretty simple and very enjoyable to watch. While the story line was an interesting one to follow, it is on par with a majority of the other Studio Ghibli films I have seen, and I really liked it. The peculiar voice acting and story line in the film made me understand that art can be erratic and hard to understand, but no less enjoyable for the audience. Each character had a unique design and development in their character that I have only started noticing more since beginning to take my "Writing Complex Characters," workshop in Arts Scholars this semester.

I think that watching this movie has made me appreciate the more abstract forms of art more than before. It helped me understand the beauty in chaos and accept the fact that not all questions must be given definitive answers. Art like that in Spirited Away can be interpreted in many ways and enjoyed by a wide variety of audiences, which is something I admire about Studio Ghibli films. To me, things like creativity or artistic ability and interpretation were things that could be somewhat quantitively measured. However, introducing myself to these very abstract films has made me realize that many of these characteristics that we find in art can't really be defined by what we'd consider "normal," means, and maybe they shouldn't.

Pentathlon 2: Punchbowl Comedy

Event Logistics: 02/10/2023, Punchbowl Comedy show, STAMP Baltimore Room

Pentathlon category: #Theatre

During many of the events hosted by STAMP this month I attended a comedy show put on by the Punchbowl Comedy, an open mic organization at UMD. I have never been to a live comedy show before and I was pleasantly met with a very friendly audience as well as some really funny comedians. It surprised me how much easier it is to bond with people when you all have something good to laugh about together, and it really made me appreciate the art of comedy even more because of that experience. As a socially "awkward," person I admire to finesse it must take to be able to bring together a room with laughter like that with simply your words. Comedy is not something that is typically heralded as "art," but I can definitely see the congruities after attending this event. Many of the topics tackled by the comedians during the show were typically hard topics to converse about, and the way that the comedians approached each one was in a way that you could see the underlying importance of their message. Just as like we have been discussing in Arts Scholars, where art can take on different meanings for people as well as spread messages without directly stating them.

By attending this event I have learned that words are very powerful in a variety of different ways. Though we typically think of novels, essays, or poetry as powerful forms of writing, comedy is also a very influential art form that language can take. It can not only spread messages, but also a good laugh, happiness, and togetherness with those around you. I have realized that comedy is a really amazing art form that can make the public take in issues that may seem daunting to talk about. This event has also made me wonder about the various issues that other more renowned comedians are tackling around the world. Which is definitely something I will be researching on my own time.

Pentathlon 3: Open Mic Night

Event Logistics: 02/18/2023, Open Mic Night, STAMP Student Union

Pentathlon category: #Music

During February I had the pleasure to be able to attend the Open Mic Night held at STAMP that a good friend of mine was performing in with Jam club. Open Mic Night was an event where groups from any origin were welcome to sign up and perform numbers of their choosing to the audience. I really enjoyed being there, and despite planning to only stay for about an hour, I ended stay for the full two hour duration plus some time at the end to talk with the various performers. I noticed throughout the event that because this was an open mic event there various types of people there held pretty different tastes and expertise in music and genre. It was really interesting to see the difference between different music groups, the musicians on campus and their individual skills. It definitely made me appreciate the skill it takes to become good in different music disciplines, which is something I can relate to as a jazz trumpet player. Like what we have learned in Arts Scholars about different artists bringing different meanings and values to the same craft, this was a great example of that. All the performances were music, but the music itself was very different between performances and it was very enjoyable to witness. There were melodic and smooth performances of more modern songs, and there were also more hard rock performances of songs that could be considered "oldies," now.

By attending this event I gained a greater appreciation for the different disciplines that are associated with specific art categories. I think everyone falls prey, in one way or another, to only consuming the same types of music that they know they enjoy. It is often to a good reminder that, though it may not come naturally, being able to branch outside of your comfort zone and allow other people to share their passions with you in an unbiased way is an incredibly eye opening experience. That is an vitally important aspect of art; that it is appreciable in it's many forms and by many different kinds of people.

Pentathlon 4: Bracelet Making

Event Logistics: 02/22/2023, Bracelet Making Craft and Chat, Bel Air Lounge

Pentathlon category: #ArtsScholars #VisualArt

I had the pleasure of attending the bracelet making craft and chat put on in the Bel Air Hall lounge this semester. I went with my roommate and we both had a really good time talking with everyone else there and learning to make new kinds of bracelets. One thing I noticed during this event is that everyone I saw chose a really wide variety of color combinations for their bracelets, and all those colors seemed to oddly reflect the person who chose them. For example, my roommate chose a variety of dark blues and blacks that I feel reflected her chill and down to earth personality really well. I saw other combinates of pastel colors, greens and tans, reds and pinks, as well as some combinations of supplementary colors, all of which I found very visually appealing. This made me realize that everyone seems to be inclined to certain aesthetics when it comes to art, just like how every person has their own personal preferences in music or clothing. Which is why arts scholars is great when it comes to expanding everyone's understanding when it comes to art. Arts Scholars teaches many different types of art from different sources and different experiences that allow people to step outside of their comfort zones and learn to appreciate or even discover new forms of art that interest them

I find myself inclined to cool hues tending towards purple, but seeing how colors I would usually avoid looked when other people used them it inspired me to move outside my usual colors and experiment with things that I hadn't before. After this craft and chat I made various other bracelets on my own time with so many different colors, and I ended up really appreciating each one. It was surprising how something as simple as changing up the color of my jewelry made me look forward to going outside or dressing up for the day. I had a really good time finding outfits that went with the new colors I experimented with and I truly didn't expect to gain something like that from this experience. Overall, I have to say that this experience has taught me to not be afraid to learn or take pointers from others when it comes to stepping outside of your comfort zone. Art is a beautiful thing to share with others, and the art that you find you really enjoy may not be so apparent at first, which is why it is important to keep and open mind and open arms when it comes to such things.

Pentathlon 5: UBand Concert

Event Logistics: 04/05/2023, University of Maryland UBand Concert, Dekelboum Concert Hall, Clarice Performing Arts Center

Pentathlon category: #Music

On April 5th I attended the UBand concert at the Clarice which one of my good friends was playing in. I really enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised with the selection of music they decided to play. I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli music and really appreciated the "My Neighbor Totoro," medley. The thoughtful way that the medley was assembled was satisfying since each transition between different pieces from the film molded well with each other and were easily recognizable for someone who was already familiar to the music. I am also a trumpet player and my previous experience in different bands and ensemble allowed me to really appreciate the work that went into the UBand concert. Despite having considerably less practice time, the band was very well balanced, each individual section of the band melded great with the others and I really appreciate that aspect of UBand. This concert made me really appreciate the abilities of the musicians that we have at the University of Maryland. Just like how we are encouraged to explore different artists and their work in Arts Scholars I think this experience encouraged to me also seek forms of art that I am already familiar with and learn from the prowess of others.

I learned that it is not only important to gain experience in forms of art outside of your comfort zone but also expand your knowledge and experience of art that you are already familiar with. Concert Band is something that I have had extensive experience with in High School but I have neglected it in college. After attending this performance as well as the Gamer Symphony Orchestra small ensemble concert I have been encouraged to also join a music group on campus next year. I think that it's really inspirational that going to these performances can influence others to want to do the same, and for that reason this UBand concert is one of my favorite performances that I have attended this year.