Austin High School Band Premieres Piece Composed in Honor of Late Director
Last night was the 49th annual Austin High School Band Blast. This wasn't just any band concert, the band premiered a piece that was composed in honor of a late director of the band. His name was Dave Kallman.
The piece was composed by Tim Mahr of St. Olaf. Tim was a student teacher at Austin High School a while ago and he's family-friends with the Kallmans. KTTC writes that the piece was written in "different sections to highlight the late band director’s personality."
A senior in the Austin High School band, Willem Huizinga, told KTTC, "'It’s a challenge in and of itself because you are the standard that this piece is going to be held to since you’re the first people premiering it. It’s an honor and it’s a challenge.'”
I understand this challenge. When I was in high school I also played in the band and there was a piece my high school commissioned for its 20th anniversary. My band was the first to ever perform the piece and it's a little nerve-wracking! It's the first time anyone ever heard the piece so we were all hoping we would perform well enough to do it justice.
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