The Averett University Band is composed of students, alumni, and members of the community who all come together to spread their joy of music. Dr. Janet Phillips, associate professor of music, conducts the band, making it as inclusive as possible with the addition of string instruments that would traditionally only be seen in an orchestral setting. The positive atmosphere keeps students engaged and some of them even come back as alumni to play in concerts.
“When I got to Averett I didn’t know there was a band until my friend introduced me to Dr. Phillips,” Josh Boggs, an alumni violinist, said. “She was excited that a string player asked to join.”
“After graduation my job kept me in the area, so I was able to come back as a community member for the band,” Boggs added.
The concert band is full of opportunities for students to get to know each other as well as members of the Averett community. Being a member of the band as a student also offers an extra credit hour each semester without the stress of exams. These aspects draw in students with a passion for music, creating a tight-knit community within Averett and the community.
“It’s a nice break from all the craziness of regular classes,” Kaylee Joblon, a Senior flautist, said. “Getting to know many different students as well as members of the community around Averett is nice too.”
“Going from not being able to play my last two years of band in high school to being able to play both the flute and piccolo at sporting events, graduation, and two to three concerts each year, as well as getting a scholarship from Averett to play we’re huge factors that encouraged me to want to be apart of the band,” Joblon, said.
Averett’s symphonic band holds concerts in both the winter and spring of each school year, so there are opportunities for band members to perform as well as opportunities for the community to gather and listen to their music. In addition to this, the band department hosts Band Fest, where local high school students are invited to the university to learn new music and play it in a concert. The Averett University band is a great example of how the school promotes community engagement and involvement within the city and continues to thrive as a program.
