Blugolds play regional Broadway show together

The production ran from June 2-7 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, and the orchestra included four alumni and one faculty member of UW-Eau Claire’s music and theatre arts department.

The Blugold music graduates and faculty were:

• Hannah Kennedy ’17, a violinist and assistant concertmaster with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra.
• Brian Handeland ’10, a saxophonist based in Minneapolis.
• Jeremy Miloszewicz ’96, a trumpet player based in New York City.
• Patrick Phalen ’20, a drummer/percussionist traveling with the national tour of “The Great Gatsby.”
• Dr. Phillip Ostrander, UW-Eau Claire professor of trombone/band, principal trombonist with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra.

Ostrander, who is a frequent performer for regional shows of Broadway productions, says it was a joy to experience playing this caliber show with such talented UW-Eau Claire-trained professionals.

“What a blessing to spend time together and connect over our shared experiences at UW-Eau Claire,” Ostrander says. “I was just thrilled to be there.”

While Ostrander says that UW-Eau Claire music graduates are not hard to find in the professional music scene of the Twin Cities, he says that this group together in one show is notable.

“This was special — these musicians are some of our finest alumni performers in the field. There are many others out there, but these four are some of the best,” Ostrander says.

Phalen has built his drum and percussion performance career through standout opportunities like touring with Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard on their 20th anniversary tour and playing in other Broadway shows like Shucked and Mamma Mia. As part of the current tour for The Great Gatsby, Phalen says it was a wonderful surprise to encounter familiar faces in the orchestra at the Orpheum show.

“In my early years at UW-Eau Claire, I played frequently with Hannah Kennedy in The Master Singers. I also played a couple different jazz gigs with Brian Handeland at the Eau Claire Jazz Fest. On my first ever trip to NYC, Jeremy Miloszewicz was one of the first musicians I met out there,” Phalen says. “It was just so great to see them all together.”

Phalen says he frequently attended Orpheum shows as a student, typically going to see professors Robert Baca and Ostrander perform in a variety of shows, a backstage connection that often got him introductions to the touring drummers and percussionists and sparked his own professional aspirations.

“Ever since I started touring it was always a dream to go through Minneapolis and play with my professors and colleagues,” Phalen says. “When this tour started and I saw Minneapolis on the schedule, I knew the odds were very high that I would be playing with someone from UW-Eau Claire. It sure worked out well!”

For Kennedy, the chance to play amongst fellow Blugolds was a wonderful coincidence that she is grateful for.

“To have the five of us playing together for this show was a full-circle moment for me,” Kennedy says.

“It is a testament to the comprehensive education that we all received at UW-Eau Claire. One of the biggest things I learned during my time there was to stay flexible and ‘water multiple plants’ in terms of musical style and type of work. I am proud to be a Blugold musician, and it was incredibly joyful to spend a week working with Brian, Jeremy, Patrick and Phil in the Gatsby pit!”

After a great week of rehearsals and shows, Ostrander says he has just one complaint about the experience.

“The only thing missing was ‘the architect,’ Robert Baca, professor of trumpet, director of jazz studies and the heart of our performance culture. He would typically have been playing on this show but wasn’t free that week. Mr. Baca has paved the way for many of us to perform in the Twin Cities and we are grateful.”

Baca certainly wishes he, too, could have joined for the show. He says he is proud of this talented group who once again shined a light on the excellence of a UW-Eau Claire music and theatre arts education.

“Not only are our students able to experience the high quality of music with their peers in university ensembles, but right in our backyard lies Minneapolis/St. Paul with one of the nation's most vibrant music scenes,” Baca says.

“Our faculty keep their teaching fresh by regularly performing there as well. As one can imagine, the ultimate feeling of satisfaction would be to have your student performing next to you in a challenging high-level musical performance. I can only imagine what Dr. Ostrander felt during the performance of 'The Great Gatsby' show alongside our alumni.”