The Wharton County Junior College Band will present the “Orchestral Gems for Band” concert at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the Horton Foote Theatre in the Duson-Hansen Fine Arts Building on the Wharton campus. Both performances are open to the public and free of admission. Students shown practicing are, from left, Lionel Vera of Richmond and Aidan Meek of Hungerford.
WHARTON, TEXAS — The Wharton County Junior College Band will present a variety of classical music at its upcoming concert, including two spooky pieces perfectly timed for the Halloween holiday.
The “Orchestral Gems for Band” concert is set for 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the Horton Foote Theatre in the Duson-Hansen Fine Arts Building on the Wharton campus. Both performances are open to the public and free of admission.
WCJC Band Director Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, in his first semester at WCJC, said he wanted to present an unforgettable selection of songs.
“As a new faculty member at WCJC, I wanted to start with something I have a lot of experience with, which is orchestral music,” Anderson said. “These melodies and themes are not only universally liked and admired but draw visceral feelings out of those who listen to them. They can instill beauty, fear, anger, aggression or comedy, and there is never a dull moment.”
Selections include “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and “Night on Bald Mountain,” both of which are powerful and creepy and should coincide well with the upcoming Halloween observance.
Anderson’s band is comprised of many new members who do not have a lot of performance experience.
“Some students were very interested in band here at WCJC but had not played in band recently, so picking up an instrument and performing in front of the public in less than two months was a challenge they faced,” he said. “Also, the small size of the band means that all parts are necessary and we all depend on each other that much more.”
Anderson is excited that his students will be able to put their hard work on display.
“I encourage anyone interested in an entertaining afternoon or evening of selections originally written for orchestra, but masterfully adapted for band, to attend,” he said. “The students have been working hard and their efforts are playing off bigtime.”
Band members include Phoenix Castro of Boling on tuba, Tyler Clare of Palacios on trombone, Spencer Cole of Needville on trumpet, Logan Henke of Needville on percussion, Demaurion Leday of Bay City on French horn, Lauren Mata of Boling on clarinet, Aidan Meek of Hungerford on flute, John Pursel of Wharton on trumpet, Jasmin Ventura of Needville on alto saxophone, Lionel Vera of Richmond on flute/piccolo and Xavier Watson of Wharton on trumpet.
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