Music is a daily part of life for high school "band geeks," but after graduation many end up burying their instruments somewhere in the attic and forgetting all about them.
But Brian Bersh, a graduate student in UD’s music program, is hoping Hockessin residents will dig out those instruments again and join the Community Ensemble he’s starting at the Center for the Creative Arts.
Its still in the early days for the ensemble and Bersh is trying to gather a few members before he sets rehearsal times or starts working on music.
He decided to start the band after hearing a few friends pine about how much they have missed playing music since their days in band class.
“Music is more enjoyable when you’re playing with other people,” he said.
But Bersh isn’t looking to start an exclusive, world-class group – he’s looking for people who just want to have fun, whether they’re picking up an instrument for the first time or re-living their concert band glory days.
He plans to arrange the music for the group, catering it to members’ tastes and ability levels, he said, so prospective musicians shouldn’t worry about the music being too hard.
There are countless ways to arrange music, he said, so it doesn’t matter if the ensemble starts out with only a handful of trumpet players – they’ll still be able to perform a wide range of pieces.
Eventually, he’d like to see a small band of about 20 people, rehearsing and performing regularly, he said. CCArts is a great venue because the organization doesn’t have a band, he said, so the ensemble could play during plays or other events, since performances will be their best PR.
Ensembles are a great way to meet like-minded people and pick up a skill, he said, but as a music educator, Bersh has even farther reaching goals.
“I hope to help build a more musically literate community,” he said.
Anyone interested in joining the ensemble can e-mail Bersh at brianbersh@gmail.com.
