Senior Reflections

MICHAEL CHEN gh ’23, baritone saxophone

There’s something really human about being in band. It has this kind of quiet, unrelenting power. Sometimes band fades into routine: a set sanity check from classes, to enjoy making music and good company. But other times, you tap into that “bigger-than-myself” thing. That natural and instantaneous acceptance of each other. That unconditional joy of playing meaningful pieces that are important to you, alongside those who are important to you. That sharing of an awed smile with a friend who’s just casually played something really special. I can’t remember a single rehearsal, performance, or b’dinner where I didn’t at some point think, “Wow. I’m so fortunate to be here, just existing with these extraordinary people, growing doing something that I love.” Each year this has been true, and even though it is time for some of us to leave I know it will continue to be true. But of course, the real treasure was the Jalens we made along the way...

In the past four years, I’ve looked forward to Tuesday and Thursday afternoons every week. Rehearsing with the band has always been a pleasant break from academics and a time to connect, both musically and socially, with amazing people. I have enjoyed the diverse repertoire and the mixing of distinct art forms (as in our performance of The Planets last spring), audiences (as in our participation in Project 14 last fall), and ensembles (as in our joint concert with the U.S. Coast Guard band my first year). I am furthermore grateful for the many friends that I’ve made in the process.

JALEN LI pc ’23, Bb clarinet

My time in YCB has been defined by the community. When I joined YCB my first year, band upperclassmen instantly welcomed me at b’dinners and retreat. When COVID’s halt to group music making had taken my love for music and resulted in my taking months off from playing my instruments, it was the encouragement of YCB members that led me to pick back up my clarinet. I feel deeply indebted to the amazing people of YCB who have made this such a pivotal part of my time at Yale, and I don’t think I can do you all justice with just a few written words. My hope has been to bring genuine friendliness and positivity to the lives of newer band members, because those elements that have persisted as a part of YCB’s culture are what make this group more than just another music ensemble. Love you all!

IZZY LOPEZ my ’23, trumpet

YCB has been an amazing experience throughout my time at Yale! I have played so many beautiful pieces and I appreciate being able to show up to rehearsal and make music with everyone. It’s so nice being able to decompress from a stressful day with good music, Mr. Duffy’s wild stories, and my friends. From b’dinners to concerts, the people I’ve met and the adventures I’ve had along the way have been invaluable. I’m so grateful to be part of YCB, and I can’t wait to see what the band takes on in years to come!

MIRANDA MARGULIS-OHNUMA br ’23, oboe

Yale Band is such a steadfast and supportive community and I’m so lucky to have been a part of it these past four years. Band has given me amazing musical experiences and some of my best friends. With this group of current seniors, I watched the band’s trajectory from full force my first year to, like all music groups, being muted by covid… then I watched this group regain its energy and life and return stronger than ever. During the covid year, I looked forward every week to our zoom meetings, where we got excited about band history and spent time together. Since then, our director Mr. Duffy, our manager Stephanie, and the student board have brought the Yale band experience to its fullest with new concert ideas, diverse repertoire, and inspiring guest artists. I am so, so proud of where the band is now, with the addition of these three tight-knit, talented, lovely classes, and I can’t wait to see this community continue to thrive.

ALINA MARTEL tc ’23, alto saxophone

Anyone who has spent a few rehearsals with the YCB will hear Mr. Duffy say, “There’s a lot of love in this band.” I couldn’t say it any better. The YCB is home to the most wonderful human beings – people who are passionate about music, hard work, and each other. For four years, I have had the privilege of walking into Hendrie 301 – the B’room, as we call it – to rehearse with the funniest, most welcoming, and most dedicated people I know. And when we rehearse, the world melts away. All of the stresses of Yale life fade into the background; we lose ourselves in sound. When we perform in Woolsey Hall, the magic only grows. While my time with the YCB is coming to an end, I will always cherish the friends, music, and memories I have made. I am so grateful to my fellow musicians, Mr. Duffy, and Stephanie for giving me a home away from home – even in a chaotic world. From my first rehearsal to my years as President to my final concert, it has been an honor. Thank you.

JOSHUA ROTHBAUM td ’23, Bb clarinet

I never would have imagined that when I first picked up the clarinet as a fourth grader that I would still be playing it as a senior in college. But as has been the case from then until now, music has not only become an important emotional and creative outlet for me; it has also been an incredible avenue for building some of my most cherished friendships and communities. That is what being a part of YCB for the past four years has been for me. My advice to all the first-years, sophomores, and juniors—enjoy all the rehearsals, concerts, and activities while they last! This community is definitely one of the things I’ll miss most about Yale as I go my own way.

SEB SEAGER sm ’23, flute

The past four years were an incredible journey, and I am unbelievably lucky to have had the YCB family during my time at Yale. Since I joined as a first year, being able to enjoy rehearsing with this wonderful group every week has become a subconscious and essential part of my experience here. Through the years of concert band, I have had the chance to explore some really cool, unique, and moving pieces of music—and most importantly, have been able to do so with some of my favorite people at Yale. I’m so proud to be a part of the YCB and can’t wait to see what new heights the band will attain in the years to come.

The Music Director

Thomas C. Duffy is Professor (Adjunct) of Music, Director of University Bands, and Clinical Professor of Nursing at Yale University, where he has worked since 1982. He is known as a composer, a conductor, a teacher, an administrator, and a leader. His interests and research range from non-tonal analysis to jazz, from wind band history to creativity and the brain. Under his direction, the Yale Bands have performed at conferences of the College Band Directors National Association and New England College Band Association; for club audiences at New York City’s Village Vanguard, Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, and Iridium; Ronnie Scott’s (London); the Belmont (Bermuda); as part of the inaugural ceremonies for President George H.W. Bush; and concertized in twenty-one countries in the course of eighteen international tours. Duffy produced a two-year lecture/performance series, Music and the Brain, with the Yale School of Medicine; and, with the Yale School of Nursing, developed a musical intervention to train nursing students to better hear and identify body sounds with the stethoscope. He combined his interests in music and science to create a genre of music for the bilateral conductor – in which a “split-brained conductor” must conduct a different meter in each hand, sharing downbeats. His compositions have introduced a generation of school musicians to aleatory, the integration of spoken/sung words and “body rhythms” with instrumental performance, and the pairing of music with political, social, historical and scientific themes. He has been awarded the Yale Tercentennial Medal for Composition, the Elm/Ivy Award, the Yale School of Music Cultural Leadership Citation and certificates of appreciation by the United States Attorney’s Office for his Yale 4/Peace: Rap for Justice concerts – music programs designed for social impact by using the power of music to deliver a message of peace and justice to impressionable middle and high school students. Duffy has served as associate, deputy and acting dean of the Yale School of Music. He has served as a member of the Fulbright National Selection Committee, the Tanglewood II Symposium planning committee, the Grammy Foundation Music Educators Award Screening Committee, and completed the MLE program at the Harvard University Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. He has served as: president of the Connecticut Composers Inc., the New England College Band Directors Association and the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA); editor of the CBDNA Journal, publicity chair for the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles; and chair of the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s Professional Affairs and Government Relations committees. He is a member of American Bandmasters Association, American Composers Alliance, the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Connecticut Composers Incorporated, the Social Science Club, and BMI. Duffy has conducted ensembles all over the world, including the National Association for Music Education’s National Honor Band in the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. (More extensive data is available at www.duffymusic.com, including a high resolution downloadable photo.)