COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 2, 2005) – Tennessee Tech University’s Wattenbarger Auditorium will be filled with jazzy sounds reminiscent of the 1920s when trombones and trumpets present back-to-back Pops Night concerts on Feb. 11.

The second annual Pops Night for trombones will be presented at 7 p.m., with the 23rd annual Pops Night for trumpets following at 8:15 p.m.

Paul Thurmond will accompany on piano for the first concert, which will present trombone solos in the tradition of Arthur Pryor, former soloist for the John Philip Sousa band.

The second concert will trace the musical traditions of Herbert L. Clarke and Raphael Mendez, both also featured soloists for the Sousa band. Sandra Robbins will accompany on piano for the second show.

In addition, the show will feature TTU music majors performing solos from other turn-of-the-century composers, including pieces by Del Staigers, Leroy Anderson’s Trumpeter’s Lullaby and Vittorio Monti’s Czardas for violin arranged for slide trombone.

“Since the trumpet and trombone are relatively young solo instruments when compared to the violin or piano, we have the responsibility as performers to showcase them through this wonderful early and mid 20th century repertoire, and we feel that part of our musical mission is to provide a unique program that you will not hear anywhere else,” say Joshua Hauser and Charles Decker, who will respectively lead the concerts.

Wattenbarger Auditorium is located in TTU’s Bryan Fine Arts Building, and the concerts are free and open to the public.

--Tracey LeFevre
This information posted 3 February 2005