by Mike Telin
Located on the campus of the University of Akron, the concrete structure that is E.J. Thomas Hall is a formidable space. With a seating capacity of 2,955, it is not the first venue that comes to mind when you think of enjoying an intimate musical experience. But in a concert presented by Tuesday Musical on April 20, Edgar Meyer proved that a great musician is capable of making a large hall feel small.
Alone onstage with his bass, looking out into a socially distanced crowd of around 300, Meyer presented a mesmerizing 70-minute recital that featured music from the Baroque to bluegrass. Playing with the precision of a champion figure skater, Meyer’s fingers glided from one end of the instrument’s fingerboard to the other, flawlessly negotiating the tightest of turns — the guy has technique to spare — and sticking the landing of each musical leap, his intonation pitch-perfect. Above all, his artistry was beyond reproach.