Williams Music Department Takes Its Silver-Tones Into The Local Community
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - The Williams College music department will begin a series of special performances in the community for those who may not be able to attend performances on campus and as a way to provide Williams students with a more personal understanding and experience of community service."Live music is so important for the soul and there are many who cannot come to our programs on campus," said Jenny Dewar, music concert and event manager. "This is the first step to what I hope develops into a bigger outreach project over the next few years."
The first of the performances is scheduled for the Sweetwood Continuing Care Retirement Community. On December 8, the Brass Ensemble, under the direction of Tom Bergeron, will perform Venetian brass choir music of Giovanni Gabrielli and Claudio Merulo, music from Richard Wagner's epic opera "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg," transcriptions of G.F. Handel's Music, traditional Balkan brass-band dance music, and holiday favorites by request.
The Ensemble includes quintets and a larger ensemble, whose members are Jacob Walls '11, Geoff Rodriguez '11, Tom Sikes '11, Alexa Lutchen '11, and Maddie Jones '09: trumpet; Casey Lyons '11: trombone; and Susan Raich '09 and Aaron Bauer '11: tuba.
"Williams College supports the vitality of the community in many ways," said Bergeron, "and initiatives like this offer our music students the chance to take an active role in community outreach."
In addition to directing the Brass Ensemble, Bergeron is studio instructor of trumpet and Berkshire Symphony Principal Trumpet. He has performed across North American, Europe, and Asia with orchestras, chamber groups, jazz groups, show bands, and as a soloist. He received his M.M. in Trumpet Performances from the Yale School of Music in 2008.
