UNK director of Bands, 308.865.88631
The works of John Philip Sousa will be the main attraction at an upcoming Wind Ensemble concert on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the University of Nebraska at Kearney Fine Arts Recital Hall.
The Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Neal Schnoor, will play a selection of Sousa favorites, including “Semper Fidelis,” “The Washington Post,” and “The Stars and Stripes, Forever.”
The concert will also feature performances by Dr. James Cook and Dr. Jim Payne from the Department of Music and Performing Arts. Dr. Cook will perform a piano transcription of “The Stars and Stripes, Forever,” and Dr. Payne is slated to play solo coronet in the performance of “Napoli.”
Dr. Schnoor said the Wind Ensemble performance will feature not only Sousa’s famous marches, but also some of his lesser-known compositions.
“Many people have misconceptions about Sousa concerts,” Dr. Schnoor said. “The ‘March King’ actually included very few marches in his programs, instead utilizing them for encores. Depending on the enthusiasm of the audience, and if the more serious compositions were well-received, Sousa would reward ‘good’ audiences with a healthy dose of march encores.”
The performance will also feature a salute to each branch of the United States armed forces, as well as Richard Wagner’s “Trauersinfonie,” a tribute to those who have given their lives in service to their country.
Dr. Schnoor said the celebration of Sousa’s music comes at an appropriate time, as 2007 marks the 75th anniversary of the composer’s death. He also noted that although Sousa was not known as a major composer, his contributions to American music were substantial.
“Sousa profoundly impacted the development of bands and American musical tastes, and for a period was probably the world’s most widely-known musician,” Dr. Schnoor said.
The performance is free and open to the public.
