Ensembles prepare for spring concert on Friday and Saturday
Chris Rutledge
Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: News
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The show, which starts at 7:30 p.m., will be split into two parts.
"During this event, usually, Mr. Story plans the first half and I plan the second half. Usually my band works his half as the backup band and his band works my half as soloists," said associate professor of music, Lynn Peterson. "The first half of the show is more ensemble-based. You might have a choral piece or a dance routine or maybe a medley. The second half is mostly just single songs. We kinda share the whole thing as we go along."
"It's kind of a combination of all of the different things the ensembles do on campus, mixed with some songs by students on campus from the new spring album," continued Peterson. "It's different every year because the kids are different."
The ensembles Peterson is referring to are the String Ensemble, the Commercial Music Ensemble and the Vol State Showstoppers.
"I'm excited with the fact that each spring all of our classes work really hard in trying to produce a quality CD. It's so exciting to see the opportunities the students have working together; in producing the songs, playing the songs, doing the artwork from the beginning to the end. It's really exciting to hear the CD of our students. I feel like the talent here is extraordinary," said chair of the music department, James Story. "In addition, I'm excited to see the Commercial Music Ensemble and the Showstoppers perform."
Peterson describes the show as "kind of an example of the kinds of things we did this year and an opportunity to have an album release concert."
The band has been working overtime for the past several weeks to make sure they have the songs down.
"The stress is a little bit more than normal," said commercial music ensemble and string ensemble bass player, Cody McAllister. "I'm pretty much the bass player for the whole show. I'm kind of getting back in to my roots with Blues and Jazz."
"I am performing an old standard called 'Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone,'" said student Zac Forbes. "I picked it because this is my last semester at Vol State, so I thought, 'how appropriate.'"
Forbes also said he is playing jazz piano for a few of the other songs.
Some of the finer details still haven't been ironed out.
"You know, about half of the show I don't know just yet," confessed Peterson. "Some of them are so produced that we can't do them live. The recording studio gives us benefits we don't have in person."
Besides not having the song list worked out, the name is also still up in the air.
"Every year we look for a nice individualized name to describe what's going on," said Peterson.
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and a $5 donation is all you need to get in. Students will be admitted for free.
"Just show your I.D. at the door," said Story.
"I like the music department," said Forbes. "Especially for a community college, it's pretty impressive."
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