Logan Banister, alumnus from Oklahoma Christian University’s class of 2019, returned to the university with his accompanist Er-Hsuan Li on March 11 for a small recital and to discuss the importance of music during the university’s music chapel.
Banister, who now teaches at the University of East Texas Baptist University as the Assistant Director of Music, explained the work he does as a professor.
“Full-time, I teach all five woodwinds at East Texas Baptist University, and I teach many other academic coursework in music and direct the jazz band,” Banister said. “Outside of the University, I maintain an active career as a saxophone soloist.”
Banister traveled to several universities on a tour to showcase a setlist of music not normally played. He expressed his passion for the unique side of jazz and classical music styles.
“Something I’m really passionate about is commissioning new music. Part of the recital was to showcase new pieces we were premiering as part of the tour we did. The other part of it was music which is underperformed and does not get played as much,” Banister said. “The Oliver Nelson piece we played very rarely gets played, and it is a really good piece I wanted to highlight. I am passionate about music which combines both jazz and classical sides of the saxophone.”
Not only was Banister touring universities to showcase his own passion for performing, but he was also spreading awareness about successful careers found in the music industry to aspiring musicians.
“A big part of why we are doing university outreach concerts is to really show music students studying this as their career that this is a relevant thing. Live music matters, creating new music matters and performing really well matters,” Banister said. “There is a valid and good way to have an enjoyable career in this field. In addition to all of that, we want them to see people doing what they are hoping to do someday.”
Banister’s accompanist, Er-Hsuan Li, who currently is finishing graduate school as well as holding a lecture position of Applied Piano for the Continuing Education Department at CU Boulder, explained why the program he and Banister put together contained lesser-known artists and pieces.
“I believe for us as musicians, we want to put together a program that is not going to be too much standard work since a lot of people do that everywhere all the time. The whole program was combined with not as well-known music but really good music,” Li said. “The solo piano piece I picked was Jacqueline Hairston’s Great Day Ode. She is a living composer in her 90s based in North Carolina, and this was a short, beautiful and compelling piece that puts three spirituals together.”
Through performing, Li believes music helps start conversations amid difficult circumstances.
“Music helps humans and society as a whole to address some complicated topics which are often difficult to be addressed in a regular format. A good example would be nature, climate change, and of course, there is news about that all the time, but it is really hard for people to initiate a reflective and useful conversation,” Li said. “I would say through music, it definitely brings up a lens of how to approach such a topic in a very poetic way. Any form of art would be a great medium to start meaningful conversations among such difficult situations.”
As for future career plans, Banister said he is looking forward to growing the music program at East Texas Baptist.
“I want to keep doing what I’m doing and growing the music department at East Texas Baptist University, and to keep performing as much as possible,” Banister said.
0
0
Be First to Comment