Nothing borderline about Borderline Brass, the all-star ensemble can put on a stellar show.
A hand-picked super group of Southwestern College professors and musicians from the La Jolla Symphony, Borderline Brass presented “Music from the Theatre” with flair, technical fluency and, well, theatricality. Best of all they jammed.
Music professors Dr. Cynthia McGregor and Dr. Jeff Nevin showed their students how it is done. They were playing dual roles as teachers and performers as they blazed through numbers from theatre classics like “Carmen” and “West Side Story.”
Nevin and company rocked the Leonard Bernstein classic “America” from “West Side Story.” Its volatile syncopation and punchy melody were no match for el maestro as Nevin kept his ensemble locked onto the complicated tempos. The spirit of Chita Rivera swept into the hall as the musicians swung their skirts, stamped their feet and celebrated joie de vivre through their transcendent playing.
Professors and symphony musicians have another talent that might be overlooked – they know how to put on a show! Audience members bonded with the performers and went along on a musical journey that was built on enthusiasm and trust, much like a great classroom. Of course, at the end of the day, that is what a great college musical performance should be.
