Posted on Monday, May 11, 2020
Seven Westminster College musicians earned top honors at the 73rd annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival held Feb. 28-March 1 at California University of Pennsylvania.
The Westminster band members joined select musicians from 21 colleges and universities from across the state for three days of intensive rehearsals under guest conductor Dr. Dennis Fisher, wind band director and professor emeritus from University of North Texas. He has conducted extensively and lectured in 32 states along with international appearances in Thailand, Japan, China, Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Canada, Greece, Brazil, Cuba and Russia.
Participating students prepared individual parts and auditioned for specific chair placement once arriving at the festival. The results of the auditions were:
Greer Wardlaw, first chair/first horn. This is the second year Greer has achieved this honor. She is a junior music education major from Shippenville.
Sydney Kaboly, second chair flute. Kaboly is a senior neuroscience major from Pittsburgh.
Emily LaMark, first chair, second trombone. LaMark is a sophomore with a double major in molecular biology and music as a second major from Hickory.
Allison Savage, first chair, second trumpet. Savage is a senior music education major from Purcellville, Va.
Vincent Buell, first trumpet section. Buell is a senior music education/music performance major from Sharpsville.
Dan Horgan, euphonium. Horgan is a first-year exploratory major from Glenshaw.
Kyle Youmans, contra-alto clarinet. Youmans is a senior music education major from Sebring, Ohio.
Dr. R. Tad Greig, professor of music and director of bands at Westminster, accompanied the students.
Though one of the smallest colleges to participate, Westminster College Band students have consistently placed at the top or near the top each year for the past 23 years, Greig said.
Founded in 1948, the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival is the longest continually running intercollegiate band festival in the U.S.
To learn more about studying music at Westminster College, go to www.westminster.edu/music.