Northwest Wind Symphony to perform spring concert April 22

Northwest's Wind Symphony will perform its spring concert April 22 for an online audience. (Photo by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

The Northwest Missouri State University Wind Symphony will present its final concert of the 2020-21 academic year Thursday, April 22, and the public is invited to view the performance online.

KNWT, Northwest’s student-led television station, will broadcast the concert, beginning at 7:30 p.m., on its YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/pOnVe0s-pB4.

The performance will consist of Pavel Tschesnokov’s “Salvation Is Created” arranged by Bruce Houseknecht, Leonard Bernstein’s “Cool” from “West Side Story” arranged by Paul Murtha, Randall Standridge’s “Vanishing Point,” Frank Ticheli’s “Loch Lomond,” and Georges Bizet’s “Farandole” from L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2. arranged by Hiroaki Kataoka.

The Northwest Wind Symphony, conducted by Artist-in-Residence John Bell, is the University’s premiere wind ensemble and performs the best standard selections from all styles and periods, in addition to recent repertoire for wind bands.

Bell said one of the works featured in the program will provoke contemplation about experiences of the past year.  

“‘Salvation Is Created,’ a communion hymn based on the Greek Orthodox chant ‘Salvation is made in the midst of the earth, O God. Alleluia,’ provides a beautiful instrumental rendition of a choral work that has become a standard in wind band repertoire,” Bell said. “It is dedicated to the nurses, doctors, and scientists who have been steadfast in helping us rise from the anguish of the past year.”

The Wind Symphony has been selected by peer reviewers to perform at the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference and Clinic and at the Nebraska Music Educators Association Conference and Clinic. In 2017, the Wind Symphony was selected by the College Band Directors National Association peer review committee as one of 10 band programs in the United States to be recognized as an exemplary collegiate small band program.

For information about upcoming events and music ensembles in Northwest’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/finearts/music/.