On Tuesday, October 1, NYC based ensemble Either/Or performed Richard Carrick’s l’Algérie at a pop-up concert in Columbia’s Miller Theater.

My first experience in the Miller Theater was a magnificent one. Upon seeing the poster for Richard Carrick’s pop up concert, I marked my calendar for October 1 at 6 pm. I am not at all musically inclined, nor do I know much about technicalities of music and composition (forgive me, I have yet to take Music Hum.) However, in the midst of midterm season, I decided that a musical pause was what I needed. 

NYC based ensemble Either/Or performed Richard Carrick’s piece l’Algerie, taking the audience on a journey through Carrick’s maternal Algerian heritage. Carrick, born in France, is a composer, director, and pianist whose works are influenced by his multicultural background. Through a confluence of oriental and occidental melodies, rhythms, and instruments, ensemble members Jennifer Choi (violin), John Popham (cello), Bahar Badieitabar (oud), Richard Carrick (piano), and Justin Jay Hines (percussion) delivered a beautiful nine-segment performance that had the audience captivated for the entire forty five minutes. 

After learning that the entrance is located on Broadway and not in Dodge Hall, I made my way to Miller Theater, greeted by a pleasant atmosphere of guests mingling with drinks. By the time I arrived, all the onstage seats were taken, but luckily I found a spot close to the stage. I eyed the diversity of instruments presented onstage, curious as to how they would fit together.

The piece began with a suspenseful introduction by the oud, as the slower plucking of strings produced deep, ominous, and melodic tones. The pace picked up as the violin’s higher register complemented the deeper sounds of the oud. As the other instruments joined in, a typical Arab rhythm ensued, reminding me of the sounds from my grandmother’s radio in Algeria. While the piece transitioned, the piano transformed into more of a percussion tool, providing a beat for the rest of the musicians to follow. Occasionally, Carrick would make use of plucking the strings inside the piano, a technique I had never seen before, creating sharper and shorter notes that sometimes mimicked sounds in nature, such as thunder. Later, the jingles of a tambourine emerged to contribute a lively and energetic segment followed by the softer taps of a darbuka—a traditional Arab drum. After a powerful, evocative, and emotional segment, the piece concluded with a sadder, introspective tone, closing out with all instruments in unison. These brilliant musicians were met with immense applause for their moving performance.

The oud is an eleven string, fretless, wooden instrument central to Middle Eastern music tradition.

Throughout each segment, I noticed that individually, each musician played a collection of rather dissonant notes. The styles and techniques were unique and unconventional; however, as they converged and played together, it led to a harmonic wonder. Similarly, Carrick combined sounds from the East and West, thoroughly exploring and appreciating his nuanced identity. Not only was it pleasant to the ear, but it served as a beautiful reminder that through dissonance we can create harmony; our differences can be our very beauty. 

A full performance of l’Algérie can be found on Richard Carrick’s Youtube page.

Oud via Wikimedia Commons

Header via Columbia Arts Initiative