Honor Band Essay, Research Paper

This year five students were accepted to be a part of the Boise State University Honor Band.

Boise State Universit students conducted chair auditions for Dawson Howard, Leah Campbell, Ember Campbell, Mae Haines, and David Larson, on Feb. 4 at BSU.

Practices were scheduled on the evenings of Feb. 4, and 11, with a full day of rehearsal before the concert on Feb 12.

A guest conductor, Dr. Kenneth Bloomquist, Director of Bands Emeritus at Michigan State University presided over practices on Feb 11 and 12.

Dr. Bloomquist conducted four of the pieces, La Fiesta Mexicana, an arrangement of Amazing Grace, Flourish fo Wind Band, and Emblem of Unity.

Marcellus Brown Director of Bands at Boise State University conducted the fifth piece, entitled Basque Rhapsody.

This piece, was written by Melvin Shelton, Director of Bands Emeritus at Boise State University. Shelton attended practice on the morning of the Feb. 12, and described the way in which the piece was inspired and written.

Shelton explained to the band how, when he went looking for Basque music to play in his band, he found that basically no instumental music existed in the Basque style. A friend of his was director of a basque choir in Boise and was able to supply him with some choral basque music.

From these varied pieces he endeavored to create an instrumental compilation that showed the diversity and uniqueness of Basque music and culture. The piece contains many memorable portions including a vocal portion participated in by the entire band that was similar to a musical trill, and will stick in the minds of listeners for a long time.

Shelton compared the feeling of hearing his piece played to the way a flasher feels when he opens his coat and all his feelings are exposed to the world. He gave the band a standing ovation on completion of his piece during the concert.