Next week, two buses filled with MSU students and a truck loaded with instruments will travel to the Big Apple to play the famed Carnegie Hall.
Last Thursday, the MSU Wind Symphony performed three classical pieces at the Wharton Center.
Symphony to play in Carnegie Hall
Graduate student Pamela Smitter practices “Traveler,” a piece by David Maslanka, on Feb. 10, 2014 in the Music Building. Smitter is a member of the MSU Wind Symphony, which will be performing in Carnegie Hall on Feb. 22, 2014.
The Symphony will perform the same concert once again next week, but this time in New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
Kevin Sedatole, director of the Wind Symphony, said he has strived to take the group there for a while. He said when the symphony performed the composition, “Circus Maximus” by John Corigliano, four years ago for the first time, he knew it would be a great piece to take to Carnegie Hall.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the premiere performance of “Circus Maximus” in Carnegie Hall. Sedatole organized for the MSU Wind Symphony to perform at the esteemed music hall in order to commemorate the piece.
“I’m really grateful to be in front of (the group),” Sedatole said. “I’m incredibly excited for them to experience this.”
Music performance senior Jane Sylvester plays the saxophone and said she is excited to perform in such a prestigious venue.
“We reap the benefits of our work,” Sylvester said.
Every week, the group puts in six to eight hours, practicing and perfecting their work.
After performing the concert once for the public, the symphony is working on last-minute touchups.
Even though Sylvester said the concert at the Wharton was nearly perfectly executed, she said the group collaborated together to find the tiny things to make it even better.
“We’re going to strive to make sure everything is absolutely perfect,” she said.
The group will leave East Lansing next Wednesday, but will make a few pit stops before they reach their final destination, said Sedatole.
The first stop will be at Pennsylvania State University, where the group will collaborate with the college’s wind ensemble. The students will be a part of a duo concert where Pennsylvania State University will perform the first half and the MSU Wind Symphony will finish the show.
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The group will then board back onto the buses and head towards Succasunna, N.J. The group will perform a concert there at Roxbury High School.
After that concert, the group will finally head to New York City.
Because they are getting in a day early on Friday, the members will be able to explore New York City — some for the first time.
On Saturday afternoon, the musicians will file into Carnegie Hall.
Along with John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 3, “Circus Maximus,” the group will perform “Traveler” by David Maslanka and “Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan,” a piece also by Corigliano.
“We’re going to perform in one of the greatest venues in the world,” Sylvester said. “It’s an honor.”
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