Cranford High School Alumnus Achieves First Chair in College's Wind Ensemble

Kyle Gautieri, a graduate of Cranford High School's Class of 2011, has been awarded the Principal Bassoon chair in the West Chester University of Pennsylvania Wind Ensemble.  

The WCU Wind Ensemble comprises 45 of the music program's finest wind and percussion players.  As a premier ensemble, the group represents WCU at conventions and performs throughout the region. Many news works have been commissioned by the Ensemble in recent years. The Wind Ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Andrew Yozviak.

Kyle's pre-college accomplishments include multiple performances as a member of the Cranford High School music program, 3 years in the Central Jersey Region Band, one year in the New Jersey All-State High School Orchestra and three years in the New Jersey All-State High School Symphonic Band.  Kyle studied bassoon for 6 years with instructor Mrs. Meagen Sorensen Spatz. 

Kyle is a freshman majoring in Music Education at the WCU College of Visual and Performing Arts.  During the Fall 2011 semester, Kyle performed on bassoon & contrabassoon in the WCU Orchestra, and marched in the percussion section of the WCU Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band.   Kyle was the recipient of the S. Powell Middleton Memorial Scholarship, recognizing a freshman music student for talent and achievement on an orchestral instrument, in honor of the former conductor of the West Chester University Symphonic Band.

Kyle's first performance with the Wind Ensemble will be on Sunday, February 24, 2012 at the Winter Bands Concert. The concert will take place on campus at the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre at 3:00 PM in West Chester, Pennsylvania.  Locally, Kyle will perform on bassoon during Christmas Eve services at Calvary Lutheran Church in Cranford.