UNK Wind Ensemble heading to western Nebraska later this month for annual spring tour

KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney Wind Ensemble will present concerts in five western Nebraska communities during its upcoming spring tour.

Performances are scheduled for 11 a.m. April 27 at North Platte High School, 2 p.m. April 27 at Bridgeport Public Schools, 9 a.m. April 28 at Mitchell High School, 1 p.m. April 28 at Hemingford Public Schools and 7 p.m. April 28 at Alliance High School. The concert in Alliance is free and open to the public.

Wind Ensemble members will also visit the Black Hills of South Dakota for some sightseeing before returning to Kearney.

Open to any UNK student, the Wind Ensemble is selected by competitive audition each year. The 49-member group performs on campus and across the region, with a recruiting and concert tour scheduled each spring. UNK Director of Bands Duane Bierman leads the Wind Ensemble.

Ahead of the spring tour, the Wind Ensemble and UNK Symphonic Band will present a free public concert 7:30 p.m. April 26 at the Fine Arts Recital Hall on campus.

UNK Wind Ensemble members (listed with hometown and major)

Flute/Piccolo
Alliance – Courtney Cox, finance
Cheyenne, Wyoming – Lana Novotny, music and psychology
Gering – Alethia Henderson, biochemistry
Hastings – Breanna Groves, music education
Wauneta – Ella O’Neil, accounting

Oboe
Kearney – Lydia Hoss, supply chain management

Clarinet
Aichi, Japan – Erika Tsuji, business administration-accounting
Cheyenne, Wyoming – Emily Schwaiger, music education
Columbus – Douglas Davidchik, physics and math
Grand Island – Mali Xayarath, music education
Gretna – Jamie Vaughn, music and political science
Hastings – Maddison Barrientez, history education
Kearney – Mychaela Fegter, music education

Bass Clarinet
Hemingford – Kylie Mendiola, music education

Alto Saxophone
Central City – Bailey Manhart, music education
Columbus – Rebecca Hoffman, music education
Kearney – Alana Zimbelman, music education

Tenor Saxophone
Aurora – Tyler Miller, health sciences-chiropractic
Kenesaw – Emma Schroeder, music education

Baritone Saxophone
North Platte – Bailey Roeder, elementary education

Bassoon
North Platte – Jakob Gutschenritter, pre-medical
North Platte – Hannah Sims, undecided

Horn
Broken Bow – Cameron Grafel, music education
Kearney – Jacob Solomon, music education
Scottsbluff – Jamisyn Howard, elementary education

Trumpet
Crete – Allison Singh, occupational therapy (doctoral program)
Grand Island – Abraham Lopez, music education
Hartington – Sadie Uhing, music education
Hastings – Mekenzie Miller, music performance
Kearney – Daniel McCarty, music education
Ravenna – Ryan Johnson, music education

Trombone
Holdrege – Hannah Hofaker, music education
Kearney – Jacob Temme, music performance
Lincoln – Haley West, music education
Omaha – Rahn Johnson, chemistry-pre-health science
Wray, Colorado – Benjamin Prentice, music education

Euphonium
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania – Ming Li Goldston, music education
Elm Creek – Chloe Harms, music education

Tuba
Kearney – Avery Reitz, undecided
Mitchell – Zane Blomenkamp, history education

Percussion
Alliance – Aiden Zaro, music education
Columbus – Ryan Sims, music education
Culbertson – Kassi Cooper, music education
Hastings – Shannon Armstrong, music education
Kearney – Jacob Obrecht, music education
Loup City – Cameron Russell, music business
Mitchell – Kenna Krahulik, exercise science
North Platte – Steven Koehn, music
Shelby – Connor Morrison, music education