Masters of jazz toot their own horns

After a rigorous semester, the students of the Jazz Master Class finally got to show off hours of hard work for a live audience.

“We work on pieces (all semester),” trumpet player Andrew Zuzma said. “Why work so hard if you’re not going to be able to perform?”

Accompanied by piano player Laura Chandler White, Zuzma, a freshman music education major, was one of eight underclassmen who played their first solo Trumpet Studio Recital all semester.

“It’s just a chance to go onstage and experience performing (live),” Zuzma said.

Aaron Middleton, a freshman jazz studies major, described playing a solo act as “more constructive” than playing with an ensemble of other performers.

“When you’re in an ensemble, you can improvise,” Middleton said. “Even though you are still in a group, it’s not nearly as strict.”

Middleton said it took him several weeks to work on his piece because it was so difficult.

Jake Darrow, a freshman music major who plays the bassoon, said he enjoyed seeing the solo concert.

“It’s always interesting to hear one instrument by itself as opposed to hearing the whole ensemble play together,” Darrow said.

Monica Ilog, a biology major who was in attendance because it was mandatory for her Experiencing Music class, said the concert was “fun to watch.”

“I’ve seen them practice, and you see them messing up and you see the conductor working with them and telling them what to do,” Ilog said. “Then you see them in concert and they are all dressed up, and you see the full piece put together, and it’s awesome.

“I’m definitely going to see more shows,” Ilog said.

Manisha Divecha, a freshman music education major who plays the violin, said she came to the show because she enjoys seeing “the other side” play.

“As a strings player in high school, we were all kind of separate (from the other sections of an orchestra),” Divecha said. “I was really looking forward to this concert.”

However, unlike most of the audience, Divecha has the luxury of being able to play with the trumpet players.

“It’s an amazing experience coming from a small orchestra and coming here to play with all these talented people,” Divecha said. “I got goose bumps when I watched them.”