NOVA Student and Professor Record Saxophone Duet

Made possible through a dynamic partnership between NOVA’s Music Department on the Alexandria Campus and the The United States Air Force Band, please take a moment to enjoy this beautiful saxophone duet by NOVA student Breane Evans and Professor Ricky Parrell.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LomKesW-d8SGuyTvWtb8fwRd5BgBX3i7/view

Greame Evans is a freshman Music major who is grateful for this positivity and recognition, as he “really needed it in these worrying times.” Evans was born and raised in Northern Virginia and is finishing up his first year at NOVA. Saxophone is his primary instrument.

Professor Parrell’s primary job is as a Premier Saxophonist with The United States Air Force Band, Washington D.C. however this is his sixth year as an adjunct professor of music at NOVA, Alexandria Campus. In the time he’s been at NOVA, he has seen a tremendous amount of growth in both the music program and the students attending. He is proud to have helped forge such an integral relationship with The United States Air Force Band and NOVA!

The United States Air Force Band’s connection to Northern Virginia Community College as a local community partner is significant. The Band performs six times a year at the Rachel Schlesinger Hall on the campus of NVCC in Alexandria, for both their Guest Artist Series and Jazz Heritage Series.

The United States Air Force Band, Washington D.C., has initiated a unique Duets Initiative on social media in response to the social distancing requirements that we are all experiencing. They have invited students across the country to send in videos of them playing half of a duet of their choice. They send the video and music to USAF Band. One of the band’s members videos the accompanying part, and their production team edits the two together to send back to the student for posting on their own social media. The USAF Band originally offered to produce the first 50 submissions (close-out date was April 9th). They received such an enthusiastic response from around the country that they decided to produce all 184 submissions! This duet by NOVA student Breane Evans and Professor Ricky Parrell is a result of this initiative.

For those who are interested, a few of their younger student admissions will be spotlighted on the NSAF Band’s social media outlets, as follows:

Facebook.com/USAFBand
Instagram @USAFBand
Twitter @USAFBand