RBR’s Matthew Rosen Selected to the All-Eastern Honors Band
12/10/2012
Red Bank Regional (RBR) junior Matthew Rosen of Little Silver has achieved a notable accomplishment in his musical career with his selection to the exclusive All-Eastern Honors Band. Matt will play bass clarinet for the ensemble. The band is composed of 150 of the best musicians in twelve states on the east coast from Maine to Virginia, with only 16% of that number coming from New Jersey. The ensemble convenes every other year, and the players are picked from the best musicians in their state, having performed with their All-State Honor Musical Ensembles, which alone is a major feat. Matt achieved this last year, along with the Region II Band and All-Shore Band honors. He was seated as first chair alto clarinet in the 2012 All State Wind Ensemble and was also accepted to the Wind Ensemble on contra alto and bass clarinet. He played first chair bass clarinet in the 2011 and 2012 All-Shore Band.
The All-Eastern Band is one of five Honors Ensembles and includes concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed chorus, treble voice chorus and jazz ensemble. The groups, which feature 780 of the most musically talented high school students in the eastern region of the Unites States, will give a virtuoso performance on Sunday, April 7, 2013 at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, Mortensen Hall, in Hartford, Connecticut.
Matt began his deep interest with the clarinet at age ten. It has been a major focus of his life ever since. He has studied both privately and as an instrumental music major in RBR’s Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts where he plays in the Orchestra as well as the Concert and Jazz Bands. Matt is also a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.
RBR’s new band teacher Ross Chu comments on his exceptional student, “I have only known Matt for about three months; however, I quickly learned what an accomplished musician he is. He has developed a mastery of his instrument that is very impressive for someone as young as he is. His love of music and his desire to learn and improve his playing ability is truly inspiring.”
Matt’s long time private teacher, Jennifer Brush, coincidentally was the last RBR student to make the All Eastern Band in 2003. She is currently the Markham Place Middle School orchestra and choir director.
Ms. Brush comments, “Matt has shown tremendous growth and dedication as a clarinetist and bass clarinetist. All-Eastern Band will be a wonderful opportunity for Matt’s growth and development as a musician. As a former member of the All-Eastern band, I can truly say that this was one of the most memorable experiences of my musical career.”
Matt has seized many opportunities to expand his musical experiences. Since he was a freshman, Matt has spent his summer vacations playing alongside professional musicians under the direction of John Luckenbill performing in a shore-area concert series. That same year, he was selected for the prestigious Region II Symphonic Band. Just last summer, he held the position of Concertmaster, Principal Clarinetist at the 2012 New York Summer Music Festival in Oneonta, NY.
Matthew currently plays bass clarinet in the Rutgers University Symphonic Band, conducted by Darryl Bott. He was recommended to the position by Dr. Maureen Hurd, Chairman of the Mason Gross Woodwind Department. He is the only high school student to ever play with this ensemble. Additionally, Matthew studies the soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones with the well known saxophonist Dr. Paul Cohen from Manhattan School of Music and Rutgers. Matt is coached by Dr. Cohen on baritone saxophone in the Manhattan School of Music pre-college saxophone quartet. Matt also studies bass clarinet privately with Dr Michael Lowenstern.
Next to his selection to the All Eastern Band, Matt considers his biggest accomplishment to be his acceptance to the highly competitive Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Program where he studies clarinet with Renee Rosen. Matthew essentially attends school six days of the week, spending every Saturday in Manhattan in this prestigious program. He hopes this will help him realize another dream: that of studying music at this exceptional conservatory of music, although he is also very fond of Rutgers’ excellent music program at the Mason Gross School of the Arts.
Matthew comments on his musical passion, “I just love it and believe I was born to play.”