The month of January features numerous bowl games and marching bands from almost every university in the country. One may easily, albeit incorrectly, surmise that extra circulatory activities involving football and the dance (cheerleading) and music (marching bands) supporting the game related revelries are the end all university education. Well, we know there is another side to university life, and it involves a more disciplined approach to the pursuit of happiness. You may ask how does the “pursuit of happiness” enter the equation of academic work and emotional pleasure.
One can conclude with some certainty that music evokes a sense of well-being, excitement, contentment and a variety of numerous other pleasurable emotions and responses. It matters little if one is the music giver or taker. Music appeals to the intellect and to our senses of reason because of its relation to numbers.
The ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras discovered the importance of numbers in music, and the connection which he established between music and arithmetic survives to this day in the mathematical terms “harmonic mean” and “harmonic expression”.*
Let me now take you to Cedar City Utah and Southern Utah University (SUU) for an example of mathematics as enlightenment, inspiration and stimulation of both the intellect and the senses that the gift of music gives to all that participate in its expression and experience. The Mesquite Weekly is proud to present a performance of the Southern Utah University’s Alumni Band. The Band Concert features the SUU Wind Symphony and former members of the SUU Band.
Please watch or listen and enjoy this presentation.
We stopped by the office of Dr. Adam Lambert and had a brief conversation with him about the Alumni band and its formation; its traditions; and its role in maintaining a strong relation with the community and its former students.
Please watch this short interview.
Adam Lambert – Associate Professor of Music Director of Bands
Adam Lambert, Director of Bands and Brass Studies as SUU, directs the Wind Symphony, Athletic Bands and Brass Ensemble, and teaches conducting and private trumpet and French horn at Southern Utah University. Adam is also the conductor of the American Fork Symphony and the Assistant Conductor of the Orchestra of Southern Utah. Adam studied conducting from Eugene Corporon (UNT) James Jordan (Westminster Choir College) , Ron Staheli and David Blacking (BYU). Adam is active as a conductor and clinician for orchestras, concert bands, and jazz bands throughout the region.
As a trumpet soloist, Adam has given performances at many colleges and universities throughout the Midwest, including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Wayne State College, the University of Wyoming, Northwest College, and Colorado State University. He holds degrees in music education from Brigham Young University and a doctorate in trumpet performance from the University of North Texas.
He was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at UNT from 2002 to 2005. Adam performed and recorded with the University of North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon and appears on several recordings featured by the UNT Wind Symphony on the series Teaching Music Through Performance. He has performed as a professional jazz musician at many major jazz festivals, including the Snow Bird Jazz Festival, the Park City Jazz Festival, and the Salt Lake City Jazz Festival. Adam is a Bach trumpet artist and clinician for the Conn-Selmer Corporation. He was the director of bands at Provo High School in Provo, Utah, from 1997 to 2002.
* from the chapter “The Rise of Greek Civilization” – Bertrand Russell