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| Jazz Ensemble to
Perform in Wesley Chapel released: 03/18/04 |
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| The West Virginia
Wesleyan College Jazz Ensemble will perform its home concert on Friday,
March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Wesley Chapel. Fresh off their annual spring break tour of the northeastern United States, and still two months away from their European trip, the jazz band prepares to perform their annual spring concert. “The home concert is really the highpoint of the performing cycle,” remarked Dr. David Milburn, Director of the Jazz Ensemble and the Department Chair of Music. “It is also a time to recognize the seniors, their accomplishments, and their contributions to the jazz band. I am a firm believer that the band improves with each day and every concert, so by the time we perform in the spring at Wesley Chapel, we will be playing at our very best level.”  “It
is a culmination of our spring tour and gives us a chance to play in front
of our peers,” remarked junior tenor saxophone player Sarah Helman.
“Often, we are so busy on campus that we really don’t see our
friends as much as we might like. This concert serves as a way of showing
them that our time has been well spent.” Sophomore guitar player Sean
Coughlin added, “We work extremely hard preparing ourselves, so it
is always nice to play in a concert and display the product of our hard
work.”The jazz band recently completed their annual spring break tour with visits to Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. “It was another successful tour,” remarked Dr. Milburn. “It started in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and not many people can say they started a tour in Paw Paw.” Ian Helmick, alum of Wesleyan and one of the “best drummers” ever to have played at Wesleyan, according to Dr. Milburn, is the band director at Paw Paw Middle and High School. Milburn therefore chose to begin Wesleyan’s spring tour there, hoping to aid in boosting the program. “He is trying to build up his band program, and I thought if we performed there, it would be a boost for his program.” For the members of the jazz band, the tour is highlighted by the opportunity to meet the middle and high school students. “It is a nice experience getting to play, but it is really more than just performing,” remarked Helman. “There is an important interaction with the students. Occasionally we get the opportunity to play with the high school’s jazz band or to meet with students after a concert, often being able to assist them on a piece or to give guidance in other endeavors. If I am talking with a clarinet player, and I get a chance to tell them what it is like to play the clarinet in Wesleyan’s jazz band, I think that is an important aspect of what we do as representatives of our college.” Senior trumpet player Kim Marinich echoed Helman’s statement, “It really is more than just playing in a concert,” she stated. “It is a chance to meet people, and see how other music departments and schools view music and the arts. As a future educator, that is an important factor to me. I enjoy talking to other music departments and finding out what drives their work.” For freshman trombone player Mike Lambert, getting the opportunity to bond with other bandmates stands out for him. “As musicians, it really gives us a chance to know each other better, which can only help the music get better.” The spring break tour not only gives the Jazz Ensemble a fantastic opportunity to perform and a chance to meet new people, but it also an excellent recruiting tool for the College. “There are a lot of students playing in the jazz band because they saw the ensemble play at their high school in previous tour,” said Milburn. “As a result, we usually have a number of students apply at Wesleyan and join the jazz band after we have visited a particular high school, especially in heavily recruited areas of the College such as New Jersey and Maryland. I firmly believe that the jazz band is one of the best representatives the College can have.” The Jazz Band will begin their European tour on May 7 and will conclude it on May 23. While overseas, they will visit Bulgaria, Romania, and Czech Republic among other Eastern European countries. They are currently accepting donations to fund the trip. If you attend the concert, envelopes will be placed in the program if you would like to make a gift, or you can also make a gift by calling the College Advancement Office at (304) 473-8540. The jazz band will also hold a fundraising spaghetti dinner at the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church on March 28. Following the dinner, they will perform in the church sanctuary. |