Bassoonists, Oboe players and French Horn players gathered in All Faiths Chapel on Tuesday night as part of a double reed ensemble. This was part of a student recital series that shows off different instrument groups in the K-State music department. Despite not being as popular as guitar or drums, a group of 13 students gathered to play their double reed instruments.
Nora Lewis, assistant professor in music and director of the ensemble, said the students are using the performance as practice for the Kansas Music Educators Association Festival on Friday. Lewis said that she used a lot of different resources to find the arrangement for the evening.
“There are a few recordings out there, and I just kind of listened to what is out there,” Lewis said. “There are a couple European ensembles that have put some interesting arrangements together, and I found a couple in public domain, went to a music conference, and went through a lot of different scores.”
The ensemble of thirteen people included one graduate student and six freshmen, and Lewis said the group had been practicing since the fall.
Rachel Roth, sophomore in wildlife ecology and management, said that she has been in the group for it’s entire two-year existence.
“When I started off as a freshman, I heard about double reed ensemble from my professor Dr. Lewis, and I really enjoy getting to play,” Roth said. “We were really small last year, but it’s amazing how much we grew.”
Roth said that the group normally practices every Sunday, but, in preparation for the music festival and other concerts, the group has started practicing on Thursdays as well.
The first half of the program was composed of four soloists on the double reed instruments, sometimes accompanied by a pianist. The last half involved the players performing as a group, or playing in smaller groups of four and six musicians.
Roth said that she appreciates being part of the ensemble because she likes her instrument.
“I just really enjoy playing music, especially double reeds, and it’s amazing to get together with these people and just play music,” Roth said.
Adam Keefe, freshman in music education, said he was required to come to the event as a major requirement, but he said that he still enjoyed the music.
“It was pretty good, I liked the last one, it was lively,” Keefe said. “I just think it’s a pretty strong ensemble here, It’s a good concert.”