Music Department Happenings

This semester, the music department has been an exciting place to be. The weekend before last was a special concert where the Bethel College Chamber Orchestra got to play with the Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra. We did some really awesome pieces like the Carnival overture by Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky’s March Slav. There was also an amazing baritone soloist and our very own Jim Pisano on clarinet. The orchestra worked really hard, and I think that the combined concert benefited both the Chamber Orchestra and the NMKSO. I felt like it was the best concert I have been involved in at Bethel–and it was very satisfying to perform. Next weekend we have another interesting concert–one where only the band plays. We are playing Ghost Train by Eric Whitacre. It is really intense and exciting to play. There are going to be other good things on the concert, but I’m really only concerned about how this piece goes.What is interesting is how the dynamics of the band have changed over the last few years. I think that everybody in the band is motivated to do well and the overall atmosphere of band has improved drastically… I think it has mostly been a change of attitudes. People are more positive now, and I hope that this trend continues. The concert on Sunday will be amazing!