Music and joy are set to combine as the Taylor Wind Ensemble prepares for their fall concert full of variety and surprise.
Taking place Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Rediger Auditorium, the performance will include a range of pieces, from bright marches to soft, reflective hymns. Each selection highlights the group’s growing range and unity, Christopher Bade, professor of music and conductor of the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra, said.
“I hope that people are moved,” Bade said. “With abstract music, you and I might hear the same piece and feel completely different ways about it.”
The program features works that balance tradition and class with challenges for the musicians. Among them is “Symphonic Metamorphosis,” a rhythmically challenging and energetic piece that tests the group’s precision across different time signatures. To balance this are well-known pieces like “Jesus Loves Me,” which brings listeners to a quiet place of reflection, Bethany Atanus, a junior music major and clarinet player in the Wind Ensemble, said.
This selection and variety is representative of the ensemble’s current members and their work together, Bade said.
Even in a time when much in our country seems to be divided, ensemble work requires putting aside one’s personal wants and needs for the good of the group, Bade said.
This sense of togetherness is where the ensemble finds its identity, Atanus said. Throughout the Fall semester, the group has placed focus on how each instrument fits into the whole, Bade said.
What makes this group and concert special is its unity despite including musicians from across campus, not just the music department, Atanus said.
“Everyone comes from different majors, different walks of life,” she said.
Having a mix of backgrounds creates a rehearsal space full of learning and collaboration between musicians where each player brings their own sound, she said.
This concert reflects what Taylor, as a liberal arts school, is about, Will Guthrie, a sophomore biology education major and tuba player in the Wind Ensemble, said.
“It's important we have a liberal arts education,” he said. “It's important to be well versed in all walks of life, whether that be our academic pursuits or sports or music and the arts. It makes you a more interesting and a better conversable person when you have a greater understanding and depth to you about a variety of subjects.”
This mindset is carried into music itself, Guthrie said. Performers see their continued pursuit of musical skill as not just an academic exercise, but rather an integration of musicianship and creativity, which is a gift from the Lord.
Similarly, for Bade, this upcoming concert is not just about the selections and the performance, but rather the purpose and the heart behind it. Music is a means of expression, especially when it comes to expression of faith, he said.
“It’s a palpable feeling that our purpose is far beyond,” Bade said, “that we tap into that to glorify Him.”
As the ensemble makes its final preparations, it is through shared faith and connection with one another that they can make music, Guthrie said. Both he and Bade emphasize that collaboration shapes not only the dynamic of the group, but also how they create music with one another.
It is the hope of the musicians that the audience will experience this same sense of feeling and connection when attending the concert, Atanus said.
“There's nothing as wonderful as live arts experiences,” Bade said. “This is a musical offering that we're making. Why not be part of something wonderful?”
