MASTER CLASS

Students get 'intimate interaction' with pros

KIMBERLY BELLAMY

Groups of SouthWest Edgecombe and Tarboro high school band students got the opportunity to learn from some of the best Monday during a master class with North Carolina Symphony players.

About 30 high school trumpet and clarinet players took advice from N.C. Symphony trumpet player Tim Stewart and Mike Cyzewski, Symphony clarinet player, on a wide array of topics.

The pair reviewed ways students can improve their technique, articulation, posture, attacking notes, breathing and scales for their instruments.

Some of the students just observed while others actually played pieces of music.

"You'll see people here that aren't trumpet, and clarinet players because musicians can learn by observing," said Debbie Davis, band director at South Edgecombe and West Edgecombe.

Some students got the opportunity to get personal critiques as Stewart and Cyzewski randomly chose students to play independently after a measure or exercise.

THS senior Michael Bradley received some of the most valuable information that may impact his future.

Bradley, a trombone player and marching band drum major, played his audition piece for the music program at UNC Pembroke.

Stewart reminded Bradley that," The glue that we use is our wind," when giving him suggestions for making his notes longer.

The master class was held at the Blount-Bridgers House where Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Executive Director Buddy Hooks and Edgecombe County Symphony board members Ronnie Ellis and Ann Cobb were present to provide support. The board has 38 members.

The class on Monday morning was one of many classes that N.C. Symphony is offering as a result with the partnership of North Carolina Community Colleges and funded through a federal allotment of $167,030.

"It's a federal earmark that funds a lot of the events through the community college residency," said Jessica Nalbone, Symphony artistic operations assistant.

Master classes have been offered in the fall and spring of 2008 to middle school, and high school students.

The next master class will be for middle school students at 6 p.m. March 24 in the McIntyre Auditorium of Edgecombe Community College. Following the master class will be a free string quartet performance at 7:30 p.m. that will be open to the public.

"If we have great musicians, we want to bring them to these areas with the smaller band programs," Nalbone said.

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