News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5056 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE OCTOBER 4, 2006

ABAC ALUMNUS HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

TIFTON – Brian Bondari, an Abraham Baldwin College alumnus from Tifton, debuted his first musical composition, Symphony No. 1 – “Persepolis” on Tuesday night at Valdosta State University under the direction of Dr. Joe Brashier, Director of Bands at VSU.

“The symphony serves as my Master’s thesis in Music Composition, and it was rare to have it performed in its entirety, especially so soon,” Bondari said.

Bondari completed the symphony last November, spent some time revising the work, and finished all four movements over the summer.

Bondari received his ABAC Associate of Arts degree in Music in 2000; Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Composition from VSU; and is currently studying to get his Master’s in Composition from Kansas University while teaching music theory there as well.

While at ABAC, Bondari studied under Wayne Jones, Director of the Arts Connection and Don Coates, Associate Professor of Music and Director of the ABAC Jazz Band.

“Brian took second year theory with me,” Coates said. “In my 30 years of teaching at ABAC, he is one of my top three students. He has a gift for theory and composition. He was very enthusiastic and hard-working. Brian did everything asked of him, and he did it well.”

Jones said, “Brian was an exceptionally bright student . . . inquisitive and really creative. He looked at things from all different angles. While at ABAC, he was always able to keep a good balance between his academics and his socializing.”

Both Coates and Jones were in the audience for Bondari’s world premiere performance.

“I honestly feel the small class size at ABAC was beneficial for my training, especially in music theory,” Bondari said. “For the second year of theory I simply met in Coates’ office for instruction with one other student. I wrote some of my earliest compositions in the music building computer lab.

“While ABAC might not be famous for its music program, the level of instruction I received better prepared me for further training in music than most people I knew and I am grateful for those opportunities and experiences.”

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