March 28, 2024

Central music department hosts guest performers

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PELLA — The Central College Symphonic Wind Ensemble and College Community Band, both under the direction of Mitchell Lutch, associate professor of music, will present a concert with several special guest soloists at 4 p.m. Sunday in Douwstra Auditorium.

The ensembles will perform with Central alumnus and saxophonist James Skretta, who is completing his doctorate in saxophone performance at the University of Iowa. Guest performers from Merida, Yucatan, will be Maestro Luis Luna, conductor of the Yucatan Youth Symphonic Band, and three very talented student members: clarinetist Alejandro Chi González, percussionist Edoardo Ceballos and saxophonist Maria José Chi González.

A native of Iowa, Skretta received a bachelor’s in music education from Central, where he studied saxophone with Cynthia Doggett, associate professor of music. He then earned a master’s in music from the University of Iowa. As a soloist, he is a two-time winner of the Central College concerto competition and has performed in Dr. Eugene Rousseau’s prestigious International Saxophone Master Class.

Luna and his students are spending the week at Central participating in rehearsals and performances, attending classes and giving presentations on Latin American music. The residency is being sponsored by the college’s music department, intercultural life office and campus life committee.

Since this past January, under Lutch’s leadership, Central College has been sponsoring an instrument donation initiative to benefit the Yucatan Youth Music Program. The program supports a band, orchestra and choir to provide music instruction and performance opportunities to underprivileged students from across the Yucatan.

The concert is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow. For more information, contact Lutch at lutchm@central.edu or (641) 628-5238.