Music filled the Recital Hall with sounds ranging from upbeat and fast-paced to dark and ominous notes on Friday evening.
Cal Poly music instructor Peter Yates and composer Daniel Kessner, a professor emeritus at Cal State Northridge, put on a memorable performance to entertain a small, intimate crowd.
The show included solos from each of the two musicians and a harmonious performance as a duo.
"It's the first time we've collaborated in performance," Yates said.
No one would have been able to tell.
Kessner and Yates gave a refreshing performance that had some in the crowd tapping their feet and others bobbing their heads in line with the tempo of the music.
Along with Kessner and Yates' works, performances included compositions from the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Composers, USA.
Bruce Sutherland, composer of the piece "Notturno," was pleased with the performance.
"The series was planned for flute and guitar," he said. "It was a delightful sound to hear [Kessner and Yates] together."
The composers weren't the only ones that were satisfied with the performances.
Adrian Cruz, a third-year electrical engineering student, described the music as different from the classical Mozart.
"It's not common. It's not something you would hear at a recital," Cruz said.
The music was unique and triggered different emotions. The opening piece, "5 Masks," composed by Yates, captivated the audience with soft sounds fading quickly to an upbeat tempo, which created a sense of mixed feelings and intensity.
The duo's "Shades of Pastel," composed by Kessner, gave the audience a taste of different musical styles in one piece. Yates' guitar produced quick, intense sounds that were picked up by Kessner's flute to create fluidity in the piece.
The variations from each piece made for a terrific combination of overall sound, creating an acoustic, smooth experience for the hour.
"…Before the Solstice…," composed by David S. Lefkowitz, was more intense, giving an adrenaline feeling of urgency and hurriedness. The piece gave way to a soft, enticing sound to recapture the audience after a brief intermission.
Kessner's solo performance, "Silver and Gold," grabbed the attention of the audience because of the enticing and rhythmic melody carried on by the flute.
The second half of the recital included Yates' solo guitar performance, "East of…West of…" which was quick-paced and enchanting all at once. The guitar strings seemed to move faster than the sound traveled, leaving the audience yearning for more, to say the least.
"It's great to see somebody mature. It's satisfying to see him grow up and see him perform," said Kessner of his former student, Yates. He hopes to be able to perform with Yates again.
The stealth performances by the duo brought forth frenzy at the end of the performance with composers and musicians eager to praise the performers.
NACUSA Los Angeles Chapter President Deon Price was thrilled with the performance.
"I thought it was wonderful," she said. "There was such a variety of music that they performed. It was a mellow kind of sound." The finale left the audience applauding for several minutes, forcing the duo to come back once more after its exit.
"I was very pleased with the performance," said Howard Quilling, who composed "Sonatina for Flute and Guitar," the final piece of the night. "It is through good performers that composers get recognized."
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