Western Courier

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: The Edge

Media Credit: Greg Rolf Students in the Steel Band have to memorize their music before the concert.

Upbeat, Caribbean-style music resounded through the College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall last Saturday as the Western Illinois University Steel Band performed its spring concert.

Directed by assistant professor of music Rick Kurasz, the band played a compilation of both fast and slow beats and rhythms from less-represented ethnic cultures around the globe.

There were nine songs played in the performance, which lasted about 50 minutes.

"It was great," said Dale Maxson, junior recreation, park and tourism administration major. "It makes you want to dance."

"A lot of my friends are in the steel band, and one of them threatened to hurt me if I didn't come," said Zach Neels, sophomore music business major. "I've come every semester since I've been here. It's very enjoyable. It's different from the other ensembles on campus, mainly for the fact that they're all steel instruments not typically found in the United States."

For band members, the steel band offers a great opportunity to learn. Senior music business major Alex Bartholomew, who has been involved in the group for seven semesters, credits much of his training in music to the variations offered by this program.

"It's really upbeat rhythm and it really makes everyone work a little bit harder," he said. "It made me a better musician."

The band, which performs anywhere from three to 10 times per semester, is composed of 32 students and is always open to any new members looking to sign up.

The only restrictions are anyone wishing to join needs to be a Western student and must know how to read music.

Otherwise, the steel band encourages membership and welcomes all.

This performance added John Cooper on trumpet. He was brought in to play a few numbers along with drummer Kevin Nichols in an attempt to add a little more variation to the already diverse performance of the ever-expanding band.

"That's one of the best things about the band. It started out as such a small ensemble, like eight people, and through the years it's actually grown to the size you see now with (32) people. It's been a fantastic ensemble," Neels said. "Last year, they actually did stuff with didgeridoos and sticks of that nature just to spice up the ensemble."

Overall, students and local residents heavily applauded the performance, and some children were seen dancing.

"It was great. Everybody was tapping their feet," said Devin Buswell, junior accounting major.

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