A freshman will be the first and only representative of Ball State at an upcoming festival in Rome.
Trent Lockhart, a major in trombone and piano performance, will be participating in the 33rd annual Rome Festival from July 2 to August 5 during 2004.
"It's not about the place," Lockhart said. "It's about the music."
The Rome Festival Orchestra performs more than 50 times during the month of concerts. Besides orchestra performances, the group also includes opera productions, classical ballets, oratorios and chamber music recitals.
It was started because a group of musicians wanted to fight the propaganda of the Italian Communist Party. To raise money and to help them win votes in elections, they began a series of concerts with Russian musicians to show that non-communists promoted the fine arts.
"The Rome Festival is an opportunity for me to perform music, and whether it's with communists or (others) or anyone with any point of view whatsoever, the music stays the same; as long as it touches someone," Lockhart said.
While in Rome, Lockhart wants to do more than play music, including visiting a friend in Germany.
"I plan to see everything I can when I'm not playing, but I assume that I won't have too much time outside of concerts," he said.
Lockhart said he saw an advertisement for a festival in Rome and thought it would be fun.
"So, I sent in the audition CD, and I found out in a couple of weeks," he said. "I was dumbfounded (when I found out). I totally did not expect to go. The only reason I applied was for the applying experience."
Lockhart started playing trombone in fourth grade.
"He's a driven guy," said John Seidel, associate professor in music and Lockhart's trombone teacher. "He's hardworking. The dedication comes directly from this. You can't win something like this without the dedication. It's like an athlete. You have to go out there and work on it everyday."
Lockhart said that he plays the trombone and the piano because he can get away from everything and just concentrate on the music.
"It comes naturally to me, and it's all I have," he said.
He said he wants to play professionally after college.
"I see myself in a big city and I see myself teaching students privately," he said. "I see myself working on music in any way I can find professionally."
Lockhart hopes to play both trombone and piano at the festival. He started piano when he was six years old.
"He's really quite a talented young man," Seidel said. "He's talented on both of his instruments. He's got a solid future in music."
Lockhart plays bass trombone in the Ball State Symphony Orchestra. He said he chose to study at Ball State because he had lessons with the teachers before he started college.
"Teachers are more important than school," he said.
Lockhart is excited about the trip and said that he believes all people should have a chance to experience something like it.
"If it's possible for anyone to try and do something like this, especially in Europe, they should go for it."
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