Jazz BanO Musicians say it's all about having a good tillle Making music is a common thread that binds together the members of the Jazz Band. "We just play," said Dr. J. Warren Casey, band director and professor of music. "Making music is fun." Brian Neal, a junior bass trombonist, and Brian Thoman, a sophomore percussionist, both agreed with Casey. "It's very relaxed. You can sit back with a group of people and make music," Neal said. With only 18 members, the Jazz Band became close through the time they spent together. "They're a hand-picked group that has a lot of camaraderie," Casey said. "It's a great group of people," Thoman said. The Jazz Band demonstrated their love for music through their performances. The most wellknown Jazz Band event was Spring Sing. "It's certainly a big event that takes a lot of time and effort," Casey said. "We support the hosts and hostesses, the ensemble, and we do individual features on our own." The other two staple events for the Jazz Band were its fall and spring concerts on campus, but the band also had several opportunities to perform across the state. "People call and ask us to perform concerts for them," Casey said. Junior Clint Howard and freshman Eric Colgrove stand at attention as the Thundering Herd prepares to entertain the crowd during a home football game. The marching band practiced many hours every week to perfect their formations and musical pieces. 198 organizations "Most of those invitations come in the spring." Each student had his or her favorite place to go. "Playing at Hot Springs was my favorite event last year," Thoman said. "We were invited to play at a jazz festival and competition." In anticipation of these events, the Jazz Band spent many hours in preparation, learning about the rich history of the genre. Casey say he tried to introduce his students to a wide range of jazz styles. "We learn a lot about style and history," said freshman Jon Schallert. "We also learn a lot about improvisation." The lessons they learned were in addition to preparation for the performances. "We rehearse yearround, at least two days a week," Casey said. "We start looking at arrangementsforSpringSinginJanuary." In addition to the curriculum work and preparation, jazz students learned another important lesson. "While I mostly enjoy just playing music, I've learned a lot about working as a team," Thoman said. Such preparations and lessons will benefit students in their professional lives. "This will help me as a music major," Neal said. "I may end up teaching jazz band. I'll have all the experience I need from this." -Kira Leigh
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==