April 11, 2016
Hannah Harvey
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VAPA’s music program will host the second annual Peak Frequency Music Festival over April 13, 15 and 16, which will feature VAPA music alumni as well as current students and faculty.
Last year was the first time the VAPA music program hosted the festival. Five individual concerts were put on over two weekends as part of celebrating UCCS’ 50th anniversary.
This year, three concerts will occur over one weekend.
Each concert is dedicated to alumni, current students and a special guest performance, according to the director of the music department Glen Whitehead.
“We’re going to see what kinds of work our alumni are doing. This year it’s all local talent. They’re just taking the reigns right where they left off here,” said Whitehead.
The special guest will be New York City native saxophonist and composer Tony Malaby and Tamarindo, who will perform at the Mezzanine on April 16 at 7 p.m.
Junior music student Katherine Kendrick is the honors composer performing in the Creative Music and Honors Ensembles Concert April 15. The festival is a good way to network, according to Kendrick.
“We get to know alumni better. It’s a great way to meet people I haven’t met yet. The honors concert is a great way to meet each other too.”
The concert is a way to keep in touch with former students, according to Whitehead.
“The festival is a way to celebrate what (alumni) are doing and they seem to get a lot out of it as well. It’s also a way for alumni to get together to meet each other and learn what each other are doing,” said Whitehead.
VAPA alumni Adam Hooper will perform Prelude No. 2 by George Gershwin on April 13. Hooper performed in the closing of the show last year as part of an ensemble.
The festival is a great way for past and current students to learn important skills they’ll need to work in the music industry, according to Hooper.
“The festival definitely opens doors for you. Being reliable is a characteristic that allows musicians to make connections,” said Hooper.
“There are a lot of alumni who are performing on a regular basis, so being reliable is important.”
The music program prepares students well for the industry due to its interdisciplinary courses, which help students to expand their knowledge and skill set, said McAllister.
“In the music department, we try to have a nice blend of traditional skills that you would find at a conservatory and progressive courses, like music business and film scoring.”
The festival is a way to prepare students to work in the music industry and to get their names out into the community, according to McAllister.
“For those of us who are in the arts, there aren’t that many ready-made jobs. We’re making a career for ourselves when we get out,” he said.