The Wind Ensemble preparing for their first song / Photo courtesy of Kelsey Purcell The Bona Venture
BY KELSEY PURCELL, FEATURES EDITOR
The French horn has been with Tatum Stitzel since she was 10 years old. She played throughout middle school and high school. Now, she continues through her college career. This Sunday, Stitzel, a junior accounting and finance double major, played in her second concert at St. Bonaventure University.
“I have been in band since my freshman year of college,” said Stitzel.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band could not perform in front of an actual audience during her entire freshman year. Last spring was the first time Stitzel played for a live audience as a member of the band at Bonaventure.
Stitzel was happy to play for an audience this time around.
“It was nice to have our work heard and appreciated by others, instead of us just rehearsing by ourselves,” she said.
The ensembles were under the direction of Isaac Spaeth, a part time faculty member in The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.
The concert took place on Nov. 13, at 2:00 p.m. in The Rigas Family Theater in The Quick Center.
The Jazz band is a small group. This semester, there were only six members in the group. Domini Dalfonso and Spencer Scalise play the alto saxophone, Abbie Dutcher plays the tenor saxophone, James Fitzgerald plays the trumpet, Katie McGovern plays the trombone and Pat McGreal plays the guitar.
The Jazz band played three pieces. They played “Just a Minor Thing,” composed by Mike Steinel, “Connecting With the Blues,” by Doug Beach and “Metro Wail,” by Lennie Niehaus.
The Wind Ensemble is the larger group with 24 members in the band.
The woodwind section of the SBU Wind Ensemble is made up of the flute, clarinet and bass clarinet. Elizabeth Egan, Emily Piwko and Sophie Kellogg play the flute. Abbie Dutcher, Christian Gallo and Cecelia Byrne play the clarinet. Hannah Roush plays the bass clarinet.
The ensemble’s brass section is made up of the baritone, alto and tenor saxophones, French horn, trumpet and trombone.
Steve Capitani plays the baritone. Matthew Bokman and Anna Widger play the alto saxophone. Ryan Restivo plays the tenor saxophone. Tatum Stitzel and Lillian Crane play the French horn. Ryan Bokman, Zachary Apker and James Fitzgerald play the trumpet. Katie McGovern, Louie Rickert, Colin McCarthy and Anthony Posella play the trombone.
Steph Benneg, Luke Penston and Marcos Riggs play percussion. Some of the instruments played during this concert included the tympany, a drum kit, a cymbal and the triangle.
Charles Root plays the cello.
The Wind Ensemble also played three songs.
The first song, “Our Kingsland Spring,” was composed by Samuel R. Hazo. The second piece was “Shenandoah” by Frank Ticheli.
“My favorite song to perform in the concert was “Shenandoah” because of the slower tempo and I liked the sound of it,” said Stitzel.
The final song was “Overture Jubiloso” by Frank Erickson.
“There was clear repetition of measures in this almost 10-minute long song,” said Stitzel. “It reminded me of a poem because of the patterns and repetition.”
Stitzel enjoys playing in the band because she misses playing her French horn. “In high school, I would have band rehearsal every day,” she said.
“I continue to play at Bonaventure because practicing music on my French horn is relaxing for me,” said Stitzel.
purcelkr20@bonaventure.edu
