Alt-J at Aragon Ballroom

Hi, my name is Logan Stahley. I am very excited to be the next graduate ambassador for the Music Composition for the Screen MFA program.

Ever since I was a child I was greatly involved in music. I recall taking violin lessons, trumpet lessons, and piano lessons all at the same time. My favorite soundtracks growing up were Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings trilogies. I remember playing back the themes on piano, plinking away the notes until it sounded close to the original. I studied trumpet and played in orchestras and wind bands during my high school years. During college I studied Music Technology at Montana State University Bozeman. I was lucky enough to record my school’s orchestra for three of my original soundtracks. Hearing my music being played by over forty of my peers was an experience I will never forget. I also joined a funk rock band and toured around the Northwest. I helped write and produce the first album, Cure for the Common.

Since moving here from Montana, I realized how much opportunity there is to see live music in Chicago. Looking through lists of events, I was amazed to see so many quality bands traveling through Chicago. In early September, I saw indie rock band Alt-J (∆) at the Aragon Ballroom. The venue was packed and it was totally sold out by showtime. The band played a superb set, playing the entire first album “An Awesome Wave.” The audience was not as energized as I expected they would be, but it was a Monday night.

Goblin at the Metro

In October, I travelled over to Lakeview to watch the band Goblin. This Italian band is responsible for writing the soundtracks to Dario Argento’s films Profondo Rosso (1975) and Suspiria (1977). Goblin had never before toured America, so this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see them perform. The venue was The Metro, a small intimate music hall located by Wrigley Field. My favorite part of the show was probably the song “Tenebre” which uses vocoders and was sampled on Justice’s “Phantom.”

The the most anticipated concert of the semester was without a doubt John Williams conducting the Chicago Symphony at the Chicago Symphony Hall. I have always dreamed of seeing the maestro of the movies conduct his work. Williams and the Chicago Symphony were brilliant. My personal favorite cues were Hook’s flying sequence and Star Wars Imperial March.  The symphony hall is a marvelous spectacle and the sound of it is breathtaking. I wished I could have been a little closer to the stage, but it still sounded great from all the way in the balcony. I will definitely be heading back to this hall. Seeing one of the best symphonies in the world doesn’t have to be crazy expensive. The CSO offers $10 student balcony tickets for some concerts.

John Williams Chicago Symphony Orchestra

My second semester at Columbia College starts in a week! So far it has been an great experience. My cohort and I have improved so much in just one semester. I can’t wait to see how much more we improve over the next year and a half.