On Monday March 25, the Wind Ensemble and the Sinfonietta music groups where able to take a trip during the school day to Penn State University to play alongside members of the Penn State Wind Ensemble while also having the opportunity to play under the conduction of Penn State students majoring in music education.
Both band and orchestra started their day off by heading to Penn State’s Blue Band building where music major students conducted and taught Williamsport players more about their instruments and the music they were playing. Kayla Bloch, a junior who plays percussion in the Williamsport Wind Ensemble said, “It was really fun to play with people and be conducted by people who are so passionate about music.” After working with the music majors, students had the chance to visit the campus until their next music lesson.
The wind ensemble was able to sit in with the distinguished Penn State wind ensemble and also have the Penn State students play along to some pieces Williamsport studets are preparing. “They were really impressive,” said Chloe Pennings, a junior who plays in the percussion section of the wind ensemble. The orchestra was able to use one of the Penn State’s impressive rehearsal rooms as they worked on their music and applied what they had learned previously from the Penn State students.
The day ended sweetly as the band and orchestra groups stopped at the Penn State creamery before heading back home to apply all of the musical knowledge they had learned from this trip to the music they will play in their spring concerts.
