November 13, 2018

Student Music Ensemble to Perform During SEC Football Championship

The SEC Student Music Ensemble performs during the 2016 Pregame Hospitality Party in Atlanta.

By: SEC Staff
SECU (Twitter: @TheSECU)

For the third consecutive year, SEC students will perform as part of a special jazz music ensemble during the SEC Football Championship weekend. Eight musicians have committed to entertaining during the SEC Legends Dinner presented by AT&T on Friday and the SEC Pregame Hospitality Party on Saturday afternoon.

Dr. Michael Pendowski, Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Director of the Jazz Program at Auburn University, is coordinating the 2018 version of the SEC Student Music Ensemble after serving as the assistant director last year.

“This is a great honor to work with talented young musicians like the students chosen for the ensemble,” said Pendowski. “To be able to contribute in some way to their success is a rare privilege. This is the essence of what it means to be a teacher and mentor, and if my experience as a musician can help them become better players and people, then I have accomplished a great deal.”

Students were nominated by their SEC respective universities for demonstrating award-winning competence in a range of music genres. The ensemble’s performances throughout the weekend will focus on jazz music.

“Being selected to represent my university meant the world to me,” said the University of Mississippi’s Lazarrus Miller, a past ensemble member. “I was excited to see how great of a product we would be able to put together since we had never met.”

The ensemble will spend approximately two hours rehearsing on Friday afternoon, and in addition to the performances members may attend the Dr Pepper SEC FanFare and the SEC Football Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Below are the members of the 2018 SEC Student Music Ensemble.

Trent Briden, Auburn University – Piano
Peter McCann, University of Florida – Tenor Saxophone
Hiram Rodriguez, Vanderbilt University – Trombone
Jim Shaw, Auburn University – Drums
Quentin Smith, University of Georgia – Bass
David Vest, University of Kentucky – Trumpet
Neil Wegrzyn, University of Missouri – Guitar
Mike Wilson, LSU – Baritone Saxophone