By Mia Shea
Staff Writer
The College’s Concert Band, Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble brought life to the Kendall Hall Main Stage with their final performance of the fall semester on Nov. 22.
The show began with the Concert Band, conducted by Michael Pettis. The band wowed the audience with four whimsical pieces.
The band’s first piece was “Into the Clouds!” by Richard Saucedo. The concert program described this piece as symbolizing “individualism and self-reliance,” specifically while on a journey. This was evident throughout the entire piece as the themes mirror the feeling of flying.
The Concert Band then performed two more pieces, “In His Grace” by Aytey Shabazz and “Skyward Spirits” by Jarod Hall. Both of these symphonies also reminisce on the feeling of embarking on a journey through time and space.
Each performing band had one song that was conducted by a student. The student conductor for the Concert Band was Jillian Scott, a senior music education major. She conducted “Silent Sky,” which was originally by Dennis Eveland.
The final song from the Concert Band was “Carabina Afterparty” by Omar Thomas. This upbeat, exciting and fun piece included audience participation in the middle of the song.
The next group to perform was the Wind Orchestra, led by conductor Adam Warshafsky. The first piece was student conducted by senior music education major Laurel Pondish.
The Wind Orchestra then performed “A Mother of a Revolution” by Omar Thomas, “Sheltering Sky” and “Until the Scars,” both by John Mackey. “Until the Scars” is an adaptation of the first movement of a work based on Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
The Wind Ensemble was the third and final group to perform and put on a versatile, show-stopping performance. The ensemble was conducted by Eric Laprade.
Freshman music education major Liezel Reyes plays the tuba in the Wind Ensemble. “As one of the only freshmen in the wind ensemble, it is super fun,” she said. “And all of the upperclassmen are so welcoming.”
Their first piece was “Notezart” by Cindy McTee, and was in a quasi-Renaissance style. This song is reminiscent of self-reliance, as shared by McTee in the program.
The second piece was student-conducted by Grace Trumpy, a senior music education major. The song was the classic “Ave Maria,” composed by Franz Biebl originally for a seven-part men’s choir. This piece was well received by the audience.
The third piece, “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin and arranged by Donald Hunsberger, featured José Beviá, professor of music theory and composition, on piano where he received a standing ovation from the crowd. The piece was a tribute to the late Hunsberger, who was a conductor at the Eastman School of Music for 37 years and taught Laprade.
“[Hunsberger] was a professional and consummate musician,” Laprade said in the program. “Tonight, we celebrate his life and legacy through our performance of his arrangement of ‘Rhapsody in Blue.’”
The final song of the night was “Kingfishers Catch Fire” by John Mackey. This piece perfectly encapsulated the message of the night of hope and self-reliance.
“I thought the show was amazing,” said freshman English secondary education major, Grace Mandy. “I love live music, whether it's concerts or bands…everyone is so talented and it was a pleasure to enjoy.”
While this was the final orchestral performance of the semester, each group will be back in the spring semester for more performances.
