Southern Miss Wind Ensemble Selected to Perform at National Conference

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Wind Ensemble and its conductor Dr. Catherine Rand will be performing at the College Band Directors National Conference on Wednesday, Feb. 20 in the Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, Arizona at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Through a rigorous audition process, the USM Wind Ensemble was one of only 10 college ensembles to be chosen to perform at this national conference. It is a prestigious opportunity for the USM School of Music and University Bands.

“The Wind Ensemble's performance will bring national awareness to the very significant contributions of the state of Mississippi with respect to the cultural and academic communities of which we are rightfully proud” said Dr. Richard Kravchak, director of the School of Music.

The Wind Ensemble performance will include works written by Paul Hindemith, James M. Stevenson, James David, and Mississippi resident Julie Giroux. With a special performance by soloist Craig Morris, former principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony.

“I am so proud of the wind ensemble and all of the bands at Southern Miss,” said Rand, director of bands and conductor of the Wind Ensemble. “We are excited and honored to represent Mississippi.”

The students associated with the program are largely from Mississippi and represent students of the highest musical and academic quality from throughout the state. Through their training in the School of Music and within the University Band program, these students go back into their home communities or abroad with high-level training and experiences to continue to shape and mold the future of our state.

Diversity is a core strength of the USM program, bringing different cultural identities and backgrounds into our state as well as exposing American and Mississippi culture and values to many from afar.

For more information, contact University Bands at 601.266.4990.