Bienen School Brass Students to Perform at Kennedy Center

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Five Northwestern University brass students will represent the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music during a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Monday, Feb. 20. 

It is the eighth consecutive year that the Bienen School has been invited to perform in the Kennedy Center’s Conservatory Project. The series features the best young musicians from the country’s leading conservatories and institutions of higher education. 

The Feb. 20 concert will be streamed live at 5 p.m. CST via the Internet. To view the webcast, visit the Kennedy Center website’s Millennium Stage page at http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/schedule.html. 

Northwestern’s students will perform a program of music for brass quintet, duet and trio, including David Sampson’s “Entrance/Exit” for brass quintet; Verne Reynolds’ “Calls and Echoes” for trumpet duet; John Stevens’ “Triangles” for horn, trombone and tuba; and Jan Bach’s “Rounds and Dances” for brass quintet. 

This year marks the first time that the Bienen School has chosen students from a single program to participate in the Conservatory Project. The School is highlighting the brass program in recognition of its designation as a central “area of distinction” in the Bienen School’s new strategic plan. 

With an international reputation, the Northwestern brass program has maintained a consistent level of excellence and a close association with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO). Many of the program’s faculty have been CSO members, a tradition that continues today. 

Northwestern University brass students performing Feb. 20 are: 

• Horn player Mikhailo Babiak of Toronto, a master’s degree student of Bienen faculty member Gail Williams 

• Trumpet player Ryan Beach of Lincoln, Neb., a master’s degree student of faculty members Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer

• Trombonist Michael Steiger of Bend, Ore., a master’s degree student of faculty member Michael Mulcahy

• Tubist Bethany Wiese of Davenport, Iowa, a doctoral student of faculty member Rex Martin

• Trumpet player Steven Woomert of Etobicoke, Ont., a senior undergraduate student of faculty member Barbara Butler

For more information and links to videos of former Bienen School students who took part in Conservatory Project performances, visit tinyurl.com/nukennedy.