|
News [RSS]
Give
to the Sinfonia |
|
Chapter News Chapter brothers to perform in all three national fraternity
ensembles
Brother Greg Cobb (Theta Upsilon, ’08) will be playing the drums for the Convention’s Jazz Band, led by Jim Ketch (Alpha Rho, ’78), and with the sit-in playing of Jamey Aebersold (Gamma Tau, ’68). Brother Mark Helmstetter (Theta Upsilon, ’03) will be playing the euphonium in the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Wind Ensemble, which will be conducted by Dr. Bobby Adams (Theta Pi, ’61), with one piece guest conducted by Dr. Frank Ticheli, who has been selected by the fraternity to be a national honorary member, to be initiated at Convention. Brother Andrew Owen (Theta Upsilon, ’06) will be singing bass in the Men of Song Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Men’s Chorus, under the baton of Dr. Dennis Shrock (Zeta Tau, ’63). Within the choir's program will be the second-ever performance of a new, all-male arrangement of Eric Whitacre’s “The Seal Lullaby.” Also, Brother David Mason was chosen for an alternate spot on trombone with the Convention’s Jazz Band. This is an unprecedented achievement for the chapter, and it hopes that this trend continues at future conventions.
Update: Brothers Cobb, Helmstetter, and Owen all performed in their respective ensembles. All three ensembles were top-quality and moving for the convention participants and guests. The "second-ever" performance of the male chorus piece "The Seal Lullaby" turned out to be the first-ever performance, since the ensemble that planned to premier it had yet to perform the piece. In the Wind Ensemble, Brother Ticheli conducted his piece "Wild Nights!" (a piece inspired by Emily Dickinson's poetry), and then had the ensemble play for the first time his composition called "Amen!" which is a piece he wrote to honor his friend from his high school band trumpet section. |
