Brass band treats students to range of music
As part of the "Juilliard in Aiken" series of events this week, the American Brass Quintet offered a wide range of music for Area 2 band students from North Augusta High, Paul Knox Middle School and North Augusta Middle School on Wednesday.
They performed several recent works, including a commissioned piece by Joan Tower in 2006 in honor of The Juilliard School's 100th anniversary. There was a 1967 piece by the French composer Gilbert Amy that featured deliberate silences and the word "oh," sung separately by two of the instrumentalists.
North Augusta senior bandsman Clay Wooten was especially impressed with a work dating from the late 1400s, which actually preceded the first golden age of brass chamber music.
"It's amazing they have a 500-year-old piece of music," Wooten said. "It sounded cool, and I really liked it."
The American Brass Quintet was established 50 years ago and since 1987 has been in residence at The Juilliard School. The quintet members visited Aiken in 2009 in the first Juilliard in Aiken program, which features many musicians performing in concerts and provides education outreach opportunities in area schools.
Ray Mase is the senior member of the current quintet members, having joined the group in 1973. He was impressed with the respect shown to the musicians by the Area 2 band students.
"It really is a treat to be here," Mase said. "We just do what we do. While it may be a different way for them of looking at music, it's important that we don't tone it down. We give them a dose of the music that we make onstage."
A key distinction in a small music ensemble, Mase told the students, is that they don't rely on a conductor. He demonstrated how his small head movement lets the others know when to begin. But the breath he takes can also signal them of the speed at which they're supposed to play.
The other musicians include trumpeter Kevin Cobb, horn player David Wakefield, trombonist Michael Powell and bass trombonist John Rojak. Cobb is the newest addition, having joined the group in 1998.
During a question-and-answer session, they were asked how students get into The Juilliard School.
While decent grades are inordinately considered, the key is a really great audition. Openings in specific instrumental schools are relatively rare. Even if there are no openings in a given year, faculty will find a way to enroll a student with an exceptional audition.
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.