Juniors Evelyn Keltgen (tenor saxophone), Allison Cink (first alto saxophone) and Jackson Bowen (first trumpet) were among some 235 select high school band students from five states who attended Gustavus Adolphus College’s High School Honor Band Festival on Sunday and Monday.
During the rigorous two days, the trio was treated to concert performances by the Gustavus Wind Orchestra and Gustavus Wind Symphony, master classes with GAC music professors and guest composer/conductor Maestro Óscar Navarro and rehearsals for a Monday night concert in Christ Chapel.
“Jackson, Evelyn and Allison are just awesome representatives of the Cleveland band,” said Cleveland band director Erik Hermanson, who nominated the three to attend. “They are talented musicians, and this opportunity provided them with a chance to work with other conductors and to play in a unique ensemble. I am sure they will bring back newly found knowledge and skill, which will only enhance the Cleveland Band’s level of performance.”
The band students were split into two orchestras for the concert, each performing four or five pieces, including one or two composed and conducted by Navarro. It was a full house in the chapel.
Cink said the festival’s intense workout not only upped her music skills, they also helped her develop as a student.
“I learned a lot of new techniques through the experience. I also enjoyed being able to meet some new people and grow and learn with them as a whole.”
Navarro, from Spain, has numerous national and international composition awards, and his music is performed and premiered in large concert halls around the world.
His music has received recognition more than twenty times among awards and nominations from Spain, the United States, Holland, Singapore, Italy, India, France and South Africa. Highlights of the awards are the “Hollywood Music in Media Awards” (Los Angeles), “Premio BUMA” (Holland) for best international composer, the “X Awards of Film Music Critics”, “Mundo BSO Awards” [World Best Original Soundtrack Award] , “XIII Goldspirit Awards”, “Accolade Music Awards”, “Track Music Awards”, “Global Music Awards”, “Jerry Godsmith Awards”, and the nomination for the Goya Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain for the Best Original Soundtrack for the film “La Mula”.
It has been several years since Cleveland had kids attend the GAC Honor Band Festival, Hermanson said. Select students usually rotate between Bethany, Minnesota State University, Mankato and GAC.
(Photo courtesy of Erik Hermanson)