The Catawba College Band played their annual spring concert this past Tuesday, April 15th. The concert was held in Keppel Auditorium and mainly featured student conductors. Junior, flute/bass clarinet player, Jordan Warren conducted “Gavorkna Fanfare” by Jack Stamp. Senior clarinet player Nicholas Luciano conducted a brass piece that he wrote himself entitled “Blue and White Fanfare.” After that, Hunter Safrit, a sophomore percussion player, conducted “Country Gardens” a piece originally written by Percy Grainger and later arranged by John Phillip Sousa. “Poet and Peasant Overature” written by Franz Von Suppé was conducted by junior trumpet player Taylor Lee. Patrick Karriker, a junior euphonium player, then conducted the piece “Variations of a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance. The last student conductor for the night was junior euphonium player Zach Veitenheimer who conducted a piece entitled “Fusion,” which was written by Brian Balmages. The last two musical pieces of the night were “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Medley)” arranged by W. Barker and “Amparito Roca” written by Jaime Texidor. The band director Dr. Stephen Etters conducted the last two pieces. All of the student conductors are Music Education majors.
The band will be playing these pieces and more at several local high schools next Tuesday April 29th. The Catawba choir is joining in on the high school tour as well. The band and choir are also doing a collaboration piece entitled “Dry Your Tears Afrika” by John Williams. Their goal in doing these concerts at local high schools is to encourage students to come to Catawba and join the band and choir ensembles.
