Rhythmic jazz and melodious rock filled Old Cabell Hall at the Distinguished Major recital of fourth-year College student Michael McNulty. The evening’s performance was a culmination of years worth of composing and arranging, taking the audience on a journey through McNulty’s time as a musician at the University.
“I'm involved in a lot of different musical outlets at U.Va,” McNulty said. “I think this recital is a showcase of all of them. It’s kind of like a broad survey of what I've been doing musically.”
The recital featured performances from a variety of ensembles, with McNulty zealously playing the guitar for each. The program included a Jazz Small Group, a duo of McNulty and vocalist and Class of 2021 Tina Hashemi, the University Jazz Ensemble — which McNulty has been a part of since his first year — and McNulty’s rock band “Michael and the Misdemeanors.” Each ensemble played pieces composed or arranged by McNulty himself.
“I'm working with some really talented players who are going to do a good job with my pieces,” McNulty said.
The preparation process began last March with an audition for the Distinguished Major Program recital project — McNulty has been crafting and perfecting Friday’s collection music since. McNulty said the process of writing music is one that consists of a lot of “trial and error.” This was especially true while writing a piece called “Dahoud,” the finale of the recital’s first set.
“I'd pretty much gone through like ten drafts or something,” McNulty said while reminiscing on the roughly four month long writing process. With the help of his mentor John D’earth, director of Jazz Performance at the University, McNulty was able to transcribe his vision into sheet music.
“I’d basically just bring a new draft every week… we’d try it out and then he’d give me [advice].” McNulty said. “It's been great, the writing process, because I've had so much ability to try pieces out.”
While he enjoys writing, McNulty said the best part is getting to hear and play the music that he’s worked so hard on.
The first half of the recital, which was dedicated to showcasing McNulty’s jazz material, consisted of energetic big band charts influenced by the sounds of groups like the Count Basie and Thad Lewis/Mel Lewis Orchestras. McNulty was fully immersed in the music while both playing his guitar and sporadically conducting the orchestra of strings, keys, drums and horns.
“Since I've been in middle school I have wanted to be in a rock band with a horn section,” McNulty said. “I've never had a horn section that I arranged for, and this is the first time I’m playing with a really killer horn section, so I’m psyched about that.”
The second half of the recital featured McNulty’s band of fellow jazz musicians, Michael and the Misdemeanors. The group frequently gigs well-loved rock and funk covers around Charlottesville, making them well known in the University music scene — many of the band’s fans were in attendance Friday night, making their presence known with cheers and applause.
Michael and the Misdemeanors’ setlist was infused with the rock and R&B sound of the motown artists McNulty is influenced by, with original compositions like “Emily” and “Sunshine” blending soulful beats with groovy guitar riffs.
The band’s arrangement of One Direction’s “Steal My Girl” stood out as a highlight in the second half.
“During the break, [our pianist] Thomas was like, ‘I can’t wait to play One Direction in Old Cabell Hall,’” McNulty said jokingly as he introduced the pop song, the band’s favorite song to cover.
The band’s excitement while they played the 2014 anthem was infectious, and the audience couldn’t help but join in, bobbing their heads and swaying their arms to McNulty’s vocals during the chorus.
The recital concluded just as it began, with a tune that showcased McNulty’s immense talent. When the song ended and the recital came to the close, the audience thanked McNulty for the night’s music with a rousing standing ovation.
McNulty plans to continue both writing and playing music after his graduation this May, and is currently in the process of figuring out his next moves musically.
“I want to get in a studio and make an EP,” said McNulty, who has yet to release music on streaming services. “That’s my next goal.”
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