Whistling is his work

As songbirds slowly disappear with the onset of fall master's student Crandall Hicks keeps the whistling going.

Last week Hicks started standing in the grass each day in Polk Place whistling entire orchestral concertos by Vivaldi and other Baroque composers.

He emanates trills and complicated changes in pitch that echo across the grounds while keeping the music's tempo with his hands. As Hicks performed in front of South Building he could be heard from behind Lenoir Hall.

Though it's a new type of performance to many students on campus Hicks has been developing his unique musical skill on college grounds since 2004 when he attended the University of Minnesota.

He listens to songs on a set of headphones and whistles along with the melody" attempting to mimic the sounds of the instruments.

""I found I could approximate the pitch" trills and flowery elements of the flute performance especially" Hicks said.

Hicks invested up to two hours of practice each day to develop his skills while at the University of Minnesota, and debuted his campus performances there. When he moved to UNC to earn his master's degree, he practiced alone and learned new songs until he felt ready to share his talent with the South.

Hicks whistles in front of crowds so he can see people's reactions. He has noticed facial expressions that range from confusion to delighted fascination.

It's very reinforcing"" Hicks said. I wonder what they're thinking to themselves. When little kids walk by they're completely affixed because it's probably nothing they've seen before.""

His wife Pankuri Hicks-Gorakfha said the whistling mesmerized animal species as well.

""I always noticed when he would practice inside the house" the birds outside would start going crazy and banging themselves against the windows trying to get in" Hicks-Gorakfha said.

Junior Katelyn Brown-Gomez, who works at The Weathervane at A Southern Season with Hicks, didn't believe him when he said he was a skilled whistler. But Hicks took her and their coworkers outside to showcase his talent.

When he started to show us he got really into it" Brown-Gomez said.

Freshman Deanna Santoro instantly noticed Hick's unusual performance when she was walking to class through Polk Place.

He was just dancing and singing it was great Santoro said.

If he was bad it would bother me" but he's really talented.""

Hicks likes knowing that he provides a new take on whistling for the people around him.

""Whistling sets me apart from other musicians who are playing musical instruments. I don't have those skills but this is what I have" and I might as well do something with it" Hicks said.

Breathing in and letting out that much air gives me a sort of euphoric high.""



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