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Wind Ensemble to Present Invited Concert at CBDNA Event

02/13/2020

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Wind Ensemble in concert in Riceland Hall, Fowler Center

JONESBORO – The Arkansas State University Wind Ensemble will give present an invited concert Thursday, Feb. 20, at the College Band Directors National Association's Southwestern Division Conference.

The 2 p.m. concert will be in the Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall of the Catlett Music Center at the University of Oklahoma, which is in Norman.

In preparation for the concert, the Wind Ensemble will perform its program at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, in Riceland Hall of Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Dr.

The College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) is the largest, most prestigious organization for collegiate wind ensembles in the world.  Annual conferences provide forums to achieve one of the goals of the organization, which is creation and recognition of superior and artistic band programs.

The invitation to perform is based on a blind, peer-reviewed process that is highly competitive among the college and university band programs in the seven-state Southwestern Division.

A-State faculty members who will conduct the various program selections are Dr. Timothy W. Oliver, director of bands and coordinator of wind and percussion studies; Dr. Sarah Labovitz, associate director of bands and coordinator of instrumental music education; and Dr. Steven Riley, director of athletic bands and assistant director of bands.

The program will include "Clutch," by Andrew David Perkins; "Soulstrom," by Jodie Blackshaw; "Dos Danzas," by Andrea Reinkemeyer; "Rock Bottom," by Derek Jenkins; and "Epiphanies (Fanfares and Chorales)," by Ron Nelson.

The piece by Dr. Jenkins, assistant professor of music at A-State, was commissioned in recognition of the 90th anniversary of A-State bands. 

The program notes for the CBDNA performance includes a history of the instrumental music program at A-State, information about the Department of Music, and a list of students who will be performing.

"We want to offer gratitude and appreciation to the students, faculty, staff, and the administration of Arkansas State University, who supported this performance from its inception," Oliver wrote in the program notes, while emphasizing the significance of the conference invitation.  "We believe in what we're doing in Jonesboro, and we are thankful to be a part of the musically vibrant culture found among the secondary school and collegiate band programs throughout Arkansas."

Admission to the Monday evening concert is free for A-State students with an ID, or $5 per person.

Student members of the Wind Ensemble are (by instrument):

Piccolo: Josh Taylor of Bryant; flutes: Claudia Gonzalez of Jonesboro, Pershauna Johnson of Jonesboro, Caitlyn Lyerly of Waldenburg, Brittney Muñoz of Jonesboro; oboes: Abigail Blunt of Benton, Mo., Levi McGrew of Jonesboro, Sergio Rodriguez of Greenwood, Miss.; bassoons: Lynnley Dodd of Batesville, Zachary Lynn of Jonesboro, Ryan Sowell of Cabot; E flat clarinet: Noah Wright of Ash Flat; clarinets: Kirby Fagan of Jonesboro, Juliana Griffith of Pocahontas, Adam Hartness of Paragould, Sydney Middleton of Bradford, Dylan Richmond of Jonesboro, Sydney Rush of Jonesboro.

Bass clarinet: Victoria Brown of McRae; contra alto clarinet: Gaberial Waters of Bloomfield, Mo.; alto saxophones: Shawn Crawford of Paragould, Madasia Patterson of Jonesboro, Jonathan Vickers of Paragould; tenor saxophone: Chase Hoots of Jonesboro; baritone saxophone: Ethan Scurlock of Brookland; trumpets: Audrey Alpha of Lewisburg, Miss., Brandan Bakkala of Paragould, Tyler Helms of Longview, Texas, Josh Hickman of Powell, Tenn., Asa Puckett of Jonesboro, Zachary Shearer of Bentonville, Noah Van Deventer of Little Rock, Blake White of Tullahoma, Tenn.

Horns: Harrison Bruner, of Highland, Elaine Dean of Osceola, Julian Greene of Tuckerman, Connor Scroggins of Malvern, Chris Wilson of Bartlett, Tenn., trombones, Trevor Bateman of Paragould, Emelie Fincher of Springdale, David Wilson of Hoxie; bass trombone, Jack Ezell of Maumelle; euphoniums: Mia Davis of Benton, Tyler Tanksley of Jonesboro; tubas: Kyle Allman of Piggott, Blake LaRue of Rector, John May of Paragould, Gaberial Waters of Bloomfield, Mo.

Piano: Dean MacDonald of Paragould; percussion: Timothy Gilbee of Bald Knob, Timothy Haney of Haskell, Joshua Huffstutler of Paragould, Chris Isom of Jonesboro, Parker Long of Jonesboro, Jesse Lyons of Paragould, Eric Watson of Jonesboro, Samuel Whitmire of Jonesboro.

Graduate assistants for the A-State Bands: Shawn Crawford of Paragould, Pershauna Johnson of Jonesboro, and Jonathan Vickers of Paragould.

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