Zadie Henderson Music

02/04/2026

I was so honored to have the opportunity to perform a selection from the Mercadante concerto for Dr. Carmen Borregales in a masterclass this past Monday!! It was truly thrilling to work with an artist and educator of her stature! Considering the fact that I hadn’t really dug into this piece in over two months, (since last semesters jury), I feel like I played pretty well! She gave such insightful feedback that really led me to become more aware of the musicality that is deeply embedded in the music, reminding us that there is so much to learn in the details! Thank you Dr. Cipolla for arranging these incredible opportunities for the WKU clarinet studio!

12/05/2025

Here is a clip of me playing the first half of Etude #26 from the Rose 32 Etudes book for my WKU Wind Ensemble Audition. This is the cut that was also utilized for the 2026 KMEA All-State Band Clarinet technical audition. One of the coolest bits of progress indication I have seen since I have been in the WKU Music Department is how much quicker I am able to digest and learn music! In high school, preparing an etude of this caliber at this tempo would have taken me months! I was able to put this together with about 6 practice sessions, which was surprising to me! Of course, there are little things that could have gone better, but these little bits of noticeable progress is something I feel it is importantly to recognize and be proud of❤️

11/21/2025

I’m super proud of my performance on today’s Friday recital!! Today I played the Mercadante Clarinet Concerto in Sib majeur, a piece I’ve been working on all semester. With my jury just a few short weeks away, I think it’s very beneficial to perform it in front of my peers to get some nerves out of the way!! Thank you so much to Melissa Bull for performing with me!

10/16/2025

I am super proud of our performance of Mozarts Serenade No. 6, Mvt. III Aria “Non più andrai farfallone amoroso” tonight in the clarinet and saxophone studio recital! It was a blast collaborating with Melody and Makayla! Huge thank you to Dr. Cipolla for organizing this performance opportunity! It’s been a very busy semester for me so far, but moments like these make it so worth it❤️

07/31/2025

I’m a firm believer that if YOU can’t play it, you can’t teach someone HOW to play it! When I’m teaching, I try to make it a point to play along with my kids, so that they have the opportunity to hear a strong example of what their part is supposed to sound like. In full band, I played along with the Woodwind feature, as well as filled in for a flute student who was absent in a trio! A little on-the-spot transposition practice never hurt anyone!😅 Missed a couple notes in the process, but good practice nonetheless! It’s going to be a GREAT season here in Boyle County, and I’m thankful to be a part of it!🔥😍 🌹

07/09/2025

Working on staff at band camp always leads me to reminisce on some of my favorite high school marching band memories! While practicing some scales today, I wanted to see if I could still play the woodwind feature from my first season of marching band as an 8th grader in 2019! 6 years later, and I still got it🔥 I definitely would have to say this was the most fun feature I ever got to play😍

03/30/2025

Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here! This semester has been super busy, but also very rewarding. I’ve been having a great time! For my jury this semester, I am playing Weber’s Concerto No. 1. Here is a clip of me playing the Baermann Cadenza section of the piece! I’ve been trying to work on phrasing and dynamics throughout this section, as well as consistently using very crisp and accurate fingerings and articulations. I hope you guys enjoy! I’m going to make it a point to be sure to share more content with you guys as I finish out the rest of this year. Have a great day everyone!

02/03/2025

Hello everyone, and happy February! Today I wanted to share a chorale we have been using to warm up in wind ensemble this semester. This chorale, “Harvest Hymn”, comes from a packet of reharmonized melodies by composer Percy Grainger. We often play this over a Concert Bb drone, and it is meant to help us listen for intonation across the ensemble. When I’m playing this, I am thinking about tuning into the different intervals across the ensemble, as well as trying to blend my sound as seamlessly as possible with the rest of my section, and the drone! This has always been one of my favorites!

01/23/2025

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year! I’m so excited to be back on the hill for another exciting semester! I’m hoping to make more content to share with you all on here soon after a well-needed winter break.
I went on the adventure of a lifetime over the break, as many of you know; I got to lead the London New Years Day Parade with the BRMB in London England! It was a truly life changing experience, and I will be forever grateful to Dr. McCurry and Dr. Schallert for making it all possible❤️
I will attach a video of our performance below, and I will share s few more highlights from the trip over the next couple of days!

12/10/2024

Hello Everyone! With my first semester in the books, I want to post a little update about all the happenings of the WKU music department over the past month!
First Up, a few pics from our November Symphonic Band Concert, entitled “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue”!
Next, are some photos from Jury Day! I got A’s across the board, and I couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work I put in on Webers Introduction, Theme, and Variations!
Then, I’ve included a couple pictures from our recent football games! This past weekend we had the opportunity to go down to Jacksonville State in Alabama to perform at the C-USA Championship game, and we will be making our way down to Boca Ratón in Florida next week for a bowl game. Super exciting!
Lastly, only 19 until the BRMB departs for London, England to lead the London New Years Day Parade! We spent a couple days last week practicing in the snow and 27 degree weather🥶 but it is all going to be worth it on January 1st! Make sure to tune in and watch us live on TV!
I am so unbelievably happy with how my first semester turned out, and I am so excited for the opportunities that semester 2 will bring my way❤️

11/22/2024

T-11 days until my jury performance, and I’m very excited! I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything is coming together. I had my final rehearsal with my pianist today, and here is a small clip from rehearsal of a tough section of the piece that I worked super hard on and nailed today! Have a great night everyone!

11/18/2024