ECC Band, Choir begin practicing
Monday / August 29, 2016
Now’s the time to become part of the tradition of ECC Band and ECC Choir! Both groups are open to ECC students, staff members and the community. The initial organizational meetings will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 30; 6 pm for Band members and 7:30 pm for Choir participants. The meetings (and future rehearsals) will be held in the Music Room in Kruse Main.
Practices begin officially next week on Tuesday evenings; Band will practice from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and Choir will practice from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.
New ECC adjunct music instructor Matthew Pollock says he’s “beyond excited” to work with the musicians at Ellsworth Community College and the surrounding community.
“Although my recently completed Master’s degree at Florida State University is in Music Composition, my love for band and choir music goes all the way back to playing in my high school band and the local community college band, one in which my mom, dad, and grandfather all played. The same community college had a choir of which my mom (a choir director herself) was a long-time member, and some of my earliest memories are watching rehearsals of music that affected me deeply. This was a special community experience, both for the students of the college and the community members, that it has always held a particular importance for me.”
Pollock says while working on his Bachelor’s degree in Washington, his ensembles and directors placed a special emphasis on the importance of community. They conducted band clinics, invited local high school ensembles to participate in concerts, and toured the Pacific Northwest to perform for and work with high school students. “If there is one thing I’ve learned about making music over the years, it’s that it really does take a whole community to create and share in the experience” he says. “I am thrilled for this opportunity to work with the musicians and people of this community, and I look forward to seeing as many people as possible in the band and choir, or in the audience at the concerts.”
ECC Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Lisa Stock says ECC students and community members can sign up for college class credit or as a volunteer to participate in band or choir. “We do ask that those who join commit to the whole semester to make the best performances possible,” she adds.