Exalting sounds will be trumpeting from the Moody Music Building this weekend.
Musicians from across the region will be traveling to the University for the annual Trumpet Festival of the Southeast. A UA jazz faculty combo concert will kick off the festival tonight at 7:30 p.m., followed by two concerts Saturday evening. All events will take place at the Moody Concert Hall.
UA trumpet professor Eric Yates is coordinating the festival. He said the University is very excited to be hosting the event this year.
“The purpose of the festival is to support a community of trumpet players, which includes students, faculty and professional musicians,” Yates said. “This event allows us to get together to inspire and learn from one another.”
Yates said tonight’s performance will feature members of the UA faculty, UA Jazz Ensemble and guest Patrick Harbison on the jazz trumpet. Saturday’s events include the Southeastern Trumpet Festival Concert at 5:30 p.m., followed by a special guest recital at 7:30 p.m.
“All the concerts for this festival are free and open to the public,” Yates said. “This is a great opportunity for UA students to hear world-class musicians at no cost to them.”
The 5:30 p.m. concert on Saturday will feature ensembles by festival participants as well as performances by regional universities. For the 7:30 p.m. guest recital, Yates will accompany Philip Smith, principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, as well as pianist and composer Joseph Turrin. Both musicians will be traveling from New York City for the event.
A majority of the trumpet players, however, will be coming to UA with the music programs of various southeastern universities. Musicians from West Carolina University, Mississippi State University and the University of Florida are among those who will be performing at the festival concert Saturday night.
Yates said this weekend is a great opportunity to draw attention to the music program at UA.
“This event is exciting because it brings a lot of people to our campus,” Yates said. “It gives us a chance to highlight a lot of what is going on at the school of music.”
Various clinics and exhibits for trumpet players will be held throughout the weekend. Students wishing to participate in the daytime activities can register in the lobby of the Moody Music Building. Festival tickets are $40.
