November 28, 2006

Middle School band clinic and honor bands descend on TROY

TROY – More than 300 middle-school band members have made the cut to attend the 7th Annual Southeastern United States Middle School Clinic and Honor Band at Troy University Nov. 30 – Dec. 2.

In addition the Troy University Symphony Band will perform in the “Sounds of the Season” concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in conjunction with the clinic.

“This is a rare opportunity for middle-school students to experience a performance in which all the departments of the College of Communications and Fine Arts will participate,” said Mark Walker, TROY’s associate director of bands and coordinator of the event.

About 500 individual applications were received from 60 different middle schools in Alabama, Florida and Georgia, Walker said. Of those, only 320 students from 53 middle school bands were selected to participate in the honor-band clinic. The students will form three bands of about 120 pieces each to present a final concert at 11 a.m. Dec. 2.

Leading the clinic are Dr. Larry Blocker, director of the University’s John M. Long School of Music, and TROY alums Debbie Bradley and Michael Thomas, both of Valdosta, Ga. TROY graduate Rob Grice, of Enterprise, will serve as composer-in-residence during the clinic and guest bands, Whitewater Middle School in Fayetteville, Ga., and Homewood Middle School in Homewood, will perform on Dec. 1.

Admission to all clinic events is free. “Sounds of the Season” tickets for the general public are $5.  TROY students can exchange a canned good for free admittance.  All tickets are available only in advance through the Trojan Center Box Office (670-3293). 

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Participating bands are: