On Friday, Feb. 26, Brevard College opens its doors to high school concert bands from across the region for the College’s First-Annual College Band Invitational.
The student musicians will have a chance to perform The Porter Center for Performing Arts’ Scott Concert Hall – one of the finest concert halls in the state. The invitational begins at 9:00 a.m. and is free and open to the public.
Eric Peterson, BC Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands, said he is thrilled to host five outstanding high school bands from Asheville, Brevard and Hendersonville and welcome 270 outstanding student musicians to campus.
“The Invitational will provide Brevard College and our Department of Music great exposure to prospective students and outstanding regional music educators,” he added.
“Brevard College is the only institution of higher education in the region to host an event with this particular format.”
The invitational offers participants a unique educational and intensive student engagement experience. Bands will be given one hour in Scott Concert Hall to warm-up, perform and receive a 20-30-minute clinic depending on the length and difficulty of the repertoire. Each band will be critiqued in a non-competitive format and given feedback by nationally recognized guest clinicians. Bands will receive a professional audio/video recording of their performance. Featured clinicians include John Cody Birdwell, Director of Bands at the University of Kentucky, Rick Good, Director of Bands at Auburn University, and Kelly Grill, Percussion Instructor at Brevard College.
The goal, Peterson says, is for the critique to be helpful in each band’s preparation for performance at the North Carolina Bandmasters Association Concert Band Music Performance Assessment March 15-18.