Ardley, Neil et al. Music - Essay Example

Due MUSIC PERFORMANCE I attended a music concert exactly two weeks ago. The performers were the popular One Direction music group who had stopped by in town to give a thrilling performance. While on stage, members of this group employed a variety of technique to ensure their audience got the very best from them. The lighting on the stage provided everyone a good view of them. It was not too strong or dim to the eyes. The audience section was darker than the stage in terms of lighting. On audience participation, the performers gave signs to the audience to join them especially at the chorus part of the song.

This they achieved by signaling their audience using their hands to join along, or by turning the microphone towards the audience(Ardley et al, 82.). The audience in turn picked up the meaning of the gestures and sang along. At times they would simply tell the audience to sing along which they did. When introducing a new song to the audience, the group first taught the audience the song lyrics and rhythm before singing it. They would then start by singing the song in a slow tempo, and increased it gradually as the audience learned the song better.

The 2014 One Direction documentary Where we are talks about the rise of the One Direction from the X factor all the way to the San Siro stadium performance which was one of their peak moments in their music career. This documentary reveals to us what it took to make this music group successful. They relate their success to their audience. In this documentary they talk about planning on their shows prior to performance, and proper rehearsals to get used to the performance and prevent any awkward situations while on stage.

In addition to good planning, the group has put a lot of effort in satisfying their audience’s high expectations through working on a variety of songs and genres that leave their audience spoilt for choice. They have achieved this through working on their creativity, and knowing what best suits their always growing fans. Most of their audience, they say, are young people who are faced by the daily pressures from society. For this reason, they always ensure that every song they have has a message that goes with it, such that their performances are not just meaningless lyrics, but positive messages that can impact on people’s lives (Ardley et al, 63.). The group has also worked on their appearance and their image in the music industry.

In all performances, they strive to leave an impression by for example putting on costumes that relate to their songs. In doing so, they ensure that they do not exaggerate on their stage appearance such that they can divert the audience’s attention from the song to the way in which they are dressed up. Works Cited Ardley, Neil et al. Music. New York: Knopf, 1989. Print.