Malvern Senior Uses School Recording Studio for College Audition

By JIM MACK

MALVERN, PA -- Did you know that Malvern Prep boasts a professional recording studio inside the Duffy Arts Center? Senior Robert DiCicco took advantage of this facility perk to record an audition for college. DiCicco, who plays bass in his audition piece, hopes to pursue music in college, and his recording serves as the “Music Supplement,” for most of his college applications.

The piece is two jazz standards - the first, “Four,” written by Miles Davis, and the second, “Recordame,” written by Joe Henderson. “I picked these two standards because their styles are completely different,” says DiCicco. “’Four’ is played with a swing feel, where ‘Recordame’ is performed in a traditional bossa nova feel. I chose these pieces to demonstrate the breadth of styles of jazz that I have come to master through my bass playing.”

As with most projects of such significance, DiCicco’s piece depended on the collaboration of others. Fellow senior Steven Van Ommeren played piano for the recording, and Malvern music teacher Emanuel Del Pizzo played the drums and mixed the levels of each instrument with the Friar Studio’s recording software.

“I am very grateful that I can record anytime I want at Malvern,” says DiCicco. “Mr. Del Pizzo functioned as my manager and music consultant. He provided me with the tools and did all of the behind the scenes work. I am also so blessed to to able to play music with Steven. I have never met anyone with so much musical talent. Steven challenges me everyday. We bounce jazz songs off each other. We listen to old jazz and new jazz. Most importantly, we listen to each other while playing.”

DiCicco sent the audition recording to all of the music departments of the schools to which he is applying, including the University of Virginia, Bucknell University, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania and Notre Dame University.

“I chose to come to Malvern because the arts programs were so appealing,” DiCicco says. “I never thought that Malvern would grant me with so many wonderful tools of musical success.”

Listen to his audition recording.