Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

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Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

THE MUSE

Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

THE MUSE

Summer Program Spotlight: Charles Comiter

A Series Following Dreyfoos Students Who Use Summer to Delve Further Into Their Art
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Photo courtesy of Charles Comiter
Band senior Charles Comiter (second from left) with a group of musicians he attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute with.

As someone with hopes of pursuing music as a potential profession, band senior Charles Comiter knew he wanted nothing more than to devote his whole summer to expanding his skill set and exposure to the world of music. With intentions of pushing himself and his musical capabilities farther than ever before, Comiter flew up to Lenox, Massachusetts, where he attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI), the high school division of the Tanglewood Music Festival.

“[I chose to attend Tanglewood] because it is very prestigious and the level of playing is very high,” Comiter said. “The level of other students there really pushed me to work very hard.”

Band senior Charles Comiter stands alongside a fellow musician at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
Photo courtesy of Charles Comiter
Band senior Charles Comiter stands alongside a fellow musician at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Going into the six week long program, Comiter hoped to gain a better understanding of percussion technique and musicianship, along with a greater knowledge of musicianship in general.

“On a typical day at Tanglewood I would wake up, chug coffee and breakfast, attend an hour log sectional rehearsal, a three hour large ensemble rehearsal and then go to lunch,” Comiter said. “After I would have a few hours of personal practice, an hour or two of percussion ensemble rehearsal. In the evenings, I would have a few more hours for personal practice, I would chug dinner, go to a concert given by the Boston symphony orchestra, as well as, practice for another hour. Every waking second was filled with music until I went to sleep.”

Tanglewood enabled Comiter to acquire a multitude of skills including how to wrap mallets, much more proper techniques for percussion instruments, different ideas for phrasing, how to blend in an ensemble better and even how to successfully pursue a financially stable career as a classical musician.

“This program showed me the world of excellent musicians and the potential for music when a lot of time is invested into it,” Comiter said. “It not only made me want to pursue music as a career, but it also gave me the drive, work ethic and character to work extremely hard in music.”

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About the Contributor
Julia Horneck, Website Editor
Communications senior Julia Horneck is a third-year staffer and Website Editor of The Muse. She has had a passion for all aspects of journalism and photography for as long as she can remember, of which she’s fortunate enough to be able to expand upon through The Muse. Along with being a devoted member of The Muse, she is also an Editor-in-Chief of The Marquee yearbook. Horneck strives to be just as engaged in the Dreyfoos community as she is within the publications, also taking on the roles of Women’s Empowerment Club president, ARTS Club historian, and Project Arts Event Coordinator. She aspires to ultimately make her way to New York City, Boston, or D.C, with hopes of delving into the ever-evolving world of journalism and making her name known.
Donate to THE MUSE
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