More than seventy high school band students visited the Jacobs School of Music on the Indiana University Bloomington campus last week to celebrate a co-commission by the National Band Association Chapter at IU (NBA) and high school band programs in the Indiana communities of Paoli, Salem, Nashville, and Huntingburg. The high school students participated in small group coachings, social bonding sessions, and a side-by-side rehearsal, ending the evening with front row seats to a performance of composer Cait Nishimura’s newly commissioned piece conducted by Dr. Jason Nam and performed by the IU Concert Band.
During rehearsal, Canadian composer Cait Nishimura virtually shared an inside look at her newly commissioned piece. Titled The Nature of Trees, the piece explores a variety of emotions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hearing the students make music on the MAC stage with the IU Concert Band was a very emotional experience for everyone listening,”
said Paul Yoo, NBA Vice President and Section Coach. “After nearly two years of having to be separated from each other and living in a world of isolation, it was a big rush of emotions to finally see students make music with each other and see music act as a moderator to bring students of all paths of life together again.”
NBA President Madeline McCarthy expressed the rarity and impact of high school students meeting the actual composer of their band music repertoire:
“These students have likely never met a composer in person, let alone the composer of their own pieces. Not only does meeting Cait humanize the music-making experience, but it shows that the music is deeper than the notes on the page.”
Sectional time with the high schoolers started with ice breakers and warming up before working through the piece, going beyond the music itself and incorporating instrument specific pedagogy that they might not have gotten in their high school instruction. NBA Webmaster and Section Coach Delaney Ruble remarked that they worked on fun musical things in the percussion section such as tricks for timpani or suspended cymbal.
During the social bonding sessions, the high schoolers had a chance to get to know NBA Section Coaches on a deeper level, discuss the role of band in their lives, and build relationships with each other through team activities
“I enjoyed everything about this experience. From spending time to get to know other students and the leaders of the NBA to playing right next to students in the IU concert band, I loved it all,” said one senior from Southridge Highschool. “I was sitting in the front row, so being that close to Dr. Nam and hearing the entire ensemble was truly an amazing experience. Today has inspired me to continue playing when I go to college next year.”
Led by the NBA at IU Board Members, this project was advised by Assistant Professor of Music Jason Nam and supported by the IU Center for Rural Engagement’s Quality of Place Initiatives and the Jacobs School’s Office of Entrepreneurship & Career Development. The project is underwritten by an IU Student Foundation Metz Grant.
The 2021-2022 NBA Board includes President Madeline McCarthy, Vice President Paul Yoo, Secretary Cristina Sarrico, Treasurer Sonya Bangia, and Webmaster Delaney Ruble. The 2020-2021 Board was led by President Ava Traum.
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