Master Class!

Starting with its inventor Franz Liszt, master classes provide students (professional and amateur alike) an opportunity to learn and be inspired by an accomplished concert performer. Many concertgoers have had an impromptu piano lesson (a master class) in the middle of a Gonzales concert, but During Chilly Gonzales’ current tour of France, he took time out to give a master class with students from two schools: La Classe Orchestre du Collège Saint-Exupéry and la Classe Vocale du Collège Jules Simon de Vannes.

The end result is quite striking: as in “These New Puritans” meets Chilly Gonzales kind of striking. The choral and brass arrangement give way to piano, and then almost a dance beat, before all elements combine in a meld of marching orchestra, choir, and (of course) piano.

A quick peek at the Saint-Exupéry website reveals that the arranger (M. Pilhon) posted an MP3 (from midi) version of his arrangement prior to the master class.

The ‘canned’ arrangement comes off more metronomic, but is an interesting take on Overnight regardless. Hopefully, this is the start of a trend where more educational institutions pick up Gonzales compositions for education.

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