The second annual Army Band national collegiate solo competition winner Francesco Camuglia's musical resume is piled high with achievements, but the 21-year old flutist's future is going to be overfilled with additional honors and accolades.
Those honors and accolades continued the week of June 4 when Francesco, who likes to be called Frankie, rehearsed and performed with The U.S Army Concert Band at twilight on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building.
Camuglia and the concert band will jointly perform Demersseman's "6th Solo de Concert, Op. 82" during Ole! An Evening of Latin Flavor, the theme of the latest Sunsets with a Soundtrack concert series.
On June 5 Camuglia was introduced to and rehearsed with the concert band during an additional chapter of his whirlwind musical journey. That journey has included winning the Army solo competition and being awarded a Fulbright grant to study music in Berlin during the 2012-2013 academic year.
"I'm really excited; it is such an honor to play at the Capitol Building. I get to play there plus I get to play with a great ensemble," said Frankie. "This whole year has been quite an adventure. The Fulbright is a huge honor to get. I'm so excited to go [to Berlin]. This is a great opportunity filled with new horizons. I'll be studying with Andreas Blau, who is one of the principle flutes in the Berlin Philharmonic. That's what originally drew me to the city. I've been listening to the orchestra's recordings for a long time. I will also be attending the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler, continuing to take lessons, practicing and trying to get as good as I can."
And upon his first notes played in Brucker Hall, members of "Pershing's Own" could attest to Camuglia's talent.
"He has an incredible future," said concert band member and clarinetist Staff Sgt. Leigh DeFosse. "That can be seen with just his work ethic and actually by [his] applying for these competitions [and grants]. Fulbrights are so hard to just apply for, much less than to actually win. He has the ability to make those things happen, so I think any of his dreams can come true."
Camuglia's quest to claim the soloist competition title and the chance to perform at the west Capitol steps June 7 and 8 turned into a literal last-minute proposition.
"It is kind of a funny story," Camuglia said of his decision to enter the soloist contest. "I decided to send a recording in; we got it in the mail five minutes before the postmark deadline. It was very close. I did not actually expect to win at all. I got the [notification] email, and I was surprised and excited. It is a real honor to be here."
Besides playing in the Capitol concert, Frankie and his mother, Karen, plan to sightsee - including a tour of the White House.
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