Before senior Brandon Mitchell started in the music program at Elon University, he had no idea he could accomplish this much before graduation.
Mitchell has performed at this own recitals and in Florence, where he studied abroad last spring. He has also participated in multiple Elon Music Ambassador tours, which will take him back to Italy this June.
“Elon has given me plenty of opportunities to really just embrace the music side of things and to get a chance to do what I love to do, which is to perform,” Mitchell said.
Because of the support Elon has afforded him, Mitchell has been able to study abroad and dedicate his life to music in a way that he never thought possible. He immersed himself into the music community with talented students and a supportive faculty.
Mitchell’s favorite part of the music department has been the sense of family that is fostered. This community has been highly influential in his professional growth as a musician and personal growth as a student.
“As time went on, and really going through this senior year, I think I realized just how important just the people within the department have been to me and my growth as a person, whether it be faculty or students,” Mitchell said. “We have a really small department. We are a family. We work together and try to help each other figure things out.”
This family atmosphere inspired Mitchell and a few friends in the music department to start the jazz band Small House. The band, comprised of six students of different ages, plays mainly at The Oak House. This band has given Mitchell and his friends a chance to use the skills they learned in class to write and perform their own compositions.
Mitchell also draws inspiration from Jon Metzger, professor of music, artist-in-residence and Mitchell’s private instructor.
“He taught me so much, and pretty much everything I know about jazz music came from him,” Mitchell said. “He taught me to be competent in my craft and have confidence in what I am doing. He also convinced me to take music seriously as career.”
Metzger has also seen Mitchell grow throughout his time at Elon.
“It has been such a pleasure observing and participating in the development of Brandon’s wonderful musicianship,” Metzger said. “I’m especially pleased by the seriousness through which he has approached his studies. And I’m thrilled by the depth and reach of his commitment on all of the percussion instruments and through a variety of mediums, including classical and jazz.”
But Mitchell isn’t jumping right into a career as a musician. He wants to apply to graduate schools first and take it from there.
Before that, though, Mitchell plans to return to Italy for two weeks with the jazz ensemble and Elon Music Ambassadors. He will be performing in two different major jazz festivals — another opportunity Elon has provided him, even if it is post-grad.
Elon Music Ambassadors is a chamber ensemble of specially chosen students from all different majors in the music department by the faculty. Students are chosen based on musicianship, academic and leadership skills and Mitchell was the only student in his freshman class to be chosen to join the elite group. The ensemble travels and performs at different high schools to show off Elon’s music department and recruit potential students.
Before graduation, Mitchell will perform in two major recitals. The first is his junior recital at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in Yeager Recital Hall, and the other his senior recital, scheduled for April.
Mitchell will play various percussion instruments, including the orchestral snare drum and a Brazilian marimba suite. He will also perform some jazz music with Small House and Metzger.
Mitchell will also play with Small House the next day, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. at The Oak House. The group will perform an original set list and then open the floor up to anyone who wants to join them afterward.