Several small student ensembles will come together for one big concert on campus at Western Carolina University on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
The School of Music groups scheduled to appear are the WCU Horn Choir; a woodwind quintet; the university tuba and euphonium quartet; two saxophone quartets; and the Balsam Brass Quintet. The event is free and open to the public, and will take place in the recital hall of the Coulter Building.
“Playing in these kinds of small ensembles gives our students the opportunity to develop extremely important skills related to leadership and collaboration,” said Travis Bennett, WCU professor of music. “It also requires them to take greater responsibility for playing at a high level and to actively listen and respond to their fellow musicians. While several of these groups work regularly with a faculty coach, much of their rehearsal time is self-directed.”
The recital will feature a variety of musical styles and song choices. The WCU Horn Choir will perform selections from Gustav Holst’s popular orchestral suite, “The Planets,” as well as the familiar “Colonel Bogey March” and an original work for horn ensemble. The Balsam Brass Quintet will play a lyrical piece by Michael Kamen, who also wrote music for many popular films, including “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “Die Hard,” “Lethal Weapon” and “Mr. Holland’s Opus.”
For more information, contact the School of Music at 828-227-7242.