‘Sousa Celebration’ Features UNK Wind Ensemble at the Merryman

Dr. Neal Schnoor
UNK director of Bands, 308.865.88631

UNK– The University of Nebraska at Kearney Wind Ensemble will perform a traditional Sousa-style concert featuring the marches of John Philip Sousa on Thursday, Feb. 25.

Directed by Dr. Neal Schnoor, UNK director of bands, the Wind Ensemble will perform traditional classics, several of Sousa’s most popular marches, and feature guest soloists including UNK professor and pianist Dr. James Cook. The evening’s performance will conclude with a stirring patriotic tribute to veterans of the armed forces, two audience “sing-alongs” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”

The UNK Wind Ensemble will perform at 7 p.m. at the Merryman Performing Arts Center in Kearney. Tickets are $15 for the general public, and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office at 308-698-8297 or at pickmytickets.com. The ensemble is also presenting a 1:30 p.m. performance for Kearney Public Schools elementary students.

In 1928, John Philip Sousa and his band performed two concerts in Kearney in 1928 during their Silver Anniversary tour of the country. According to Dr. Schnoor, one of the performances took place in what was then the junior high school auditorium, which is now the Merryman Performing Arts Center.

“After 81 years, we are again pleased to fill the Merryman Center with the sounds of John Philip Sousa and the Sousa Band,” Dr. Schnoor said.

UNK Wind Ensemble members, and the instruments they play, are listed below, alphabetically by hometown:

Amherst – Chris Gugel, alto saxophone
Archer – Jody Neel, tuba
Ashland – Kimberly Morwitzer, clarinet
Aurora
 – Ashley Lawton, trumpet
Bassett
 – Cameron Scheibe, trombone
Beatrice – Troy Ehmke, alto saxophone
Blair
 – Helen Breuer, horn
Comstock – Robert Roth, trumpet
Crete
 – Rae Fahrlander, oboe
Fremont – Josh Steager, trumpet
Gering– David Kelley, percussion
Grand Island
 – Eric Rempe, trombone; Katelyn Rempe, clarinet
Grant
 – Brooke Harris, piccolo
Holdrege
 – Eric Jones, percussion
Kearney
 – Tyler Allen, trombone; Paul Niedbalski, euphonium; Brock Persson, tuba; Nathan Thorn, percussion; Paloma Mena-Werth, oboe; James Wolf, baritone saxophone
Lexington
 – Joel Montes, percussion
McCook
 – Casey Cobb, tenor saxophone; Tyler Cobb, clarinet; Julie Gates, piccolo
Minden – William Gleason, trumpet
North Platte – Michael Conley, trumpet; Carey Teters, clarinet
Omaha – Andrew Jacobitz, trombone; Cayle Jones, bass clarinet
Osmond – Clint Dennis, euphonium
Scottsbluff – Brooke Brown, clarinet; Justin Vogel, trumpet
St. Libory – Adam White, percussion

IOWA
       Union– Stacia Kluever, percussion

JAPAN – Megumi Kajigaya, clarinet; Daisuke Yamaguchi, flute