CRESTVIEW — When the Davidson Middle School symphonic band performs its next concert, its players may sound even more professional following some extra tutelage.
The Presidio Brass, a touring quintet of musicians and educators made the third-to-last stop on their spring tour in Crestview Monday morning. After a performance in Davidson’s gym, the Brass gave a master class for band students.
PHOTOS: View photos from the class >>
For one of the Presidio’s performers, the visit was also a homecoming.
Josh Bledsoe played for the Panther Band before graduating to Crestview High School’s Big Red Machine. His mom, Keitha Bledsoe, is Davidson’s choral music teacher.
“It’s kind of cool he’s a product of the system,” Davidson band director Chris Tredway said, adding Josh had also been his assistant band director until last year.
REUNIONS
In addition to a happy reunion with his parents, including dad Greg Bledsoe, a retired music teacher at Walker Elementary School and now a taekwondo master at Gordon Martial Arts, Josh got to chat with Crestview High band director Jody Dunn, who brought several members of the Big Red Machine to the concert and class.
Josh said the Presidio Brass got its start under director Scott Sutherland, a tubist and pianist, in 2005. In addition to earning worldwide fans for their humor and musical prowess, the Brass also has a serious educational side, Josh said.
“The main reason the group started was so they could go into schools and give a music program when the arts had been cut from school budgets,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for the kids,” Panther band assistant director Darrin Lyon said.
PLAYING AND TEACHING
The guys teach at conservatories and universities, and perform with symphony orchestras when not on the road together.
Josh plays trombone with the Missouri Symphony and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and makes regular appearances with the Pensacola Symphony. He is also an artist-teacher at the University of West Florida.
Josh said he’s living proof that students who are musically inclined can make a career of it.
“If you really are dedicated and you really work hard, doing this kind of thing—traveling the world playing music—is a total possibility and I have a total blast doing it,” Josh said. “There is a definite place for people who want to make music in this world.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Presidio Brass performs, coaches Davidson Middle School band (PHOTOS, VIDEO)