Renee Rosenow

Many musicians strive for the opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall their entire lives. Of that number, only some reach the stages of the esteemed hall.

Three UW-Eau Claire music education majors will be able to add that opportunity to their list of accomplishments and make their Carnegie debuts this spring.

From May 20 to the 25, sophomore Tyler Adam, and freshmen Kyle Manley and Megan Pattarozzi will travel to New York City to join around 70 other college students from around the country as members of the National College Wind Ensemble.

What is it?

The National College Wind Ensemble is a part of MidAmerica Band Productions spring concert series, said Bradley Cooper, conductor-in-residence of the organization.

This year’s ensemble will be the twelfth annual ensemble, Cooper said. It began as a select group of high school students but last year was the first year it was composed completely of college students. They plan to do that again this year, he said.

Cooper added that the group runs at about 75 students.

Interested students needed to submit a short résumé outlining their experience, Cooper said. In addition, they needed to send a CD or recording of their instrumental abilities and a recommendation from a professor at their school.

“We ask students (to) demonstrate their technical and lyrical abilities,” he said. “That will determine if they have the expertise to perform what’s expected.”

In addition, students have a tuition fee, Pattarozzi said.

H. Robert Reynolds will conduct the ensemble, said James Colonna, lecturer of music and conductor of the Wind Symphony at the university.

Colonna said he would tell the students playing under Reynolds how extremely lucky they are and compared Reynolds to music as Einstein is to science.

“When he’s working with the students, he’ll bring out so much music . it’s magic,” Colonna said.

On the final day, the ensemble will perform at Carnegie Hall.

The road to Carnegie: Adam

Performing at Carnegie Hall was never a goal for Adam of Chanhassen, Minn., who will play flute in the ensemble. However, it certainly is a bonus, he said.

“I’ve always thought of music as a passion of mine,” he said.

Adam began to play flute in fifth grade, along with the trumpet. He also played saxophone in eighth grade.

Initially, Adam said, he heard about the ensemble and application process from a friend from a previous honor band. He submitted the application materials and a musical recording of himself. Around the last week of October, Adam received his acceptance notice.

His reaction?

“Just, wow, I guess. I was pretty elated,” he said.

Adam said he is looking forward to meeting people and said he thinks he will learn more about music from him.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends in the past this way,” he said.

Future goals for Adam include graduate school, he said. Someday, he said, he would like to open a studio or teach at a university. Also, Adam said he would consider reapplying to the program and has no concerns.

“I’m sure it will be great,” he said, adding he thinks he will definitely grow as a player.

Colonna, who is in his first semester at the university, said he thinks Adam is a quiet person but is a really exceptional student.

“(He) practices a lot, (he) is a great addition to our group.”

The road to Carnegie: Manley

For Manley, the musical journey began in his hometown of Rosemount, Minn. As a fifth grade student, he began playing the tenor saxophone and played through middle school and then into high school.

“(I was) just like your average band kid,” he said.

At the end of his freshman year of high school, Manley began to take private lessons from Kurt Claussen, a music instructor at St. Olaf College (Minn.). Manley studied with him for three years. In addition, Manley began to play alto saxophone at the beginning of his senior year of high school. He will play alto saxophone in the ensemble.

Claussen, who Manley said is one of his role models, said he thinks Manley is a very natural and expressive player with good technique and beautiful sound.

“I think that those are qualities that really come through in his playing, more than with lots of other students I’ve had through the years,” he said.

Concerning the National College Wind Ensemble, Manley said he heard about the application process and the group after the application due date passed. However, this did not dissuade him.

“I heard there were some openings,” he said, adding that he sent an e-mail to learn more about the program.

Manley said Cooper verified that there were sax openings and Manley sent in an application and recordings. Manley was accepted and then, he said, everything changed in a day.

“It was amazing,” he said, adding that he never thought he would be going to

Carnagie. But, he said he dreams of being a jazz freelancer in New York who plays at night and teaches during the day.

Claussen said when he heard of Manley’s acceptance, he was not at all surprised.

“Sometimes, the opportunities come quicker than you think they might,” he said. “He’s such a hard worker that I’m not surprised he was able to put himself into a position to be accepted into an organization like that.”

The road to Carnegie: Pattarozzi

Pattarozzi began as a pianist. But in sixth grade, she decided to follow a different musical path.

“I went to band one day and I (thought) ‘Well, I really want to try some instruments,'” she said. She added after that opportunity, she decided she enjoyed band and began to play clarinet.

After her beginnings, Pattarozzi said she took private lessons. But around her freshman year of high school, Pattarozzi and her family moved to Madison from Roscoe, Ill. This became an opportunity for her to advance musically.

In Madison, Pattarozzi studied with Nancy Mackenzie, a clarinetist for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the Madison Symphony Orchestra, among other musical organizations.

“She really pushed me hard to be a better musician,” Pattarozzi said.

Professor of music Richard Fletcher said he met Pattarozzi this semester and that she has an excellent musical background and is a hard-working and diligent student.

“She plays with a beautiful tone, (is) very expressive in her playing . essential things for a top clarinetist,” he said. “She has a lot of things going for her.”

Pattarozzi said she found a flyer for the program on Fletcher’s office door and made the decision to apply by sending in an application and recording. Like Adam and Manley, Pattarozzi was accepted.

Future goals for Pattarozzi include pushing herself as a student here. Someday, she said she hopes to be a clarinet professor at a college, give private lessons and play in a symphony.

Fletcher said this program is quite an opportunity for Pattarozzi to hear and work with other performers from around the country.

“She’ll come back inspired to continue her work toward becoming a top clarinetist,” he said.

The journey continues .

After May 25, the three students will return from this milestone, but the path will continue for them. Adam, Manley and Pattarozzi are all music education majors at the university and members of musical groups and ensembles.

Pattarozzi said the musical faculty here at the university is very supportive of this.

“They just really want the musicians here to flourish and they’ll do things that they can do to help us do that,” she said.

As for Colonna, he said he is very excited for the students.

“I can’t wait until they go to New York and do this.”