GENTRY: And now, Great Art at Eastern, from the Portales campus of Eastern New Mexico University. I’m Jeff Gentry, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, here on KENW, Your Public Radio Network. Today, my guest is an Enrrique Carrillo, a music education major in instrumental winds. Thank you for joining me today.
CARRILLO: Thank you for having me.
GENTRY: So, when did you first pick up a saxophone?
CARRILLO: I first picked up a saxophone, probably around 4th grade. My brother played saxophone. We didn’t start beginning band until 5th grade, but he let me mess around with it. And that’s- that’s when I first picked it up and then started beginning band in 5th grade.
GENTRY: So, did he become jealous when you started outpacing him as a sax player?
CARRILLO: No, I don’t think so. He's he started off on saxophone. He ended up moving to tuba, then percussion. Um, So I don’t know if that had to do anything with me playing saxophone, but that’s what he decided to do.
GENTRY: Just teasing your brother who isn’t even here to defend himself. So, did the bass clarinet come later?
CARRILLO: Yes, the bass clarinet came a lot later, and it actually very recently. I didn’t actually pick up the bass clarinet until August of this last year, so it’s been a few months.
GENTRY: Not bad to be in- in a top college band on a new instrument.
CARRILLO: Yeah.
GENTRY: So, this weekend is packed with music, the Spring Choir Concert is Saturday evening. Then on Sunday afternoon, you’ll perform in both the Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony. Busy day?
CARRILLO: Yeah, it’s- it’s a busy day. Our call times are a little after 1:00 PM, so I’ll be there for awhile.
GENTRY: And- and you probably won’t be able to get off the stage much since you’re in both groups.
CARRILLO: Yeah, no, I’m, I’m off stage. Reset the stage and right back on.
GENTRY: Can you tell us about some of the selections that we’ll get to here on Sunday?
CARRILLO: Yeah. One of the pieces were playing. It's called Scenes from the Louvre. That ones, that ones are really, really fun piece. There I believe four movements and it’s very, very pretty, very lyrical. It may it really makes you feel like, you know, you’re looking at our work in the Louvre.
GENTRY: Alright. The Louvre, of course, the famous museum in Paris. That’s fantastic. And what is the basic difference between Wind Symphony and Symphonic band?
CARRILLO: I’m so our Wind Symphony is an audition group. So, you do audition to be placed within the ensemble. Whereas our Symphonic Band is open to all students. So, if you can play an instrument, you’re in. And really, it’s just to have fun to keep the music going. We really like to have musicians from other majors join us, and that’s a really, really good place to do it.
GENTRY: And both groups are fantastic, right?
CARRILLO: For sure. I mean,
GENTRY: That’s why somebody would might have to ask, what’s the differences because they’re both so good. So how would you describe your year as chapter president of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national band honorary?
CARRILLO: It’s really, really fun. It’s so nice to be able to give back to the program that has given so much to me. You know, and that’s what we’re all about in Kappa Kappa Psi is giving back to the band program.
GENTRY: So, if- if I were a new member of the band, why should I join Kappa Kappa Psi?
CARRILLO: You know, um, not only is it about serving the band and doing whatever we can, but it’s also that- that social experience. If you’re new, you know you, your brand new here. You don’t have many friends. It’s a really good way to make some friends and put yourself out there. And there’s some really good leadership positions that you can get just by being in Kappa Kappa Psi. So that’ll- that’ll get you out there.
GENTRY: Excellent. Well, thank you for your service. I know you’re about to go off and be able to relax a little bit on the administrative side.
CARRILLO: Yes.
GENTRY: Mr. Neil Rutland will provide a percussion solo on Sunday. Eastern is working him hard in his last weeks before retirement. No?
CARRILLO: Yes, yeah. He’s been- he’s been performing a lot and he’s really been essential to the band program here. So, it’ll be it’s a little sad to see him go, but we’ll be good.
GENTRY: So even though you’re not a percussionist per say, can you tell us anything you may have learned about music from Mr. Rutland?
CARRILLO: So, since I am a music major, and I am doing music Ed, I had to take a percussion methods class. So, I had a class with him, and that was- that was invaluable. There’s so many, so many great things that I learned in that class to be able to teach my percussion students in the future.
GENTRY: Wonderful. Thank you, Enrrique Carrillo, the Spring Choir Concert is Saturday at 7, then the Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony perform on Sunday at 3:00 PM. That’s in Buchanan Hall at ENMU in Portales. You can learn more about this program at KENW.org. Thanks for listening on KENW, Your Public Radio Network.
Spring Choral Concert
Jason Paulk, conductor
with Miles Massicotte, accompanist
Buchanan Hall, Music Building (MB)
Saturday, April 30 | 7 p.m.
Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony
Dustin Seifert and Sidney Shuler, conductors
and Neil Rutland, percussion soloist
Buchanan Hall, Music Building (MB)
Sunday, May 1 | 3 p.m
