by Walter Watson
The Capital Conservatory is teeming with anticipation at what will be the largest student recital ever held at Capital opening this coming week. Robert Will Roesch, senior, will headline the event, accompanied by two other highly accomplished Columbus bands, which he is also a part of.
“The first band is called the Chapel Brass,” Roesch said. “They are a Salvation Army brass band based out of Worthington, Ohio, and were named the Third Division Champions. The other band, the Central Ohio Brass Band, or COBB, is a NABBA competition band as well performing in the First Division. They have been First Division Champions five of the last seven years.”
Traditional British-style brass band instrumentation will primarily be their tools of choice for most of the performance.
“This traditional instrumentation is 28 brass players plus percussion and director; ours is a bit expanded, but we still use the same instruments,” Roesch said.
Roesch has been a Crusader for what will be a decade come his graduation date in May of 2014. Within that time period, Roesch has done four recitals at Capital and two outside of campus with his bands.
This colossal recital was no easy feat to pull off; more than a few strings had to be pulled to make it the spectacle Roesch envisioned.
“I called out every favor I had to put on this show,” Roesch said. “Rather than a soloist and a piano, the audience will get to hear two championship-winning brass bands – 70 players total – as well as our chamber choral group, Philomel, our superb organ, and a slew of other musicians I’ve called in ranging from extra percussionists to descant trumpeters I’ll place in the balcony of Mees Hall. During our massed pieces, we will have near one hundred performers on stage.”
Though this recital is a group performance, Roesch will have multiple solo acts that spotlight his unique mastery of his instrument, the tuba. Roesch insists the solo is not for him to show off, but as a thank you to those that helped him along this journey.
“I’ll only be soloing three times; every other piece of music will be for my professors, colleagues, friends, and family,” Roesch said. “Rather than embracing the fear of finally moving on, this will be our chance to celebrate.”
Roesch’s performance will include, but is not limited to, a special tribute piece to his love interest, a look back on his life from high school at Pickerington, and a memorable take on our alma mater.
By personally headlining a performance of this magnitude, it is natural for anyone to be nervous, but Roesch insists it is not the performance that he is worried about at all.
“Performing is what I do,” Roesch said. “It’s who I am. I’m a tuba player, plain and simple […] Now [am I] nervous about graduating and the next part of my life? Inconceivably.”
Roesch’s recital will be held Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. in Mees Hall.
wwatson@capital.edu
