Elon Wind Ensemble makes its Carnegie Hall debut

The Elon Wind Ensemble took the stage on March 11 at Carnegie Hall in New York City, marking the first time an ensemble from the university performed inside the world-renowned venue.

The performance, held in a concert hall regarded as one of the most prestigious stages in classical music, was the culmination of months of practice by the musicians and faculty.

For ensemble members, the opportunity to perform in the same venue as well-known musicians such as Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and Etta James was both an honor and milestone.

“There is so much history at Carnegie Hall and the fact that we are now part of that history, is quite remarkable,” said Jonathan Poquette, Fletcher Moore Distinguished Emerging Scholar and director of bands. “I am truly grateful for all that the students, community and university have done to make this possible. It still doesn’t feel real.”

The program featured five pieces, including “The Arc of the Helios and the Celestial Dial” composed by Associate Professor Todd Coleman. Another performance piece was “Unfrettered” by composer Jim Stephenson, who attended the performance.

The Wind Ensemble performance concluded the 24th Annual New York Wind Band Festival. Poquette said he enjoyed seeing the students’ excitement and sense of pride before, during and after the performance.

“While we were performing, I was trying to remain in the moment,” he said. “Then the emotions shifted to a sense of pride for the students, and joy for all of their work.”

For many of the student performers, the trip to New York City and the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a defining moment in their college career.

Reflections from student performers: 

• “Being able to perform on such an iconic stage was truly extraordinary. I have been playing the clarinet for around 10 years and have never been in such awe of a space I was performing in. The music we were able to create in that space is unlike anything I have ever done before. It was a product of all the hard work we put in as an ensemble.” – Astrid Hughes ‘27, a statistics major from Long Valley, New Jersey
• “It means the world that I was able to end my college band career with such an incredible performance playing on a Carnegie Hall Steinway & Sons grand piano. I remember standing backstage and seeing a schedule for those working the event and ‘piano tuning’’ was scheduled before the concert started. At that moment, it really hit me that I would be playing on a near perfect piano for possibly the only time in my life. I will remember the look at Dr. Poquette’s face when we finished playing our last piece, “Machu Picchu.” I played my last chord, looked at the piano, then looked at him, and I have never seen such a huge smile on his face. I felt so proud of us for our performance in that moment.” – Faith Almond ‘26, a creative writing major from Apex, North Carolina
• “It was so special to play at Carnegie Hall with my best friends. The moment I will remember most is when we finished our last song on Carnegie stage and the audience gave us a standing ovation; it was very emotional. I will cherish this trip forever.” – Chloe Hyatt ‘27, a secondary English education major from Ann Arbor, Michigan
• “I have never played on a stage as world renowned as Carnegie Hall and to be in New York City for the first time and play trumpet is such a wonderful experience. I am so grateful to Elon for this experience.” – Andrew Pipeling ‘29, an applied mathematics and music performance major from Durham, North Carolina

• “It means a lot to me to have the opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall. I played in a small band in high school and Dr. Poquette was my trumpet teacher so getting to go to New York City and play with somebody who was such a big mentor figure is such an honor. I visited Carnegie Hall last summer and loved it so much, but I had no idea that I would have the opportunity to pay there.” – Kalyn Faille ‘29, a history, political science and music in the liberal arts major from Burlington, North Carolina

Inspiring Young Musicians

While on the trip, the ensemble also shared its music with younger musicians through performances at Middletown High School in Delaware and Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, New York.

“Having the opportunity to perform at these high schools was a tremendous benefit for the ensemble,” Poquette said. “Not only did it allow us to continue refining our performance, but it gave our students confidence before they took the stage at Carnegie Hall, while building relationships with colleagues in other parts of the country.”

The visits provided the Wind Ensemble an opportunity to perform for student audiences and connect with high school band programs.

“A lot of my students have never seen or heard a professional wind ensemble in person,” said Emily Poll, the band director at Middletown High School. “To be able to experience the quality of sound and dedication to the craft was truly a special experience for my students. They were able to see that you can still play in band post-graduation from high school and that music can only keep growing in your life.”

The high school students appreciated having the Wind Ensemble on their own stage and were in are of the power and sound during the performance, Poll said.

“This opportunity is a great way to promote arts education and the value of wind ensembles at both the collegiate and K-12 levels,” Poll said. “The collaboration between college students and high school students allows both parties to grow as musicians and is the most exciting part about being in the field.”

While in New York City, the ensemble also visited Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, attended a Broadway show and interacted with composers and guest soloists.

“This was a collaborative event, and I am so proud of the students and all their hard work,” Poquette said. “They represented themselves, the band program, the Department of Music and the university with the highest level of professionalism and class.”