Pirates! at Westminster College

I had a fantastic experience on Friday, October 26th at Westminster College with the Wind Ensemble.  It was an honor to have Pirates! performed by such an outstanding group of young musicians.  It was also very rewarding to hear the seriousness with which they took the privilege of making music.  In their pre-concert meeting in the band room, each of the three student conductors on the program expressed their appreciation to their peers for their efforts in rehearsal, and they encouraged each other to enjoy the moment and play their best for the sake of the music and for each other.  The group abounds with students who make great musical decisions instinctively in their playing, and their performance was fantastic.  Their program included some of finest literature in the band world (Zdechlick’s Chorale and Shaker Dance, Persichetti’s Paegant, Reed’s Hounds of Spring, and J. Clifton Williams’ The Sinfonians).

I have been very impressed with the quality of the Westminster College bands over the past 13 years, and it is a direct reflection of Dr. Greig’s hard work, dedication, and desire to set a higher standard.  Dr. R. Tad Greig has become a great mentor to me on the job, and I appreciate his advice, experience and perspective.  I know his students appreciate what he gives to them, and I hope Westminster College understands how fortunate they are to have a director like Dr. Greig at the helm of their band program.

The concert also featured part of a new piece by Senior Music Education Major Jacob Moon.  The one movement they presented, “Requiem” is part of a larger work he is writing for his Senior Project.  Jacob’s choice of texture and color to the score show a maturity well beyond his years, and I am very eager to hear the completed project.  If you have not had the opportunity to make it over to a concert at Westmisnter lately, please do yourself a huge favor – GO AND ENJOY IT!