Local high schoolers to perform at DPU

Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Local student musicians who will participate in Saturday's Student Conductor's Concert at DePauw include Kaila Thurston, Keirsten Stanley, Scott Davis, Cameron Ensor, Tess Handy, Drew Harris, Kiana Werner, Amber Jones, Michael Keene, Sarah Denny, Jacob Reed and Alexandria Shelton.

The DePauw University Band will present its final concert of the year with four School of Music students leading the music as guest conductors.

The ensemble's "Student Conductors' Concert" will be presented on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium of the Judson and Joyce Green Center for the Performing Arts. The event is free and open to the public.

Seniors Alexandra Dubikovsky and John Joseph Peters and juniors Nicole Starke and Elizabeth VanHook will each conduct a work with the University Band. In addition, 16 local high school musicians from Cloverdale, Greencastle, and North Putnam high schools will join the members of the University Band for the special performance.

"In the years in which the University Band isn't recording a compact disc (it has produced seven), we host four student conductors who rehearse and conduct the full ensemble," said Craig Paré, professor of music and conductor of the University Band. "For six rehearsals, these conductors prepare their respective pieces for our final concert. It is a pleasure to offer students the opportunity to put their conducting skills and talents to work with a university-level ensemble."

In addition, Putnam County high school band directors were invited to nominate several of their top students to join the University Band in a "side-by-side" experience -- rehearsing and playing with our DePauw musicians.

"We're thrilled that young musicians from Cloverdale, Greencastle, and North Putnam high schools are joining us for all the rehearsals and the concert performance," said Paré. "This is a great opportunity for these young musicians to be challenged with our college repertoire, and to sit next to, and learn from, our DePauw musicians."

Local student musicians include:

* Karissa Campton, flute (North Putnam HS)

* Carollea Davis, flute (Greencastle HS)

* Scott Davis, alto saxophone (North Putnam HS)

* Sarah Denny, percussion (North Putnam HS)

* Taylor Ehmen, clarinet (Cloverdale HS)

* Cameron Ensor, tenor saxophone (North Putnam HS)

* Tess Handy, tenor saxophone (Greencastle HS)

* Drew Harris, baritone saxophone (North Putnam HS)

* Amber Jones, horn (North Putnam HS)

* Michael Keene, tuba (North Putnam HS)

* Jacob Reed, percussion (North Putnam HS)

* Alexandria Shelton, percussion (North Putnam HS)

* Kassie Stanley, flute (Cloverdale HS)

* Keirsten Stanley, bass clarinet (Cloverdale HS)

* Kailia Thurston, clarinet (Greencastle HS)

* Kiana Werner, baritone saxophone (North Putnam HS)

For more information about events, visit the DePauw University School of Music online at www.depauw.edu

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