GREENVILLE, Pa.—Two student-musicians in the Tomcat Marching Pride have been selected to participate in the 72nd Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Concert from Friday, March 8—10 at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Representing Thiel College are:
Gray plays the flute, and Orczeck plays the tuba. This is Gray’s second time participating in this festival and the first time for Orczeck. The festival will conclude with a concert at 2 p.m. with guest conductor Major Michelle Rakers, a retired member of the United States Marine Corps.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to rehearse and perform with their peers from across the state and to work with a world-class conductor and musician,” Director of Bands Brian Harris said. “I am proud to have had two students selected for this prestigious event.“
The Intercollegiate Band Festival, established in 1948, is held annually at different colleges throughout Pennsylvania. It is the longest running band festival of its kind in the United States. Every year, institutions who are members of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Bandmasters Association submit student applications for the Intercollegiate Band Festival. Additionally, a well-known guest conductor is chosen and selects a challenging repertoire of music to perform for the festival. Selected musicians and their conductors partake in two days of intense rehearsals at a host school, followed by a concert on Sunday afternoon to showcase their hard work.
In the past three years, Thiel College has had five student musicians participate in the band festival.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.