After his audition, one UK concerto competitor went home, sure that he had done poorly and would not make the finals.

But several hours later, sophomore Herman Bratcher got a call that he needed to return immediately because he had made the finals. 

Bratcher became a winner of the competition along with junior Chase Teachey and sophomore David Seder. 

 

Meet Chase Teachey, one of our student soloists performing on tomorrow’s concert! A native of Lexington, Teachey graduated from SCAPA in 2015. During high school, Teachey was selected to perform in the District 7 Honor Band all four years and the Kentucky Music Educators Association All-State Symphonic Band in 2014 and 2015. Teachey also participated in The Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts, the United States Army All-American Marching Band and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra Symphony Orchestra. Teachey has performed with the Lexington Brass Band and River Brass, and is currently the principal euphonium in the Kentucky-Tennessee Salvation Army Brass Band, where he will be featured as a soloist in May. While at UK, Teachey has performed with the Wildcat Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Laboratory Band, Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, and Trombone Choir. Teachey has taken private lessons from Skip Gray, UK professor of tuba and euphonium; Kerns; Terry Magee, former associate director of bands at Lafayette High School; Ryan Moore, artist-in-residence at Kentucky State University; Lawrence Banks, band director at Lexington Catholic High School; and John Bowmer, director of bands at Beaumont Middle School.

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Earlier in the semester, hopeful musicians prepared and performed a concerto for the chance to perform with the UK Symphony as part of the annual concerto competition.

First, they performed excerpts from their concerto, then Bratcher, Teachey and Seder were named as finalists and performed again.

The judges then announced the winner— “which happened to be all of us,” Seder said.

“In that moment the excitement hit me, but I couldn’t decide if the excitement originated more from winning or from the nerves at realizing that in just a short while, I’ll be performing a solo in front of a full audience,” Teachey said.

Seder said he “couldn’t believe (his) ears” when he found out he won. 

 

This week we’re excited to present our 2017-2018 season Concerto Competition winner, trombonist David Seder! Hailing from Lexington, David began playing the trombone in middle school and has now been playing for 10 years. He’s now a sophomore Trombone Performance major at UK studying with Prof. Brad Kerns, whose musical insight both inspires and challenges David. He also looks up to artists like Canadian Brass trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulous for his musicianship. In his free time David enjoys practicing, riding mopeds, and playing Assassin’s Creed. He’s most excited to have this opportunity to play with the orchestra and express his musical ability. Congratulations, David! We’re looking forward to performing the David Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra with you on Friday, February 16, at 7:30pm! | #uksymphonyorchestra #seeblue #ukso #facesofukso

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The Feb. 16 concert will feature the symphony with each winner performing his concerto, which is a musical composition for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra.

Bratcher said he thought the concerto did not often choose brass instruments, but all three winners fall in that family this year.

Bratcher chose the French horn 10 years ago because he watched a lot of movies and “the horn is predominant in movie music,” he said.

Teachey has played the euphonium since 2007, and his instrument is what brought him to UK. He said his primary reason for choosing UK was to study under School of Music professor Skip Gray.

“Dr. Gray has helped me grow not only as a person but as a musician since I’ve been at UK,” Teachey said.

It’s been “10 years since first buzz” for Seder, when he first began playing the trombone. When he was required to choose a minor in addition to piano at the School for the Creative and Performing Arts, he said he “just thought the trombone looked the coolest.”

Teachey said he is looking forward to performing a full concerto for an audience because so much of his time is spent practicing rather than performing, and Seder is excited to see all of the people who come to the concert.

The concert is at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2018, in the Singletary Center. Tickets are free for students in advance and $10 for the general public.