Using paper as instruments, the EIU Concert Band teamed up with the Mayo Middle School band for a concert Tuesday in the Dvorak Concert Hall of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

For most of the concert, the bands performed with their regular instruments. They rhythmically tore, folded, crumbled and hit pieces of paper for the song “Paper Cut” created by Alex Shapiro, an American composer. “Paper Cut” also included an electronic track that was played while the bands performed.

Ethan Shotts, a freshman computer science major, plays tuba for the concert band. He said switching between instruments and paper was a new challenge.

“(‘Paper Cut’) is something new we haven’t tried before,” Shotts said. “It’s not what we are used to just playing.”

Barry Houser, the acting director of bands, said “Paper Cut” was more of a novelty piece and it would not be something to perform every year.

“We made a lot of great music tonight,” Houser said. “Overall it was great for as little time as we had to rehearse ‘Paper Cut.’ I know it sounds weird but I think we could spend a little more time developing the technique of using paper and seeing what kinds of sounds we can get from it.”

Houser also said working with the students from Mayo Middle School was enjoyable and they were very disciplined.

Houser’s wife, Abigail Houser, is the conductor for the Mayo Middle School band.

“Just because the director is my wife this is in no way a favor to her or this school,” Barry Houser said. “This band keeps getting better and they’ve earned it.”

Abigail Houser said it was a great experience for the middle school students to perform with older and more experienced musicians.

“Today was wonderful,” Abigail Houser said. “This is the first time many of these kids have gotten to perform on a stage and for some of them they may never get to again. Even the first note we played and cut off just rang. It kind of gave us this ‘wow’ effect.”

Chris Mroczek, a conducting graduate student, said the bands played musically and energetically. He said the Mayo Middle School band was excellent and well behaved.

“When you think of middle school students they may not be what you think of,” Mroczek said. “But they were a fun group and looked like they had a good time.”

Barry Houser also said the Mayo students spent most of the day at Eastern. He said they listened to college level music at the recital hall, took a tour of Doudna and had dinner with the EIU Concert Band.

The middle school performed first with “Asian Folk Rhapsody” by Richard Saucedo, “Our Kingsland Spring” by Samuel Hazo and “Fire Dance” by David Shaffer. Eastern’s concert band performed “Rush” by Hazo, “Second Prelude” by George Gershwin, “Second Suite in F” by Gustav Holst and “Hosts of Freedom” by Karl King. Both bands performed “Paper Cut” as the second to last song.

Seth Schroeder can be reached at 581-2812

or [email protected]