Audrey Martinez
The Paw Print
The Adams State College spring band concert is around the corner once again. The concert will be featuring our ASC concert band and the wind ensemble. The concert will feature new band literature performed in a variety of styles. The collection played on this evening will also include music from Harry Potter and The Wizard of Oz. ASC senior Leslie Kahler, the lead clarinet player, will be conducting a piece of music on this night as well. This night filled with music begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17 in Richardson Hall. Admission for adults is $5, $1 for students, and it will be free to AS&F and the numerous friends of the music department.
The concert band is directed by Dr. Jamie VanValkenburg, who is the director of bands and instructor of low brass at ASC. The concert band is the largest performing ensemble here at ASC. This instrumental ensemble welcomes all students who hold experience in band with an instrument. The ASC concert band performs two concerts per semester containing traditional and contemporary works.
The wind ensemble, which is the top concert band at ASC and is also open to all students upon audition, is also directed by Dr. Jamie VanValkenburg. This ensemble is accompanied by the work featured by Fredrick Fennel with the Eastman School of Music. Like the concert band, the wind ensemble performs about two concerts per semester here on campus. The ensemble does have multiple opportunities to perform in other areas such as high schools and tours to multiple areas throughout Colorado. The wind ensemble performs programs with a variety of standard and contemporary music.
ASC student Leslie Kahler will be conducting a contemporary piece of music “Undertow” by American composer John Mackey. This piece of music has a driving rhythmic pattern and involves lively percussion in several parts to add energy to the piece. Last fall, students were given the opportunity to conduct a piece for the fall concert, and Leslie Kahler was one of the two conductors selected for this audition. She was then chosen to conduct her piece of music for the spring band concert. Leslie has been playing the clarinet since she was in the fourth grade and has enjoyed it ever since. She is an active participant of both the wind ensemble and the concert band. Therefore, in addition to her conducting, she will be participating in both ensembles.
The new music which will be performed consists of a variety of cross section music pieces which are contemporary pieces composed in the last few years. The piece from Harry Potter that will be presented is “Nimbus 2000” which is featured in the melody throughout most of the Harry Potter movies. The piece that will be played from The Wizard of Oz is a melody that will spark the mood of the audience. This performance is one that you will not want to miss. It not only includes many pieces of music that have been composed in the past few years, but it also includes music from movies that our families have enjoyed for many years.
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