Southern Miss Wind Ensemble to Perform Second Concert on Nov. 27

The University of Southern Mississippi Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Catherine Rand, presents its second concert of the Fall 2012 semester on Tuesday, Nov. 27 in Bennett Auditorium. The concert, set for 7:30 p.m., will feature two guest conductors and also a premier work for the wind ensemble. 

Doctoral students Jonathan Helmick and Armando Saldarini will take the podium to conduct two notable works o the wind band repertoire. Helmick conducts Donald Grantham's “Baron Cimetiere's Mambo” and Saldarini conducts “La Fiesta Mexicana” by Alfred Reed.

“I absolutely love the variety in this concert,” said ensemble member Cassandra McDonald, a master of music education candidate from Hudsonville, Michigan.

 “When you hear ‘La Fiesta Mexicana,' you're going to want to dance as you picture some of the first peoples of the Americas and you might giggle when you hear the mambo and picture a silly, gangly magician.”

Also on the program is Symphony No. 2 by Frank Ticheli. This work is dedicated to Dr. James E. Croft upon his retirement as Director of Bands at Florida State University who spent his life teaching others the gift of music and was a champion of music in the schools. The Wind Ensemble would like to dedicate their performance of this wonderful work to Croft, who passed away this past September.

Creating a considerable buzz, no pun intended, is a new work for wind ensemble by composer Paul Dooley entitled, “Point Blank.” The piece is inspired by electronic music, in particular a style called “drum & brass.” It explores the interaction between computer generated musical material and the human performer.

This eclectic program is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 601.266.4990.