Thirty high school students from across Georgia visited the University of North Georgia’s Dahlonega Campus to participate in the inaugural Brass & Percussion Day on Jan. 29.
The event, hosted by the Department of Music and organized by faculty member Michael S. Brown, Jr., culminated in a concert performance showcasing the students’ hard work throughout the day.
Brass & Percussion Day offered young musicians the chance to engage in a variety of learning experiences, including a fundamentals class, a master class, and a brass choir, all led by the UNG brass and percussion faculty. The day’s activities focused on preparing three pieces of music, which were performed in the evening concert with a guest conductor and composer.
Brown, who drew inspiration from a similar event during his own undergraduate experience, expressed his excitement about finally bringing the event to UNG after three years of planning.
“I wanted to bring this event to UNG for three years, and this is the first year I could really do it—and do it justice,” Brown said. “The whole thing is we learn three pieces of music today and perform them tonight—with a guest conductor and a guest composer — to feature the Department of Music.”
Hannah Dale, a percussionist and senior at Hart County High School, reflected positively on her experience.
“The main thing about music is just not knowing and it’s your job to ask and learn,” the senior from Hart County High School, said. “I think you can find that in any job, in any field. If you don’t know something, ask. That’s exactly how I came into music. I didn’t have experience. I just asked.”
Two tuba players from Dawson County High School, Will Murray and Will Bean, were also among the participants. Murray described the event as an opportunity to explore the college music environment and improve his tuba playing.
“This is a good opportunity to show me what is happening in college music, and how college students work through their day,” Murray said. “It could open new opportunities for my tuba playing. I’m not sure what I want to do in the future, but I would love to keep playing tuba.”
Bean, who is considering a career in aerospace engineering or following in his father’s footsteps as a firefighter, also appreciated the chance to learn from professionals.
“I’m glad my dad told me about this event,” Bean said. “I’m glad that I got the opportunity to play with college students, be taught by professionals and learn new things.”
The event also served as a reunion for Brown and some of his former students. Ben Burford, a trumpet player from North Paulding High School, reconnected with Brown, who had taught him private lessons. Burford, who hopes to pursue a degree in music education, noted how valuable it was to meet other trumpet players.
The concert’s grand finale featured the brass ensemble piece “The Winner’s Circle,” composed by Marie Douglas, who had flown in from Los Angeles to attend.
Earlier in the day, Brown was honored by the Atlanta Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 148-462 Organizing Task Force for his contributions as an educator. The award was presented to him after being nominated by one of his students, CJ Yeager.
The inaugural Brass & Percussion Day proved to be a valuable opportunity for high school students to gain insight into college-level music education, forge connections with peers and professionals, and showcase their talents in a live performance.
