Important information including call times and dress info for all events from Departing Tanglewood on Friday, August 27th; Matriculation; SPLASH!; Terrier Tailgate; the Comm Ave Fair; and our first few rehearsals can be found on the Marching Band Post Band Camp Schedule
Grant MacElhiney has been added on to the Band Administrative staff. Please welcome him on to the team!
Grant MacElhiney is thrilled to be returning to the Boston University Band program after spending four years as a percussionist in the Marching Band and Pep Band as an undergraduate where he held leadership roles in both the Band Council and Kappa Kappa Psi. In addition to his involvement with the Boston University Bands, Grant has been actively involved with Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, better known as HOBY, since 2003 where he travels the country to work with high school students at leadership workshops and seminars. Grant also takes part in a number of service projects at the local and national level and enjoys kayaking, hiking, and cooking in his spare time.
After six years as a member of the organization, both as a student and staff member, Zachary deVries has recently been appointed Acting Director of Athletic Bands at Boston University, where he directs the Marching Band, Pep Band, Scarlet Band and Winter Percussion Ensemble.
Zachary deVries grew up in Islip Terrace, New York, and received his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. At Boston University, Mr. deVries served as the graduate assistant for the Boston University Bands and Music Organizations: two organizations which provide music making opportunities for over 500 non-music majors. As graduate assistant, Mr. deVries worked with the Marching Band, Pep Band, Scarlet Band, Concert Band and Big Band.
In addition to his work with the Boston University Bands, Mr. deVries is the Teaching Assistant for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Tuba Euphonium Workshop and has served as the Boston Seminar Coordinator for the Atlantic Brass Quintet International Summer Seminar.
Mr. deVries is currently pursuing a masters degree in Music Education at Boston University. He has studied conducting with David Martins and William McManus. Mr. deVries is a student of Mike W. Roylance, principal tuba of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Kenny Kominic is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where he received his Bachelorʼs Degree in Music Education, studying under Dr. Scott Herring. While at USC, he performed with the USC Percussion ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Palmetto Pans Steel Drum Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, and the USC Opera. His performance experience also includes 3 years as a member of Carolina Crown, where he played Snare Drum from 2004-2006. Since graduating, Kominic has been active as an educator and arranger. He has served on the Percussion staff for several award-winning high school band programs in South Carolina and Virginia, including the 2009 Atlantic Indoor Association Gold Medalist Jefferson Forest High School, for whom he has also written original music since 2003. He was a snare tech for Verdigris Indoor Percussion in 2007 and for Open-class WGI Finalist Palmetto Percussion in 2008. Most recently, he served as a Battery Consultant for Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps before moving to Boston in April of 2009.
Michael Barsano has been named Acting Director of Boston University Music Organizations. Mr. Barsano has been with the program for three years as the Program Administrator. He will now be acting director during a time of transition.
Mr. Barsano is a 2007 graduate from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell with a Bachelors of Fine Arts. While at UMass, Mr. Barsano played an integral role in the University’s Residence Life Program serving as an Assistant Resident Director during his final year at the University.
Having been involved with marching bands for most of his life, Mr. Barsano brings a wealth of experience to the BU Bands program. From 2002 through 2005, Mr. Barsano was a member of the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps winning the DCI World Championship with them in 2004. He was later invited to join their staff as a Visual Instructor and helped lead the Spartans to their 4th DCI title in 2007.
Annie Buzzeo’s Interview (wav file)
Not everyone has the luxury of starting the marching arts in high school. Annie Buzzeo wasn’t introduced to indoor until she attended Boston University, but ended up spending the 2010 season as the center tenor. Hear her story with the player above.
http://wgi.org/news/06082010-Top-of-the-Tunnel-with-Boston-University.html
Gerry Finerty comes to us with 10 years of experience in the marching arts. Performing with the East Bridgewater High School Marching Band, Sonic Wave Indoor Percussion Ensemble, the 2-time World Champion East Coast Jazz Drum and Bugle Corps, and Boston University Winter Percussion Ensemble. In the past, Gerry has taught with several other successful High School and indoor percussion programs within the NESBA and WGI circuits. Gerry holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Bridgewater State College and is currently working on his second degree in the medical field. He currently works at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA.
Phil Perry and Lisa Brown are both returning to the Staff. Phil will be 2010-2011 Visual Caption Head for the Marching Band and Winter Percussion. Lisa will be back working with the Color Guard.
The Winter Percussion Ensemble at the WGI Championships in Dayton, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Hale Ozemek (SMG’11)
From its appearance on the TV show Wheel of Fortune to placing 10th in a worldwide competition, BU’s Winter Percussion Ensemble is putting itself on the map.
“Placing 10th in our class in the world at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships is a feeling that we cannot even explain,” says Hale Ozemek (SMG’11), section leader of the front ensemble.
The championships were held April 15 to 17. The competition involved 178 percussion ensembles, performing in three different “class” levels; each class is broken down into two categories — independent and scholastic. After a preliminary round, each round’s top 12 ensembles qualify for their respective classes and perform in the finals competition the following day.
Ensembles are judged on the overall effect of the program, their technique, how they approach the instruments, and how well the ensemble moves with the program they are attempting. The BU group had 25 members this season. For the drum line, the instruments include snare, tenor, and bass drums. Other ensemble instruments are marimba, vibraphone, xylophone, synthesizer, and bass guitar.
How do ensemble members prepare for such a large competition? Besides rehearsing three times a week, including Saturdays, from November to April, Ozemek says, it takes a certain mentality.
“We are all devoted to and passionate about the ensemble,” he says. “We all love what we do.”
The group placed first in all of their competitions at the beginning of the season, including the WGI Regional in Trumbull, Conn., which bumped them up to the Percussion Independent Open Class.
Earlier in the year, the Winter Percussion Ensemble had another unforgettable experience, this one on national television for an audience of millions. From November 9 to 13, the ensemble performed with the BU Marching Band on Wheel of Fortune during its college week special.
Although performing on Wheel of Fortune was fun and memorable, Ozemek says that all the hours spent practicing and becoming a tight-knit team and competing in a worldwide event are experiences that “will stay with us forever and motivate us to only become better from here on.”
More information on the Winter Percussion Ensemble is available here.
Tom Vellner can be reached at tvellner@bu.edu; follow him on Twitter at@tomgvellner.
Drum Majors:
Michael Hedges, Physics 2011
Jonathan (JD) Roger, History/Political Science 2012
Flute Section Leader:
Chloe Tuck, CAS 2012
Clarinet Section Leader:
Natalie Sifuentes, Anthropology 2013
Co-Saxophone Section Leaders:
Matthew Lonergan, International Relations 2012
Eva Gach, History Education 2013
Trumpet Section Leader:
Steph Braman, Sociology 2013
Mellphone Section Leader:
Emma Gottschall, Molecular Biology / Biochemistry 2012
Trombone / Baritone Section Leader:
Amanda Hunt, Biology 2012
Tuba Section Leader:
Shoshana Levine, Communications 2012
Drum Line Co-Section Leaders:
Patrick Brandenburg, Aerospace Engineering 2012
Christopher Szala, Biology 2013
Front Ensemble Section Leader:
Hale Ozemek, Business Administration and Management 2011
Color Guard Co-Guard Captains:
Janessa Greenleaf, Linguistics 2012
Alan Schultz, Human Physiology 2011
President
Emma Gottschall, Molecular Biology / Biochemistry 2012
Vice President
Chas Manning, Manufacturing 2012
Secretary/Treasurer
Steph Braman, Sociology 2013
Historian
Jess Stewart, History 2012
Librarian
Pamela Rerko, Archaeology 2012
