Ashland to Host OPCICA Honors Festival

Ashland University Department of Music is honored to host the 2020 Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductors Association (OPCICA) Honors Festival culminating with a free, public concert on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 1:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The 2020 OPCICA Festival is organized by the association's president, John Packard (Mount Vernon Nazarene University), along with the local hosts from Ashland University, Joseph Lewis and Dr. Scott Garlock.

OPCICA represents the instrumental music programs in Ohio's private colleges and universities, whose primary purpose is sponsoring an annual honors festival. This year's festival will involve 111 student musicians and 25 band directors representing 17 schools including Ashland University, Bluffton University, Case Western Reserve University, College of Wooster, Defiance College, Heidelberg University, Kenyon College, Malone University, Marietta College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum University, Notre Dame College, Ohio Northern University, Otterbein University, University of Findlay, Wittenberg University and Walsh University.

Participating students have been nominated by their university band directors for their exceptional musicianship. All participating students and directors will arrive on the Ashland University campus on Saturday to rehearse with the OPCICA Honors Concert Band or Honors Jazz Band. The bands will then perform at Sunday afternoon's concert.

The OPCICA Honors Concert Band will perform the following pieces led by the corresponding conductors: Joyce’s 71st N.Y. Reg’t March (Joseph Lewis, Ashland University), Early Light (Roy Couch, Bluffton University), Cloudburst (Tom Roblee, Walsh University), Divertimento (Michael Kruger, Notre Dame College), and Danza Final from Estancia (Chris Schletter, Marietta College).

The OPCICA Honors Jazz Band's program will include performances of The Star-Spangled Banner, Thinking, Doin' the Things, Tones for Joan's Bones, Armando's Rhumba and Minor Bop II conducted by Jason Wyse, Malone University; Jordan Reed, Marietta College; and Jack Taylor, University of Findlay.

Ashland University students selected for the honors bands include Emma Graves on flute; Jacob Moses, Matt Roth, Hannah Smigel and Sydney Muller on clarinet; french horn players Jacob Bodnar and Bethany Leggett; and Eric Watts, bass trombone.

In addition to the OPCICA honors bands, the Ashland University Symphonic Band will perform as the host ensemble. Their selections include Sousa's Semper Fidelis, the World Premiere of Dr. Stefan Swanson's Women of World War II, Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium, as well as The Golden Age of the Xylophone featuring guest soloist Elizabeth Procopio.

Ashland County Middle School Musicians Honored at AU Concert

In Celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Middle School Honors Band on Sunday, March 24 at 4 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The Ashland University Symphonic Band will be the featured guest ensemble. Joseph Lewis, Jr., Ashland University Director of Bands, will serve as conductor for both ensembles.

Consisting of 72 members, the Ashland County Middle School Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton Schools. Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association met with Mr. Lewis to plan the program. The committee of band directors selected the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on March 21 and 23 to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from
classical selections to traditional marches.

The 51-member Ashland University Symphonic Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful music chosen especially to highlight this year’s Chicago tour theme: Music from Across the Pond and the Far East including Vaughan Williams’ Flourish for Wind Band, McBeth’s Kaddish, Chance’s Variations on a Korean Folk Song, Tschesnokoff’s Salvation is Created, and Hazo’s Olympiada.

The combination of these two bands make for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is free and open to the public.

Annual Middle School Honors Band Concert, Mar. 18

In Celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Middle School Honors Band on Sunday, March 18, at 4 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The Ashland University Concert Band will be the featured guest ensemble. Joseph Lewis Jr., Ashland University director of bands, will serve as conductor for both ensembles.

Consisting of 78 members, the Ashland County Middle School Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton Schools. Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association meet with Lewis and Ashland’s Martin Kral, this year’s chairman, to plan the program. The committee of band directors selects the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on Thursday, March 16, and Sunday, March 18, to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches.

The 53-member Ashland University Concert Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful but unusual music chosen especially to highlight the day including Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Wagner's The Ride of the Valkyries, Irish Tune from County Derry by Percy Grainger, Foundry by John Mackey, and J.P. Sousa’s The Black Horse Troop.

The combination of these two bands makes for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is free and open to the public.

AU Faculty & Students Honored at OPCICA

Several AU students and faculty were honored this weekend at the annual Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductor's Association (OPCICA) honor bands concert. In addition to Ashland's Joseph Lewis and Dr. Scott Garlock serving as conductors, the following students represented Ashland University:

OPCICA Honors Concert Band
Erica Wheaton bass clarinet
Eric Watts bass trombone
Ariane Hill, flute
Stefan Jonsson, percussion
Jennifer Wigton, trumpet
Brandi Wells, tuba

OPCICA Honors Jazz Ensemble
Derek Rangel, lead tenor saxophone
Jason Wolf, baritone saxophone
Nik Psota, lead trumpet
Frank Stanek, bass trombone

AU Music Boasts Large Presence at OPCICA

On the weekend of Jan. 20, 21 at The College of Wooster, the annual Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductor's Association (OPCICA) honor bands will rehearse and perform. AU Music once again finds a great number of its students represented in this consortium including:

OPCICA Honors Concert Band
Erica Wheaton bass clarinet
Eric Watts bass trombone
Ariane Hill, flute
Stefan Jonsson, percussion
Jennifer Wigton, trumpet
Brandi Wells, tuba

OPCICA Honors Jazz Ensemble
Derek Rangel, lead tenor saxophone
Jason Wolf, baritone saxophone
Nik Psota, lead trumpet
Frank Stanek, bass trombone

Additionally, Ashland's Joseph Lewis will conduct a selection with the Honors Concert Band, and Dr. Scott Garlock will be one of the conductors of the Honors Jazz Ensemble. The Honors Jazz Ensemble will also be performing one of Dr. Garlock's works "Second in line for Pumpernickel."

Ashland Co. Middle School Instrumentalists Recognized

In Celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Middle School Honors Band on Sunday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The Ashland University Concert Band will be the featured guest ensemble conducted by Gary Ciulla, Ashland University Director of Bands. Lori Ciulla, former director of bands at Copley-Fairlawn Middle School, will conduct the middle school honors band.

Consisting of 75 members, the Ashland County Middle School Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton Schools.  Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association meet with Gary Ciulla and Ashland's Martin Kral, this year’s chairman, to plan the program. The committee of band directors selects the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on Thursday, March 16 and Sunday, March 19 to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches.

The 65-member Ashland University Concert Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful but unusual music chosen especially to highlight the day including Keith Brion's arrangement of John Philip Sousa's The Pathfinder of Panama, Prelude of Band by Claude T. Smith, The Ascension by Robert W. Smith, and Movement IV of Divertimento for Winds and Percussion by Roger Cichy. 

The combination of these two bands make for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is free and open to the public.

Eleven AU Students Selected for OPCICA

Five Ashland University Jazz Orchestra students (Alex Sandwisch, Jaylynn Buchmelter, Derek Rangel, Jason Wolf, Cody Henderson) and six Ashland University Concert Band students (Emily Minns, Emily Dine, Chanel Bluntschly, Nikolaus Psota, Jessica Shrider and Stefan Jonsson) have been selected to perform in the Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductor's Association concert this weekend, January 28 and 29) at Marietta College. More information here.

Band Concert Honors Area Middle Schools' Instrumentalists

In celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Middle School Honors Band on Sunday, March 20 at 4:00 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre with the Ashland University Concert Band as the featured guest ensemble. Gary Ciulla, Ashland University Director of Bands, will conduct both bands.

Consisting of 85 members, the Ashland County Middle School Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton Schools. 


Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association meet with Gary Ciulla and Crestview's Christopher Thompson, this year’s chairman, to plan the program.  The committee of band directors selects the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on Thursday, March 17 and Sunday, March 20 to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches. 

The 65-member Ashland University Concert Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful but unusual music chosen especially to highlight the day including Clifton Williams' Caccia and Chorale, Frederick Fennell's arrangement of Florentiner, three movements of Claude T. Smith's Incidental Suite, and Yo Goto's arrangement of Funiculi - Funicula.

The combination of these two bands make for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is free and open to the public.

BAND CONCERT HONORS AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUMENTALISTS

In Celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Middle School Honors Band on Sunday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre with the Ashland University Concert Band as the featured guest ensemble.  Ken Will, Ashland University Director of Bands, will conduct both bands.

Consisting of 75 members, the Ashland County Middle School Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton Schools.  Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association meet with Ken Will and Crestview's Christopher Thompson, this year’s chairman, to plan the program.  The committee of band directors selects the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on Thursday, March 19 and Sunday, March 22 to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches. 

The 65-member Ashland University Concert Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful but unusual music chosen especially to highlight the day. The University Band will also feature Shayne Smith (Bellevue), Hannah Phillips (Plymouth), and Don Roger Haught (Wooster) as student honors conductors during their portion of the concert. The three students are members of the concert band who are studying Music Education at Ashland University. 

The combination of these two bands make for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is complimentary and a recording can be ordered.

CONCERT HONORING AREA JUNIOR HIGH INSTRUMENTALISTS

In Celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Junior High School Honors Band on Sunday, March 18 at 4:00 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre with the Ashland University Concert Band as the featured guest ensemble.  Leonard Salvo, Ashland University Director of Bands, will conduct both bands. The concert is free and open to the public.

Consisting of 80 members, the Ashland County Junior High Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Mapleton and Perrysville Middle Schools (Loudonville).  Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association met with Leonard Salvo and Joe Barone, this year’s chairman and Loudonville-Perrysville’s band director, to plan the program.  The committee of band directors selects the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on Thursday, March 15 and Sunday, March 18 to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches. 

The 65-member Ashland University Concert Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful but unusual music chosen especially to highlight the day. The Junior High School Honors Band will perform following the University Concert Band’s program.

The combination of these two bands make for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is complimentary and a recording can be ordered.