Trumpets sounds were heard across campus Monday night in the Ley
Theatre.

Dave Bohnert, director of bands and department chair of music, gave a faculty recital using his many musical skills and trumpets.

The 50-minute concert with four musical pieces was Bohnert’s debut at Wayne State in quite some time.

“This will be my first solo recital in five years,” said Bohnert. “I’ve kept busying playing in the Sioux City Symphony and playing with brass quintets but not solo recitals. This one will be my first in a while.”

Bohnert has been playing trumpet for over 35 years and played four different trumpets plus multiple horn mutes at the recital.

“I’m not a music major but I’m really involved in music,” said freshman Kyrstin Hughes. “I like to come to the recitals and see what’s going on.”

There were over 50 students and faculty who listened to Bohnert’s
program.

“As a player, I love listening to all styles of music, especially trumpet players,” said Bohnert. “I guess this concert is more of a classical players’ concert, but there’s lot of diversity and variety in there.”

There was a jazz and popular influence in all of the pieces played at the faculty recital. The first piece played\ was written in 1740s, then skip forward 300 years to a piece in 2000, the third piece was written in 2015 and the final piece was in the 1900s.

“I was thinking about a program that would be entertaining for the listeners with a lot of variety on there so nobody would get too bored, but it would be fun and interesting to work on for me as well,” said Bohnert.

Bohnert is very active on campus with the music program and with all of his students.

“Dave is the type of guy you want to listen to play trumpet and follow, you really want to,” said Hughes.

Shelly Armstrong, the staff accompanist at Wayne State College, played piano along with Bohnert’s trumpet playing.

“We spend a lot of time practicing individually and then over the holiday break we started rehearsing and have rehearsed once a week since then,” said Bohnert.

Making sure the music was rewarding for the audience, as well as himself, was something that was important about doing another recital, said Bohnert.

“The reason that I decided to do one again was basically for my students, so that the students that I teach can hear me play,” said Bohnert. “So, I guess that’s what I’m most looking forward to is just sharing some of my experience with them, with any of the audience but mostly my students.”

There was also a reception after the recital outside of the Ley Theatre in Brandenburg where students and faculty were able to talk with Bohnert about his recital.