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MEADVILLE, Pa. – May 21, 2007 – The students of the Allegheny College music department have become a force to be reckoned with in the world of collegiate music, accumulating an impressive number of honors for a school of Allegheny’s size.

On Friday, May 25, two Allegheny students, Bonnie Sands and Damon Harvey, will perform with the National Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall. Harvey and Sands, who play trumpet and tuba, respectively, have been in New York City practicing with the ensemble since May 21. This is the second year that the two have been invited to perform with this highly competitive small ensemble, which is open by audition to every college and high school musician in the U.S.

“Last year, I was third chair and the first chair was finishing up his senior year of college. The second chair was in 10th grade,” noted Sands. “That says something about music. It’s not always about age — it’s about your gifts and dedication.”

In March, eight students from Allegheny attended the 60th Annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival, one of the nation’s oldest intercollegiate band festivals. In addition to Harvey and Sands, performers included Glenna Kramer (trombone), Michael Lloyd (clarinet), Christopher Seeley (tuba), Rachel Stamateris (clarinet), Chrissy Ungaro (flute) and Christopher Wahlmark (alto saxophone).

The students were accompanied to the festival by faculty members Lowell Hepler, professor of music and director of bands; Ronald Stitt, trombone and low brass instructor and assistant director of bands; and Julie Hepler, woodwinds coordinator.

Wahlmark, a biology major, was also invited to perform as 1st alto saxophone with the National Small College Intercollegiate Band at the University of Michigan in March. That band plays as part of the College Band Directors National Association Conference.

“I’m not treated any differently in the music department even though I’m not a major,” stated Wahlmark. “They still recommend me for all these bands and they’re allowing me to perform solo pieces with ensembles. I really appreciate that because music is still a large part of my life.”

Sands and Harvey plan on pursuing graduate level education in music and then a career teaching at a small college.

“I came here as an English major and a music minor but after a number of classes in the music department and interactions with the faculty, I changed my mind,” said Harvey. “I am grateful to all the music faculty. They really take a personal interest in what you would like to do with your future and move heaven and earth to give us as many opportunities as they can.”

Sands notes that the music department is like a second family for the students. “The faculty have a passion not just for music but for people, which isn’t always the case, especially when you get people who are at really high performance levels,” she said. “They’re very nurturing people, kind of like our extra parents, and I’m very fortunate to have met all of them.”