WSU Bands Spring Concert

All are invited to a festive spring concert presented by the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band at Winona State University. The performance takes place on April 21 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dufresne Performing Arts Center, WSU Winona Campus and is free and open to all.

The concert opens with a brass and percussion ensemble led by student director and Music Education major, Max Davis, performing Edvard Grieg’s dramatic Funeral March. The Wind Ensemble, led by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, will then take the stage for the exciting American Overture for Band by Joseph Willcox Jenkins followed by John William’s beautiful A Prayer for Peace from the film Munich. Music Business major Chase Larson will be featured as trumpet soloist on Slavische Fantasie by Carl Höhne. The Wind Ensemble will conclude the first half of the concert with Minnesota composer Timothy Mahr’s Noble Element.

Following a brief intermission, the Symphonic Band led by Dr. Cullan Lucas will open with the first movement of the famous Grieg Piano Concerto #1 transcribed for band by Marc Oliver. Isabelle Lassa, a Legal Studies major, will be the piano soloist. Next up – music from the video game genre: Tango and Tarantella from Shovel Knight by Jake Kaufma arranged by Mark Alpizar.

The concert concludes with Darius Milaud’s landmark composition for band, Suite Francaise: a five-movement work named after French provinces where both French and US armies battled side-by-side in WWII. Each movement incorporates popular melodies from each province as major musical themes in contrasting styles and tempos.

Winona State University offers high quality musical experiences to students from all academic majors, including not only the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, but also Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble and Combos, Chamber Ensembles and three Choral ensembles as well as private lessons and classes. Contact the music department for more information at [email protected].