College hosting Pa. Intercollegiate Band Festival

Grove City College will host the 2017 Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival from Feb. 10 to 12, 2017, featuring 126 student musicians from 32 colleges and universities across the state.

The event brings together the “best of the best” college-level musicians in the Keystone State, including six students from Grove City College, and culminates in a can’t-miss concert at 1:30 p.m. Sunday Feb. 12 in Ketler Auditorium of the Pew Fine Arts Center on campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

“It is truly a cross representation of the best music students from the state and a must-see event,” said Dr. Joseph Pisano, director of bands at Grove City College. 

Grove City College students selected for the elite band are: Lindsey Miller ’18, clarinet; Steven Gosselin ’18, bass clarinet; Adam Snowden ’17, alto saxophone; Mark Wasilko ’17, euphonium; Rebekah Quinlan ’18, mallets; and Hannah Miner ’20, harp.

Col. Thomas H. Plamatier, who served from 2011-2014 as leader and commander of the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” will serve as guest conductor. Plamatier retired from the Army after 37 years and now serves as is an active clinician and guest conductor. 

The festival is presented by the Pennsylvania Collegiate Bandmasters Association, of which Pisano was recently selected to be vice president and has served as secretary for several years. The festival is the oldest intercollegiate band festival in the country, marking its 70th anniversary this year.