ALUMNI NEWS
Attention Alumni: If you are interested in being interviewed contributing to this web page please contact us!!
MATT ALOSI, Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Pittsburgh.
Matt is a 1994 graduate of Shippensburg Area Senior High School. He studied Music Education at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State University at University Park.
We thank Matt for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions and share his experiences with us since his time here in the Shippensburg Area School District.
Who or what do you count as a major influence? Bennie S. Truax, who was the Director of Bands at Shippensburg University, when I was growing up. He allowed me to “help out” with the SU Band, whether it was moving equipment and instruments or filling water cups. Bennie let me sit with the band at home games and let me ride along on away trips. As a child, that had quite an impact on me. Also, Tracy Griffie, Robert Maag, Millie Hartzell, Kurt Hargleroad, and Trayer Howe were my Shippensburg School District music teachers.
We thank Matt for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions and share his experiences with us since his time here in the Shippensburg Area School District.
Who or what do you count as a major influence? Bennie S. Truax, who was the Director of Bands at Shippensburg University, when I was growing up. He allowed me to “help out” with the SU Band, whether it was moving equipment and instruments or filling water cups. Bennie let me sit with the band at home games and let me ride along on away trips. As a child, that had quite an impact on me. Also, Tracy Griffie, Robert Maag, Millie Hartzell, Kurt Hargleroad, and Trayer Howe were my Shippensburg School District music teachers.
What do you love about your work? I enjoy the interaction with the students the most. There are a lot of aspects of my position at the University of Pittsburgh that I enjoy, but as far as the most musically fulfilling piece would be conducting the Symphonic Band. They can play anything that is put in front of them.
What ensembles are you currently conducting? Symphonic Band, basketball pep bands, and assistant director of the Marching Band.
What ensembles are you currently conducting? Symphonic Band, basketball pep bands, and assistant director of the Marching Band.
What have been some highlights in your career? There have been some standout moments as both a performer and conductor. This past winter, we performed a concert for organ and wind band at the Immaculate Heart of Mary church in Pittsburgh. That is definitely one of the highlights. Others include conducting Gettysburg High School Symphonic Band at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009, conducting the Penn State BLue Band at pregame of the Penn State/Alabama game in 2011. (I couldn’t hear the band because the crowd was so loud), designing for the Pitt Band a Back to the Future show in 2015 and a Star Wars show in 2017.
Tell us a little about the University of Pittsburgh Marching Band. The Pitt Marching Band has over 300 members and rehearses six hours a week. The band performs at all home football games. Additional performances include one or two away football games per year, professional sporting events, and as an exhibition band at high school band festivals and competitions. We learn a different halftime show for each home game.
What is a typical game day like? Typically about 5 hours before kick-off, we do an on campus run through of our pregame and halftime show. Next we bus from campus to Heinz Field where we perform a pre-game standstill concert. This is followed by a short parade around the stadium, where we march into the stadium for the football game, which lasts about 3 and a half hours. After the game, the team sings the alma mater with the band and we bus back to campus.
Is there a part of your job that you don’t like? Just like everyone else…..meetings! haha
Is there a part of your job that you don’t like? Just like everyone else…..meetings! haha
What is the most interesting part of your job?
Traveling to different universities, stadiums, and arenas and working with television and marketing during games is something that is pretty unique.
Traveling to different universities, stadiums, and arenas and working with television and marketing during games is something that is pretty unique.
You come from a small town and now you live in the second largest city in Pennsylvania. Was that a difficult adjustment? Not really. Pittsburgh is pretty spread out and where I live, it is a pretty quiet neighborhood. There is always something to do, so I love it!
What advice do you have for high school students that might be thinking of pursuing Music Education as a career? There are two pieces of advice that I very strongly believe. One, attend a university that is near an urban setting. In addition to one campus music making, students should be attending professional performances regularly whether in orchestral, choral, theater, by world class performers. The second is to attend a university that has a large music program. Students should attend a school where it has the capability (therefore providing students the opportunity) of performing large works such as Beethoven’s 9th, the Brahms Requeim, or Mahler’s Resurrection, to name just a few. Going to a school that has under 100 music majors, one is not going to have that experience.
What advice do you have for high school students that might be thinking of pursuing Music Education as a career? There are two pieces of advice that I very strongly believe. One, attend a university that is near an urban setting. In addition to one campus music making, students should be attending professional performances regularly whether in orchestral, choral, theater, by world class performers. The second is to attend a university that has a large music program. Students should attend a school where it has the capability (therefore providing students the opportunity) of performing large works such as Beethoven’s 9th, the Brahms Requeim, or Mahler’s Resurrection, to name just a few. Going to a school that has under 100 music majors, one is not going to have that experience.