UNL Winter Festival Participants Gratify Listeners’ Ears
Launch the media gallery 1 playerBy Keaton Vavra
Two Pierce students, Trayton Christiansen and Spencer Sindt, attended the Winter Festival held at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln campus.
“The Winter Festival is a unique concert honor band festival for all high school brass, woodwind, and percussion players. The festival is designed to give participants an outstanding and comprehensive playing experience. Festival participants are chosen through a recorded audition process,” Caroly Barber, the director of the band, said. “The 49 students attending the festival were involved in various musical experiences including an honor band; masterclasses with the Glenn Korff School of Music's talented applied wind and percussion faculty; and a large symphonic band that combines the festival honor band with the University Wind Ensemble. This year the honor band students had a special opportunity to tour the new music building. It is under construction now, and we will be in it for next year’s festival as well as our newly renovated concert hall.”
The songs performed by the honor band were “Sun Dance” by Frank Ticheli, “Nave from ‘Sessions – 3 a.m.’” by Michael Torke, and “Brighton Beach Concert March” by William Latham. The two bands combined and performed “Keepers of the House” by Conni Ellisor and “Sine Nomine” by Ralph Vaughan Williams arr. Alfred Reed.
“I had a really fun time while I was there. I got to meet excellent musicians from across the Midwest, and I got to work with excellent faculty and staff from UNL, especially Dr. Carolyn Barber. My favorite song was ‘Sine Nomine’. Spencer and I were in the same chamber ensemble, and we played ‘Song Without Words’” Christiansen said.
The final concert was performed on Sunday, February 2, at 3 p.m.
