Troy's Concert Band holds memorial for student who recently passed away

Troy’s Concert Band holds memorial for student that passed away 

One of Troy’s ensembles played a song in memorial for their member who passed away at their most recent concert. 

Troy’s Concert Band held a concert on Tuesday that included a song performed for Katelyn Hawkins, a clarinet player and member of the ensemble who recently passed away. The piece played was “Sheltering Sky” by John Mackey and was conducted by a guest  

co-conductor, who is also a clarinetist. 

Students play their instruments during the concert. (Sydnee Pennington photo)

“We are so tight in the clarinet section,” said Michael Olsen, the guest conductor and graduate student for the John M. Long School of Music. “When we found out about her passing, we were just so devastated because it was so fast. 

“I mean, I talked to her a few days before she passed away, and then it was just like she was gone. We just had to do something so, so special to honor her and all her contributions.” 

“Sheltering Sky” is not just a random piece picked to memorialize her; it’s a song she had recently played with one of the members of her section for a class assignment. 

“I have a video of us playing part of that song that we dedicated to her, so I know she really would’ve wanted us to do the best we could,” said Amelia Wells, a clarinet player and a senior interdisciplinary studies major from Prattville, Alabama. “It felt very much like she was here listening and proud of us.” 

One of Hawkins’ Tau Beta Sigma sisters talked about how heavy Tuesday’s performance was in contrast with any other normal performance. 

“Words cannot describe how everyone in the band could feel about this, because we all had our own relationship with her,” said Laney McTier, a trumpet player and senior social science major from Opelika, Alabama. “For me personally, as her big sister, I had a bit of a deeper connection with her. 

“It’s sad but she was such a happy soul that there were some happy moments throughout the song as well. She was always cutting up, always laughing, always smiling and she just loved music so much.” 

Wells shared a similar view of Hawkins as well. 

“She loved the people she was around,” Wells said. “She was always looking out for somebody or taking care of somebody, and she always had something funny to say to cheer people up if they were down.” 

For Olsen, the emotions filling the ensemble with the performance of “Sheltering Sky” made the performance better and more special. 

“It was hard getting together because you know emotions are high, but the type of music comes from high emotion,” Olsen said. “It’s definitely heartbreaking just because of the circumstances, but I just feel so grateful that I could share that moment with not only the audience members but our students in the ensemble.” 

After the performance of “Sheltering Sky” the rest of the concert went as usual with other pieces being played, though the guest conductor did conduct a second piece later in the show titled “Promising Skies” by Robert W. Smith.