Michael Wayne, 2003 University graduate and clarinetist, was asked to play the solo to showcase a successful alum at the CBDNA convention performance. “What I was told was that they wanted someone who was affiliated with the University who was young and up-and-coming. So, my name came up and they called me, and I was happy to do it,” Wayne said.

Because the concert tonight at Carnegie Hall will be the official premiere of Brooklyn Bridge, developing the piece and playing it involves a more complex learning process. “You’re creating (a premiere piece like this) for the first time,” Wayne said. “The performance we did last Friday was the first time that anyone, including the composer, had even heard the whole piece through. Compared to most pieces, where I go buy a recording and listen to it, I have to be a true artist and come up with my own ideas for it.”

Wayne is currently a member of the Kansas City Orchestra, a position he earned right after graduation. He also spends his summers playing with an orchestra in Switzerland. When it comes to upcoming performance, Wayne said: “I’ve been (to Carnegie Hall) many times to see orchestras and soloists play, but I’ve never played there before, so it’s a huge opportunity to play in one of the best and most famous halls in the world. It’s probably the highlight of my career so far.”

Students Take on NYC

While it’s exciting for composers to see and hear their own pieces being performed for the first time, the musicians are even more ecstatic about the Carnegie Hall experience. It’s not every day that University students get the chance to play at a concert hall like Carnegie Hall — for many students this marks a landmark in their musical careers. “The chance to play at Carnegie Hall is something that every musician dreams about, and to get to do it with a school group and to play these great pieces is a real treat,” School of Music graduate student bassoonist Derek Bannasch said.

Oboist and School of Music junior Jessica Schmeck echoed Bannasch, adding, “I’m really excited. I’ve been looking forward to it all year. It’s cool because (the program) is a nice mix between contemporary and classical.”

But excitement comes with a price School of Music graduate student Rachel Parker, who plays horn, said that the practicing has been extensive and that she’s had to work hard to get ready for the upcoming concert. Parker explained, “It’s a big deal, so we take it very seriously. We did a concert just a few weeks ago here at Hill (Auditorium), and then we recorded everything that we’re playing. Carnegie is the last thing we’re doing, so it feels like we’ve been working on the music for a long time.”

The Carnegie Hall concert has also allowed the members of Symphony Band to work directly with the composers, something that gives the students a whole new perspective on the music that they are playing. “When you play something by Beethoven or Mozart, you don’t get to ask them straight up how they want you to play a certain thing, so when you work with a live composer, it’s really exciting. To have such great composers here at the school is really cool,” Bannasch said.

Tonight, the Symphony Band takes the stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City, ready to perform a concert that represents the best musicians that the University has to offer. Showcasing students, alumni and three groundbreaking composers, the performance will certainly continue the tradition of excellence the School of Music is known for around the world.