Wind Symphony to perform with St. Joseph high school ensemble

The Northwest Missouri State University Wind Symphony will present a concert with the St. Joseph Central High School Wind Ensemble this month.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, ­­in the Mary Linn Auditorium at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. It is free and open to the public.

John Bell, Northwest’s artist-in-residence, conducts the Wind Symphony. (Photo by Chandu Ravi Krishna/Northwest Missouri State University)

“For several years, we have delighted in the tradition of inviting high school bands to join us for one of our regularly scheduled Wind Symphony concerts,” John Bell, Northwest’s artist-in-residence and conductor of the Wind Symphony, said. “This tradition has proven to be mutually beneficial for all parties involved.”

Bell added, “This collaborative effort not only fosters camaraderie but also provides invaluable exposure to our Northwest music education students, allowing them to interact with and experience an exemplary public school band program firsthand. We are particularly excited about this collaboration as it marks the first time we have had the opportunity to partner with a high school from St. Joseph.”

The Wind Symphony will perform a program featuring Northwest alumnus Gavin Lendt’s “Mesa Dances,” Louis Moreau Gottschalk’s “Grand Tarantelle,” featuring Northwest Professor of Music Dr. Anthony Olson as a piano soloist, Pavel Tschesnokoff’s “Salvation is Created,” Kenneth J. Alford’s “Army of the Nile” and “Joyride” by Michael Markowski.

The Central High School Wind Ensemble, directed by Lynnea Wootten, will perform works including Brant Karrick’s “See Rock City,” Ryan Nowlin’s “Legacy Fanfare,” Omar Thomas’s “Carabana Afterparty” and “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli.

The Northwest Wind Symphony is the University’s premier wind ensemble and performs the best standard selections from all styles and periods, in addition to recent repertoire for wind bands.

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