FIU Wind Ensemble holds Pulse remembrance concert

Nicole Stone/News Director

For many students, 2016 was a “goat rodeo,” a term describing a chaotic situation in a bureaucratic setting. For Brenton F. Alston, the term worked doubly to suit the uncertainty many felt about the election.

“I didn’t know how the election would turn out. It turns out that this was just the piece I needed to play,” Alston said.

The piece Alston chose on the night of Nov. 21, David Biedenbender’s “Schism,” mixes club riffs and jazz to create textures reminiscent of EDM music without the assistance of electronics, Alston said. It was one of the highlights of Pulse Tribute Night, an evening when the FIU Wind Ensemble honored the victims of the Orlando club shooting on June 12.

“I always try to have a concept more than just the music with my concerts. Because in higher education, sometimes it’s all about putting stuff in – knowledge or information. You don’t have time to let it really resonate within you and come through you again,” Alston said. “With my concerts, we’re going to play music, yes. But we’re also going to do something greater than ourselves because we can – because that’s what we have to do in our lives. We need to be activists for humans, human rights and our planet.”

The murder of 49 people and injury of 53 others resonated within the concert hall, carried by melody and highlighting the tragedy that cut the LGBT community deeply, which includes Alston. He said he wasn’t sure how he was going to get up the next morning.

“I’ve been to that club,” Alston said. “As a member of the LGBT community and after the loss of my friend Matt Shepard in the late ‘90s, for something that horrific to happen – it knocked the wind out of me.”

For students, according to Gisela Vega who oversees LGBT Initiatives across FIU campuses, Pulse altered their feeling of security in the identities many of them were exploring for the first time.

“It changed how they feel about their level of safety. Students were starting to feel that they were safe and that [Pulse] just threw it out,” Vega said.

Sarah Klapka, a junior psychology major and member of the LGBT community, finds herself coming to a similar realization.

“It showed us that we have not come as far in history as I would’ve hoped,” Klapka said. “It’s a wake up call that hate is still winning and is yet to be overcome by love.”

The students who have shown extreme distress for their safety after Pulse were directed to CAPS to get guidance and support, according to Vega.

In the wake of the worst massacre in American history, Alston hopes to delve into the healing process for all and himself with music.

“The only way that I can deal with something like that is to is to try and promote life and love and bring people together, which music can do in a beautiful way.” He said.

The songs for the tribute were chosen by Alston who wanted to capture the sounds and moods of the night scene.

The evening’s emotional climax was Elliot Del Borgo’s “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” a piece based on Dylan Thomas’s eponymous villanelle, in which Thomas addresses his dying father.

“It immediately came to my mind when I was putting the concert together. I’m a firm believer that light will drive out darkness. We keep going with the light in our lives,” Alston said.

Vega believes the concert provided an opportunity for the power of music to mend painful and deep wounds.

“I think music is incredibly healing. It’s an universal language that we can all relate to on an emotional level,” Vega said. “I do believe in the power of music to be a healing avenue for everyone.”

Alston echoed this sentiment.

“Just coming together and singing or just listening has a way to bring feelings up and out. It allows for a spiritual sharing environment that is very special and unique. Everyone is vulnerable and it’s a very beautiful thing to be a part of.” Alston said.

Alston urged LGBT students to realize that the fight isn’t over. He believes that students need to start to discover and express what they feel and believe without shame.

“We have to band together – all of us. We need to be even prouder of who we are,” He said.

Alston also emphasized Pulse’s role as an important reminder to everyone, regardless of orientation, to preserve one’s humanity amidst the bloodshed.

“Aside from the fact that it was the worst massacre in this country’s history, it speaks to what’s happening in terms of our humanity. We’ve seen the temperature on things like this rise from school massacres, to columbine and Sept. 11th. Eventually, you’re not going to bat an eye too hard to something like that,” Alston explained. “I think we need to keep these things in the forefront so that we’re constantly reminded that we don’t want to repeat ourselves.”

Vega emphasized the fact that the road to equality is a long one, especially when so many LGBT youths are finding themselves homeless after coming out to their families.

“A lot of our students are in need. Homelessness among LGBT people is at an astronomical rate. 40 percent of all homeless youth are LGBT and I see a lot of those students on our campus,” Vega said. “There were all sorts of people at Pulse that night. We all deserve to live in a world that’s free of hate and discrimination and to feel that we can be who we are without having any repercussions. Pulse needs to be remembered because it shows that we have a long road to go in terms of being able to create a place where people feel safe.”

 

Image retrieved from Flickr.