Troy University holds 52nd SEUS Clinic

Bryan Brown Photos

Members of the Burch Pesses Band, members of the Kamei Band preformed on Saturday as part of the 52nd SEUS honor band clinic, and Honor Band Conductor and Troy graduate Terrance Cobb led a performance on Saturday.

Troy University held the 52nd annual Southeastern United States Clinic from Thursday through Saturday, culminating in a grand performance featuring four concert honor bands Saturday afternoon.

High school student instrumentalists from across the Southeast came to Troy University for a three-day long series of events for this year’s Southeastern United State Clinic. The clinic is an event held every year by Troy University that seeks to help students grow as musicians and learn more about the community in Troy.

Honor Band Conductor and Troy graduate Terrance Cobb led the performance as the first conductor of four on the last day. He and the instrumentalists surrounding him filled the theater with gorgeous, swelling harmonies and theatrical, cinematic compositions.

Following Cobb was Honor Band Conductor Dr. Charles Maguire, another Troy graduate.

His performance was highlighted by his intense pride in his instrumentalists and Troy University.

“This is home for me,” Maguire said during his speech between songs. “Troy University is home for me.”

After Maguire had finished his final song, Honor Band Conductor Chadwick Kamei took the stage. Being based in Hawaii, Kamei decided to pay homage to the islands by playing popular Hawaiian song “Hanakeoki,” and including native Hawaiian instruments in his orchestration.

“He’s just an extraordinary person,” said Dr. Shelby Chipman, the director of bands at Florida A&M and a good friend of Kamei’s. “He just does an amazing job as an educator.

“I’m sure the students that were in the ensemble that I just heard had an amazing experience at his baton.”

To round out the concert, Honor Band Conductor Michael Burch-Pesses' beautiful performance served as the perfect ending to the 52nd Southeastern United States Band Clinic.

“I’m honestly dumbfounded by the amount of sheer power they’re putting into the instruments,” said Joseph Baxley, a student from Cottondale, Florida and participating instrumentalist in Maguire’s ensemble. “The amount of work and dedication that they’ve put into this – it’s just astounding to me.”

On Thursday, the concerts were held by Troy University’s own POPulus and Jazz Ensemble in Crosby Theater. Chair auditions, clinics and rehearsals were held by Honor Band Conductors while Honor Band student masterclasses were held later that day.

For Friday, more rehearsals and clinics were held, and more concerts were performed by the Decatur High School Wind Ensemble, the Houston County High School Wind Symphony and the Troy University Symphony Band. Friday’s schedule also featured auditions for visiting instrumentalists to apply for Troy University band scholarships.

The rehearsals continued and ended on Saturday, though, and the schedule ended with the SEUS Honor Band Final Concert.

In the setting of a tightly packed Claudia Crosby Theater, the stage was filled with dozens and dozens of instrumentalists from all over the Southeast.