Life + Arts

Arts play to beat of own drum

A jazz ensemble performed on the porch of Moores School of Music on Tuesday. Their performance was one of many during the UH Arts Open House in the Arts Quad.  | Jaja Anele/The Daily Cougar

A jazz ensemble performed on the porch of Moores School of Music on Tuesday. Their performance was one of many during the UH Arts Open House in the Arts Quad. | Jaja Anele/The Daily Cougar

This year’s UH Arts Open House hosted in the Arts Quad brought together talented writers and musicians for an evening dedicated to displaying the talent and unique programs which enrich the school.

Performances were hosted on the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center patio, while others were featured on the Moores School of Music porch.

One of the first acts to shine its light was UH’s own acapella group, Men of Moores. They performed an astonishingly smooth set which included well-formed vocal renditions of modern hits.

Sophomore Matt Mozzola performed slick solo covers of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” and Bruno Mars’ “Grenade.”

Under the direction of Moores School of Music affiliate artist Jennifer Keeney, a flute quartet comprised of upper-classmen had a unique set made up of Irish melodies.

One of the quieter performances at the event was held in the lobby of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center and featured professor and artist-in-residence Chuck Ivy.

Ivy introduced a musical contraption which included a Samsung 3D TV, an XBOX Kinect sensor and a colorful, pixelated display of body movement.

This combination created a new way for people to make music — a way in which anyone can take part.

UH undergraduate literary journal Glass Mountain was in full effect, featuring an outdoor reading from creative writing senior and staff member Brett Forsberg. Layout editor Steven Simeone noted the growth of the journal within the past year due to its rise to national status, describing the reception as “overwhelmingly positive.”

Student submissions have risen to new heights and the journal’s next release is highly anticipated.

A tour of some of the campus sculptures was given by a Blaffer employee and culminated the evening.

The tour gave explanations of some of the structures.

The guide described some of the quirkier statues on campus, from the tall walking sculptures to the spotted bird that can be found nestled between two trees.

The sculptures and their history are a testament to the many artistic assets UH flaunts.

The evening was a diverse rendezvous which brought out people from many walks of campus and brought together the students, faculty and staff who care about and participate in UH art programs.

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