By Phoebe Suy | Staff Writer
Igor Stravinsky’s early twentieth-century Russian ballet met the smooth jazz ballads of Bob Florence as Jones Concert Hall filled with the sounds of The Baylor Symphony Orchestra, The Baylor Wind Ensemble and the Baylor Jazz Ensemble at the Kaleidoscope Instrumental Concert on Saturday afternoon.
The Baylor Symphony Orchestra was led by conductor-in-residence Stephen Heyde, director of the Wayne Fisher Jazz Program. Alex Parker directed the Jazz Ensemble and professor and director of Bands J. Eric Wilson conducted the Wind Ensemble.
The concert began with a trumpet prelude by an award-winning Baylor ensemble. The group placed first in their division at the National Trumpet Competition in March.
In May, the Baylor Symphony Orchestra earned the American Prize in orchestral performance in the college and university division for the third consecutive year.
Wilson said his students are an inspiration to be around every day.
“We mention many times the power of music in our society as one of the forces that bring us together,” Wilson said.
Donna Monk, whose daughter McKinney senior Emily Monk, plays in the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, attended the concert from McKinney. She said she enjoyed all of the groups, but was a little partial to the orchestra.
“I’ve been watching Emily perform since she was in the third grade,” Monk said. “But to see her with the Baylor symphony right up there at the front, it’s amazing.”
The Baylor School of Music has been a part of the Monk family since Emily was in seventh grade. Every summer for the last seven or eight years, Monk said her two kids, Emily and Emily’s brother, have attended the Baylor School of Music’s summer camps.
“When [Emily] decided to go to Baylor, we knew it was kind of a family atmosphere and that they just welcomed the students in as the whole person, not just as the musician,” Monk said. “They’ve really reached out to her in many ways to help her settle in as a new musician and now as kind of a leader.”
Baylor School of Music performances in Jones Concert Hall are live-streamed on the School of Music’s website.
