# Wind Quintet Performance



## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Here are three videos of Quintessence (the wind quintet I perform with). We had a concert/clinic for middle school students this past week. Forgive some of my horn flubs, we were playing pretty much all day and my lips were shot by the end concert.  I love playing with this group though. So much fun and the kids had a blast.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Olias, nice of you to share these clips with us. Do the middle schools in your area have thriving band programs? Do they have other instrumentation besides flute and clarinet? Exposure to presentations like this may encourage students to pick up the more unusual instruments of oboe, bassoon, and horn which are essential for wind quintet and a full-sounding wind ensemble in the upper grades.
Was your concert for the whole school or just the band students? It would be fun to play for an enthusiastic young audience.

Sadly, I can't imagine a program like this happening in my husband's district (he's a teacher) or my own. Band now does not start until 6th grade and then only 2x a week. The focus on academics combined with budget cuts have eliminated all field trips and assemblies. It just doesn't sound like much fun to go to school anymore 

I can't even imagine what it will be like to work with students that are basically 1.5 years behind where they used to be, once they get to high school (as band used to start in 5th grade 3x week). Sorry for the rant.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Lunasong said:


> Olias, nice of you to share these clips with us. Do the middle schools in your area have thriving band programs? Do they have other instrumentation besides flute and clarinet? Exposure to presentations like this may encourage students to pick up the more unusual instruments of oboe, bassoon, and horn which are essential for wind quintet and a full-sounding wind ensemble in the upper grades.
> Was your concert for the whole school or just the band students? It would be fun to play for an enthusiastic young audience.
> 
> Sadly, I can't imagine a program like this happening in my husband's district (he's a teacher) or my own. Band now does not start until 6th grade and then only 2x a week. The focus on academics combined with budget cuts have eliminated all field trips and assemblies. It just doesn't sound like much fun to go to school anymore
> ...


Generally the middle school band programs are in good shape in NC. Students start in 6th Grade as beginners but we do get them every day for 50 minutes. There are many flutes, clarinets, and horns in the area with a fair amount of double reeds too. The concert was part of a Chamber Day where around 80 band students from six different area middle schools spent the day learning about, rehearsing, and performing simple chamber music, all with instruction and demonstrations from Quintessence. With all the full band teaching, middle school kids don't get much education in chamber music so we decided to do something about it. Everyone loved it and we're already planning for next year.


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