“STRIKE UP THE BAND” – SUMMER SEASON OPENS WITH UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI BAND
What began in 1963 has grown into a sure-fire sign that summer has arrived in Cache Valley – concerts by Utah State University’s Alumni Band.
Members of the band assemble again this year for a series of concerts, and the first is Sunday, June 12. Concert time is 7 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall of the Chase Fine Arts Center on campus. In keeping with tradition, all concerts are free and all are invited, especially families.
“We encourage families to attend our concerts,” said band director and conductor Nicholas Morrison. “We perform a wide range of music for all audiences, but attending a concert together is a great family activity and this concert setting is perfect for our younger audience members.”
Two soloists are featured in the opening concert, Nancy Toone, flute, and Mark Emile, violin. Toone will perform “Concertino” by Chaminade, and Emile is featured in the theme from “Schindler’s List” by John Williams.
“Featuring faculty members in our concerts is important,” Morrison said. “We spotlight musicians as soloists throughout the series, and this week we will see and hear two faculty members who have been devoted supporters of the Alumni Band.”
Toone worked with the music department this year, taking over teaching duties and coordinating the flute studio while a faculty member was on sabbatical. Emile is a faculty member in the string program in the department.
Morrison has been on the podium with the Alumni Band for 13 years. A dedicated corps of musicians makes up the roster for the band, with several members who travel to Cache Valley from out of state to perform.
“We have approximately 200 musicians who are considered members of the ensemble,” Morrison said. “For each concert we’ll have 50 to 70 of those members performing. People who come from out of state -traveling from California and Ohio for instance – might only make one concert a year. Others who live closer – from Salt Lake to Ogden to Logan – will play almost all the concerts. We have one member from St. George who will play all the concerts this year.”
The 2005 schedule includes concerts June 12, June 26, July 3, July 17 and July 31. All but the July 3 concert are held in Kent Concert Hall and begin at 7 p.m. The July 3 concert is slated as a holiday concert with a patriotic theme and takes place at the brow of Old Main Hill to the southwest of Old Main. The outdoor concert also begins at 7 p.m.
Construction projects on the Utah State campus limit access to some areas. There is no access to the Chase Fine Arts Center from the west parking lot throughout the summer. The most convenient parking for concert patrons is northeast of the Fine Arts Center in the Nutrition and Food Science (Aggie Ice Cream) parking lot.