University of Redlands Symphonic Band Takes a Bow

REDLANDS >> The University of Redlands Symphonic Band performed their third official concert of the school year Feb. 23 at the Memorial Chapel on campus. Conducted by Dr. David Scott, the 50-student band played a series of orchestral pieces, including a composition of “Be Thou My Vision” by David R. Gillingham and “William Byrd Suite,” composed by William Byrd and transcribed by Gordon Jacob. During the one-hour concert, the students displayed the results of the hours of practice they have put toward their music over the course of the year. A visiting scholar from China also had the opportunity to conduct one of the songs performed. “There was a lot of beautiful ensemble playing tonight,” Scott said. “I was really happy with the progress that they’re making. This was definitely a nice concert.” The band, which featured 50 players during the concert, has a wide variety of instrumentalists, including those playing the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, horn, cornet, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion. Co-principal flutist Sofia Gomez was even on the piccolo. The diversity of the band does not stop with the instruments, however. According to Scott, only about five percent of the band are performance majors and 20 percent music education majors. The majority are either music minors or non-majors, like physics, biology or sociology. “Everybody that is here wants to be here and they’re really striving to make good ensemble sound,” he said. “They’re doing that, and it keeps getting better every semester.” The band is university-wide, which means that students do not have to undergo a rigorous audition process to place in the group. It is a class and available for all. “Anybody that has played in high school and they want to continue to play and just keep music going in their life, they’re absolutely welcome and encouraged,” Scott said. They meet twice a week for a total of four hours and practice the pieces Scott chooses in preparation for the four concerts they perform throughout the academic year. The band performed six pieces at the Feb. 23 concert, including the introductory “Romantic Charme of Pentatonism,” arranged by Wang Heshing, and the rousing “Zacatecas” by Fernando Villalpando to close out the night. “I take suggestions from students,” Scott said in answer to how he picks the songs for the band. “I listen to recordings of band music, and some of it, I’ve just played before as a conductor or as a musician, and I just like the music.” Tristan Akers, freshman clarinet performance major and principal clarinetist, is also in the Wind Ensemble, which Scott described as being the more “elite” group. Akers said his favorite part about being in the Symphonic Band is being with his fellow musicians. “With any band, you have a lot of camaraderie,” he said. “It goes along with sticking it out and seeing it through from beginning to end.” Fei Cui, a visiting scholar from Jiangsu Normal University in Xuzhou City, China, had the opportunity to take over the baton during “Chao Tien Que,” a piece by Chen Dan. It was his first time conducting the Symphonic Band. Cui played the cornet for the other compositions. Gary Gao, junior vocal performance major, said he came to the concert partially to fulfill his major requirement of attending 10 concerts a year. More importantly, however, he said he came to the concert to support Cui and other student musicians. “I really like them,” he said. “Aside from (Cui’s) great performance, I thought it was really good. I really liked all the pieces...I really enjoy watching my friends and others musicians play.” Bryon and Ann-Marie Anderson came to see their daughter, sophomore music major Bryanne Anderson, play the alto saxophone. It was not their first time seeing the Symphonic Band, however, and Bryon said they just keep getting better. “It’s a really quality sound,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like students. It sounds like professionals performing.” Perhaps some of that professionalism can be attributed to Scott, who is not only the conductor of the Symphonic Band and the Jazz Band at the University of Redlands, but also the principal trumpet of the Redlands Symphony Orchestra, the Riverside County Philharmonic and the San Bernardino Symphony. He is also the associate principal in the New West Symphony. “(The students) know that my expectation is that they behave professionally, play professionally and prepare their material as professionally as they can,” he said. “If I wasn’t bringing that professionalism here, I wouldn’t be doing it, for one thing.” For those who missed the concert and are interested in seeing the students play again, the Symphonic Band will be closing out the academic year with their final concert Tuesday, April 12 at 8 p.m. The concert will again be at the Memorial Chapel and is free and open to the public.