Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium, Southeastern’s Guitar Ensemble performed their fall concert. Under the direction of Patrick Kerber, instructor of guitar, the 10 member ensemble prepared since the beginning of the semester. The night consisted of two ensemble performances, two trios and a duet with a flugelhorn. 
  Annie Goodman/The Lion's Roar

The Southeastern Guitar Ensemble, played their fall concert under the direction of instructor Patrick Kerber. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m., they performed for friends and family in the Pottle Auditorium. Kerber, the guitar instructor and coordinator of guitar activities, has helped the ensemble prepare for the concert since the beginning of the semester. There were originally 11 members of the ensemble, but one person could not make it.

The ensemble has been preparing for this performance since the start of the semester.

“From the beginning of the semester,” said Kerber. “We rehearse twice a week for an hour and 15 minutes, two and a half hours a week, and then extra rehearsals a week for the smaller groups. We really don’t count time. We just play whenever we can as music students. It’s such a hard degree to get. You just have to practice whenever you can as much as you can. So, it’s really impossible to say how much.”

The temperature of Pottle affected the playing as they had to pause halfway through the performance to retune their guitars.

“It was different,” said Kenaniah Turner, a senior music major. “It was kind of cold in there, so it was kind of hard to play.”

For the guitarists, choosing music for performances is about balance.

“We have to teach the students music they can learn from, but also music that will present a good concert,” said Kerber. “It’s the balance the teachers always have to do. People often forget about that. It’s like watching the football teams in college, they’re students, you know. It’s a case-by-case, semester-by-semester, basis, how many students are in the group. Actually, the smaller the group, the harder it can be to choose. The bigger groups are easy because you know what you have, but smaller groups each individual has to step up. It was successful. I was pleased.”

The concert consisted of a series of performances: the ensemble, a trio, a duet with Turner and a flugelhorn, a second trio and then the ensemble again.

“I liked when the guitar and the trumpet players played,” said Alyssa Taylor, an audience member. “I don’t know what their names are, but they did really well. I liked his song a lot.”

Michelle Brister, a freshman music major, enjoyed her time in the ensemble.

“At first I was kinda timid because I’m around new people and stuff, but it was a great experience being around people,” said Brister. “They were humble and they welcomed me, so it’s a great experience being with them.”

The ensemble played animatedly.

“They all seemed really prepared and confident, and they seemed to enjoy themselves a lot so that was good,” said Taylor. “They looked very passionate.”

Kerber was proud of his students’ performances and work ethic in preparation for the guitar ensemble.

“The students worked very hard and they reached that point to where I want them,” said Kerber. “I tell them always, ‘Guys, it’s not about how you want to feel after it’s over, it’s about how you want to feel when you’re on stage playing it.’ And I could feel it coming. They were very happy, they were pleased, they were prepared and they put a lot of energy into it. It was a fine performance, I’m very proud.”