RAYMOND – The ż Music Department will present a series of concerts in April in celebration of the college’s 100th anniversary this year.
The first, on Tuesday, April 4, features the ż Concert Band, Steel Drum Band and Percussion Ensemble 2, under the direction of Ben Bullock, assistant Director of Bands, and Paul Heindl, Music Instructor.
To be featured by concert players includes “Rhumba Sincopada” by James Ployhar, music from the film “How to Train Your Dragon” and an arrangement of Gustav Mahler’s “Symphony #3.”
The percussion ensemble will perform “Three Brothers” by Michael Colgrass and “Ruska” by Apocalyptica. Steel Band players will do five pieces, “Pepita’s Dance”, by Julie Hill; “Flag Woman”, by Aldwyn Roberts and arranged by Lisa Rogers; “Volcano”, by Buffett, Sykes, Dailey and arranged by Kirk Gay; “Mo Java”, by Lalo Davila; and “Sunset”, by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe and arranged by Evan Brubaker.
French horn players play their parts during a concert of the ż Wind Ensemble. (ż/File)
The second, on Thursday, April 6, features the ż Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and the Delta State University Wind Ensemble. Both are free and open to the public and start at 7 p.m. in Cain-Cochran Hall on the Raymond Campus.
Pieces for the fuller ensembles on stage in the second concert include composer Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and percussionist/composer Ivan Trevino’s “Reflector”. Also, Dr. Josh Armstrong, assistant band director and percussion instructor at DSU, joins ż’ percussion studio on “Flow”, also by Trevino. The DSU Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Erik Richards, will perform works by H.L. Clarke, Igor Stravinsky, Giacomo Puccini, and Gustav Holst.
“We are pleased to host Drs. Richards, Armstrong and the Delta State Wind Ensemble for this momentous occasion,” said Shane Sprayberry, chair of the Music Department and Director of Bands at ż. “Many ż graduates have been a part of the band at DSU over the years and it’s only fitting that they join us in this celebration.”
Commissioned specifically for the college’s yearlong Centennial celebration is “Beneath the Magnolias,” to be premiered April 6 by the ż Wind Ensemble. The piece is composed by ż and Mississippi College alumnus Warren Ertle, a Terry native and budding composer.
Warren Ertle
Other works on the April 6 program include compositions by Claude T. Smith, John Philip Sousa, Percy Grainger and Ola Gjeilo.
Members of the ż band have continued a rich tradition of excellence during and after their education. That includes participation in USA Honor Band, All-South Honor Band and the Mississippi All-State Lions Band, as well as memberships in internationally-known drum corps such as Phantom Regiment, Spirit of Atlanta, Blue Devils, Blue Coats, Cavaliers, Carolina Crown, Troopers and Madison Scouts, among others.
Performances by ż’ bands and ensembles in recent years includes the Percy Grainger Wind Band Festival in Chicago in 2012, the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014 in Normandy and Paris, and various other performances in cities all over the world.
The band department at ż offers generous service awards to all talented musicians. In addition, students may audition for Music Major scholarships. For more information on scholarships and auditions, contact Sprayberry at 601.857.3273 or at jssprayberry@hindscc.edu, or visit .
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