Continuing the success of the university’s Performing Arts Series, the third guest on the roster was the group Take3 on Thursday, Nov. 7.  Accompanying a packed crowd at the Nightingale Concert Hall, the performance was bound to be a memorable one filled with a clever intermixing of classical and modern music—and that it was.

Consisting of a violinist, pianist and cellist, Take3 is often considered a genre-defying trio with a specialty in reimagining classic pieces with a more modern, magnetic twist. In addition to captivating audiences as a group, the members have plenty of professional experience individually.  

Along with participating in many American and Canadian symphonies, violinist Lindsay Deutsch’s solo work can be heard on the movie soundtrack for “The Good Shepherd.” Pianist Irene Kim has performed in many famous venues including The Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress. Besides performing with the likes of Lady Gaga and the Wu Tang Clan, cellist Leah Metzler’s work can be heard in a plethora of commercials and video games. 

These impressive resumes definitely showed in their multi-faceted performance, which made the night even more of a thrill.

Sporting a fiery red, sequined jumpsuit, Deutsch lit up the stage as she kicked off “Despacito,” the first song of the evening, which every one in the crowd instantly recognized. 

Each member would trade off solos and nod their heads to the music the same way the audience was. Although Kim wasn’t there, the pianist that took her place meshed right in with the dynamics of Deutsch and Metzler—grooving to the catchiness of the hit song with a smile on his face.

In between each song, Deutsch would interact with the crowd—telling stories regarding her love for classical music, which showed the group’s passion for all things music. Deutsch would go on to reminisce about when she saw violins being played for the first time on Sesame Street, which sparked her interest in the instrument as a young child—even going as far as to put strings on tissue boxes. 

As dramatic and emotionally dynamic the performances were, the trio balanced it out with their sense of humor as they discussed their retirement plans, which was to win the world Fortnite championships—reminding Metzler to get up and perform the trendy floss dance for the audience. 

It was clear that the group has an affinity for intricate mashups. Backed by intense red lighting and the theatrical fog surrounding the stage, their combination of Imagine Dragons’ “Natural” and Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” truly felt like a rock-esque experience. It was incredible to hear how each little nuance was executed and how the intensity of the song heightened toward the end, which coincided with the showmanship of the group as their arms shot up right at the end—causing the crowd to roar with rightfully earned applause.

Steering away from the fierceness of the mashup, the group turned to a gorgeous rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” which represented their impressive versatility. Because of the emotive significance the song portrays, Deutsch expressed that no matter how many times they hear it, it feels special every time. 

The group went on to cram as many Bach and Beethoven hits into one collective song. During the mashup, the pianist jokingly played Mozart—turning into a cute bit where Deutsch stops and corrects him. The trio then transitioned into modern pop hits including the catchy “Sweet Alabama” and eventually, The Beatles’ “Yesterday”—surprising the audience as Deutsch and Metzler put their instruments down for a bit and sang the tune beautifully.

Toward the end of the night, the “Game of Thrones” theme song received the most vocal reaction due to the show being a worldwide phenomenon. The trio’s rendition of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” score was so convincing it made the audience feel like they were in the movie theaters themselves. 

Lastly, music from the hit film, “Pulp Fiction,” ended the intricate show on a high note—calling for a tremendous night of undisputed talent from some of the most passionate musicians around.

Rylee Jackson can be reached at ryleejackson@sagebrush.unr.edu, or on Twitter @rybyjackson.