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Published on February 22, 2022
Four students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program recently performed in the 2022 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Eastern Division Intercollegiate Band. The conference took place Feb. 18 - 19 in Baltimore, MD, at Johns Hopkins University.
The selected students were Erica Christofferson ’22 who plays the saxophone, Aaliyah Jones ’24 who plays percussion, Lucas Mariotti ’22 who plays the saxophone and Christiana Montalbano ’22 who plays percussion. The students auditioned and were chosen from hundreds of others for this distinguished recognition. The Eastern students took the stage with other talented student musicians from colleges along the East Coast and played in front of families, friends and other attendees.
The CBDNA is a grassroot organization that has a mission to teach, study, perform and cultivate music alongside band directors and students throughout the country. CBDNA officials and representatives from each state select students to participate.
"When they accepted me, it made me feel like I have something that the world needs to see," said Jones. "I'm here to show what I am capable of and have fun while performing. I want to enjoy myself when I'm playing percussion around people who have the same interests as me.”
“Erica, Aaliyah, Lucas and Christiana have worked very hard and I’m so proud to see their talent and dedication being recognized on a larger platform," said Music Professor Kelly Watkins, state chair of the CBDNA. "This honor brings great recognition to the Music Program at Eastern and to their instructors. Considering the competitive process leading to selection, I would say that being selected brings awareness to opportunities outside Eastern and inspires other students to further their musical skills and audition in the future.”
Written by Bobbi Brown