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Wisconsin State Journal, Friday, March 9, 2007 Teens In TuneUW Program Gives High School Musicians the Opportunity to Take Their Talents to a Higher Level
For most, Sunday nights have a kind of sanctity. For some, Sunday is the last chance to guiltlessly veg out for another five days. For others, Sunday is a night to relax with loved ones before the week begins. For procrastinators, Sunday is a last chance to finish projects before Monday's deadlines. For Jonathan Peterson, Sunday is the night he drives four hours to play trumpet in the Winds of Wisconsin, a new youth ensemble at the UW-Madison. "There aren't a lot of students who would give up the last few hours of their weekend free time on Sunday nights to go to a rehearsal or class or work," said Scott Teeple, interim wind ensemble conductor for UW-Madison. Especially when it means driving from Stevens Point to Madison every week, as Peterson does. But for this high school senior, the opportunity to play with "great young musicians and learn new music" is reason enough. The ensemble gives 50 students in grades 9-12 the chance to make music on a higher level. "One of our saxophone players comes from a band of 12; this offers her an opportunity she wouldn't have had," said Anne Aley, group administrator and outreach program manager for the music program. But the group's mission runs deeper. "There's a tremendous opportunity for outreach between the university school of music and the public school programs," Teeple said. By helping these kids develop as musicians he hopes to "enhance what they are able to do in their programs back home." The goal of supplementing music programs in public schools through developing the skills of talented young individuals is built into the format of the ensemble, which features five rehearsals and one concert each semester. Aley said this is different from other programs, which often put kids on the performance track. "A performance is just one snapshot of who you are," Aley said. Instead, the Winds of Wisconsin features a more holistic approach to musical education. Students have the opportunity to interact with different faculty members from the school of music. One rehearsal, taught by Teryl Dobbs, is devoted to helping students develop their leadership skills in the realm of music and beyond. Students also have the opportunity to meet and take a lesson from a faculty member who specializes in their particular instrument. Aley and Teeple contacted high school band directors from across the state. The band directors nominated their students, who then performed an audition, which consists of a solo or an etude. The students are also required to play two scales that the judges choose in addition to a chromatic scale. The cost for the program is $120 for the year. Another wayTeeple tries to teach the students about music is by having them research the composers whose music they are playing. At the same time he also tries to teach the kids about the characteristics and techniques that define that particular composer's work. Over the course of this year, the group has studied American composers, and their concert tonight will feature the music of William Himes, Ron Nelson, Jack Stamp, Frank Ticheli and John Zdechlik. Teeple was band director at UW-Stevens Point before coming to Madison and has worked extensively with high school and college students. "I've found that high school students are very willing and able to take musical risks; they only need encouragement and to know it's a safe environment to express themselves musically," Teeple said. Teeple pushes the students musically but he does not put any exorbitant expectation upon them. In regard to practice, he expects them to put their home programs first and just wants them to do what they have to to get their parts down "so we can construct the larger picture during rehearsals." Sunday night he went through their repertoire with great detail to prepare them for this concert. Sometimes he focused on a particular section and sometimes on a particular person but he always kept the mood positive. At one point during "Amazing Grace" he stopped the group and said, "Some of us are giving prickly hugs when we need to be giving warm embraces." When after another try they got it, he exuberantly replied, "You felt that didn't you? You felt hugged." Junior Nora Hickey of McFarland said of Teeple: "He can make pieces that are boring really interesting." Said Teeple of his students: "They are extremely bright and talented. They can approach music rehearsal with a very focused attention and still enjoy a few good laughs throughout the course of two and a half hours." If you goWhat: Spring concert for the Winds of Wisconsin, high school youth ensemble led by conductor Scott Teeple, featuring "American Mavericks," the works of: Ticheli, Himes, Nelson, Zdechlik and Stamp. When: Tonight at 7. |
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