TROY — Jan. 30, 1969 was one of the most significant days in music history.
It was the day, fifty years ago, that The Beatles, one of the most prominent British groups in music history, performed and filmed their final live public performance along the rooftop of Apple Corps at 3 Savile Row. Within the 42-minute performance, spectators watched as they performed nine takes of five songs from the album, Let It Be before the Metropolitan Police arrived at the rooftop to tell the band to turn down their volume, after growing concerned about noise and traffic issues. The filming of the rooftop concert, later being featured in the 1970 documentary film, Let It Be, and the significance of their final show, marked the end of an era for The Beatles as they officially disbanded in September 1969.
Honoring the Beatles’ 50th Anniversary Rooftop concert, local music school, the Troy Music Academy, with the assistance of many of their students, performed an outstanding homage to the historic rooftop concert along the second floor of the Troy Atrium on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, exactly fifty years to the day of the Beatles final show. The Troy Music Academy was successful in bringing more awareness to what the music school is all about, by showing residents, fellow musicians, and young children and teens that aren’t familiar with the music school or are curious as to what they have to offer, through both the tribute show and their open house event held at the Troy Music Academy on Saturday, Feb. 2.
This special half-hour rooftop concert featured three live covers of ‘One After 909’, ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, and ‘Get Back’ from the Beatles Let It Be album. ‘One After 909’ featured Troy Music Academy students, Sydney Ferguson (piano), Trent Welch (guitar and vocals), Calvin Welch (guitar and vocals), Eli Wein (bass), and Luke Ferguson (drums). ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ featured performers Delaney Morin (piano and vocals), Luke Ferguson (drums), Logan Ploss (guitar and vocals), Matthew Barrett (bass), and Zach Ryan (guitar and backing vocals). ‘Get Back’, the final song of the session, featured musicians, Logan Ploss (guitar and vocals), Phoenix Homer (bass), Luke Ferguson (drums), Jack Mahoney (guitar and backing vocals), and Hannah Ryan (piano).
Each cover song performed by the Troy Music Academy students was clean, precise, and entertaining to watch and dance to within the half-hour show. There was even a group of students from a local elementary school that joined hands to dance and form the wave throughout ‘Get Back’. Before Ploss began to sing the opening lyrics of ‘Get Back’, he was interrupted by members of the City of Troy Police Department who came to stop Ploss and “The Beatles” from performing their final song.
“I think somebody called the police!” called a spectator before three members of the City of Troy Police Department arrived towards the stage area to stop the show for a few seconds before they were given a microphone to speak into within the huge crowd of spectators.
“You kids have a permit?” called a male policeman.
“What?! No.” exclaimed Ploss.
“Can I have your attention, please? I realize you’re the Beatles and all, but we’ve received several noise complaints. You’re gonna have to tone the volume down.” Said the officer.
“Come on, it’s rock and roll, man. We’re here to play one more song.” Exclaimed Ploss.
“All right, one more song,” said the policeman. The crowd erupted in cheers once the police officers left the stage to give the band the floor to re-start and perform ‘Get Back’ for their audience. Ploss introduced ‘Get Back’ again and delivered the song with assistance from his team of performers who also performed alongside him with pride.
New York State Department of Labor workers, other TV and media outlets, residents, and Beatles fans, both young and old, ventured out to the Troy Atrium on a cold winter afternoon to witness and be a part of both Beatles history and the success of the Troy Music Academy who was able to make this wonderful event possible by the students and the instructors.
The Troy Music Academy and Their Open House
The Troy Music Academy, founded in 2011 by Lori Friday, Kenny Hohman, and Graham Tichy, has been providing music lessons to individuals of all ages for eight years. From teaching voice, piano, drums, guitar, bass, strings, to providing group lessons and group seminars, the mission of the music academy is to provide the highest quality of music education possible in a fun and relaxing environment. Each instructor teaches the student how to perform & learn the instrument of their choice at their own pace through instructional booklets or learning individual songs of their choice and genre in the heart of the city where the local arts and music scene is continuing to flourish. With friendly and caring staff that are there to assist their students to achieve success in their musical interest, the Troy Music Academy is a welcoming place to learn how to sing or perform a musical instrument in the City of Troy. Music is certainly for everybody at the Troy Music Academy.
Saturday, February 2, the Troy Music Academy hosted their open house at their facilities. Parents had brought their young children to test out the piano and the drums, talked to instructors that were able to provide insight into the music academy and learn how to schedule their lessons. Music patrons, from children and adults who were interested in learning about the academy, were able to take a tour through the two studio locations, including the back hallway of the Market block section of the building, to check out where the lessons would take place. The staff was pleased with the success of the open house and how new music patrons were coming to their school to inquire about lessons and learn about the school. The T.M.A. open house and the Beatles rooftop concert were deemed a wonderful success.
Like Troy Music Academy on Facebook and go onto their website at http://www.troymusicacademy.com to schedule your music lesson with an instructor and learn more information about the music academy and its success it brings in enriching people’s lives through the love and passion of music.
