Arkansas State University’s Department of Music hosted its third annual “Brass Fest,”  a series of inspiring master classes aimed toward the department’s music majors, Saturday.

Kristin George, a sophomore music education major from Batesville, Arkansas, said although she was required to attend, music has always been a safe space for her. 

Ed Owen, professor of euphonium/tuba and brass area coordinator, said the faculty in the department of music are top notch professionals in their own right.

 “With “Brass Fest” the students get to hear performers of the highest caliber possible,” Owen said. “The more they hear other people expressing themselves through music, like storytellers of sound if you might, the more things they’re learning in music history and music theory that they can apply to their own personal musicianship.”   

Matthew Vangjel, guest musician, trumpet professor from the University of Missouri and the instructor of “Brass Fests’” trumpet masterclass, said playing a brass instrument changed the direction of his life. 

“I was an army brat growing up and we always moved in the summer, so I had to spend half of the summer alone without any friends before school,” Vangjel said. “I started playing trumpet became something that just filled my days for a long time, and I sort of grew to love it. It basically dictated every move I made in my life from that point on.” 

Owen said students hearing professionals of Vangjel’s caliber is like a shot in the arm. 

“It’s inspiring to the students and it’s inspiring to us, too, it’s like, ‘I’m gonna go practice’,” Owen said. 

The Department of Music will host studio recitals, student and faculty performances every semester.

After “Brass Fest”, one of many events the Department of Music will host is a final gala concert, where the musicians perform a series of fanfare written for St. Mark’s Chapel in Venice, Italy.

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