Taylor’s Wind Ensemble will return to the stage with its annual Spring concert, showcasing the work of American composers.
The free concert will take place on April 30 in Rediger Auditorium. The music will recognize a wide range of composers, including Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Morton Gould and Edwin Franko Goldman, among others.
The concert will include a special feature of Josh Fox, pastor of Hartford City Wesleyan Church. He will narrate “Lincoln Portrait” by Aaron Copland.
“To hear Pastor Josh Fox recite the wisdom, compassion, and power of Lincoln’s words will be a true inspiration,” Christopher Bade, professor of music and director of the Wind Ensemble, said.
Continuing the patriotic theme, the ensemble will also perform “American Salute” by Morton Gould, based on the Civil War song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.”
The concert will include a solo feature for Yuki Erbes, a senior saxophonist who will be playing Rudy Wiedoeft’s ”Sax-O-Phun.” All seniors in the Wind Ensemble will be honored at the end of the concert, as it marks their last concert performance apart from the upcoming Pops concert in May.
“The honor is extended with supreme thanks for their willingness to share God-given abilities to strive for excellence,” Bade said. “Making music for God’s glory is a privilege we don’t take lightly.”
Sharing music with others is a source of joy for those in the ensemble, Micah Zook, a junior environmental science major, said. Providing audiences a break from their day to enjoy the beauty of their art is a part of why he enjoys performing.
The concert offers a chance for Wind Ensemble students to continue to grow in their musical prowess.
“When I came into Taylor a couple years ago, I definitely had stage fright,” Bethany Atanus, a junior music performance major, said. “It definitely has helped me to be more comfortable with being on a stage, being right there in the front and being, you know, okay with people looking at you while you’re playing.”
The Wind Ensemble invites students, faculty and friends to enjoy the concert.
Wind ensemble players are affirmed by the attendance of their peers, Bade said. The hard work and effort put into the show is worth the time to come and experience it.
“It’s gonna be awesome,” Zook said. “Wind Ensemble is special because these songs can be fun, they can be quick, they can be more drawn out, reflective. You just get to experience all these different emotions within the concert, and I think it’s gonna be a beautiful time for that.”
