2008 Woodie Awards
Orchestra course offers expression through music
Katelin Allen
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The course number is MUSII51; the class is worth 3 credit hours and meets on Tuesday/Thursday at 7 p.m. till 8:45 p.m. Professor William McMosley is the conductor and he gives students very positive reassurance toward their progress. As well as enrolling in the class, students have to take lessons.
Students also take it upon themselves to practice thirty minutes to an hour a day to work on their ability to play. This time is part of the student's study time, and at times it's difficult to find the time to practice. For the student that enrolls in this class it becomes more than just a class; it's a rcsponsibility.
If you ask McMosley about the orchestra program or any other music program, he will let you know whatever you want to know about the program. He is optimistic about the growth of orchestra at KWU. It's been eight years since the start of the instrumental programs. For the next school year he hopes to add eleven more to KWU's orchestra. He said that the orchestra will be a great chamber group in the end. He said he enjoys instructing the orchestra.
His goals for the orchestra are to have the music fundamentals learned and played well. He wants the five orchestra members to be able to help next year's students in orchestra. He has his ideas spelled out to all of his students and doesn't mind letting them know more than once. He will tell every student about his ideas for orchestra in class, or in a private meeting. He also wants to know what his students want to achieve, so he can add it to his list of things for the orchestra's goals.
For the past few years this program has attempted a start. Many have come to this University because of the music program, or because they enjoy playing in the orchestra or band and even singing in the choir. Just like every other music program in Kansas that is starting, there are struggles with the numbers of members in this field of music. As well as the funding issues that every school is running into; orchestra usually is cut first because the instruments are much more expensive than band instruments, and to find orchestra music also is proving to be very expensive. This is showing to be very positive for enrollment, as the group has grown.
This year there are five members of orchestra. All of the orchestra range in abilities hut are willing to work on the inadequacies to improve the group. Only one member is a music performance major. Each time they have a practice they sound bigger and better. As a group, they are all learning very fast about playing in a small chamber group. All five of them are very willing to make everything work.
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