On Sunday evening, March 2, Savino Go and Otto Allard took the stage at The Birenbaum for their joint junior recital, blending the serious with the light-hearted and technology with creativity. The evening promised an exciting mix of innovative sound exploration alongside classic pieces, offering a genre-bending experience.
The recital began with Go sitting still on stage as fading synths filled the air, rising and falling every second. The futuristic, robotic melodies made the track feel like the opening to an upcoming sci-fi blockbuster. As the last of the synths faded, Go introduced “Chironomy,” the software he used to create the piece, Etude Solo.
While the performance was focused on music, it would be an injustice not to mention the lecture component. Go’s introduction to “Chironomy” was insightful and entertaining, which came as a surprise. Most wouldn’t want to listen to someone talk for 20-minutes on a Sunday night, yet the audience appeared hyper focused the entire time — myself included.
Once the lecture was concluded, Go invited Allard to join him for a brief demonstration. Allard, with his mandolin, strummed away to a track Go had composed using an Xbox controller. Though interesting, it wasn’t cohesive, simply serving as a conclusion to Go’s portion of the recital.
After a brief intermission, Allard brought a light-hearted spirit and a sense of humor to the stage. While his passion for music was evident, it was refreshing to see a musician who doesn’t take themself too seriously. Joined by Will Scheer on bass, and his brother, Max Allard on banjo, he shifted the theme of the recital from the futuristic to the folk.
Three standout pieces — Emily (1964), Allard’s original If Nothing Else, For Spite, and Rebecca — perfectly captured the timeless appeal of folk music. Each performance delivered the high-energy, fast-paced southern charm that continues to captivate audiences, blending lively rhythms with heartfelt emotion and making it clear why folk music remains such a beloved genre.
A final highlight of the evening was the jazz mandolin. The last two songs — Wordsmith (2018) by Julian Lage and Allard’s untitled project — transported the audience into the intimate, smoky atmosphere of a jazz club. With punchy drums and a smooth bassline, guitarist Ian Campen and drummer Ben Bosler created the perfect ending to the night.
Savino Go’s fusion of musical innovation and technology offered an exciting glimpse into the future of music production, while Otto Allard’s seamless integration of the mandolin into both folk and jazz was nothing short of impressive. If I could relive the experience, I wouldn’t hesitate, though I might skip the 20-minute lecture to get straight to the music.
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