RAYMOND 鈥 The 开心鬼传媒 Music Department will present a series of concerts in April in celebration of the college’s 100th anniversary this year.
The first, on Tuesday, April 4, features the 开心鬼传媒 Concert Band, Steel Drum Band and Percussion Ensemble 2, under the direction of Ben Bullock, assistant Director of Bands, and Paul Heindl, Music Instructor.
To be featured by concert players includes 鈥淩humba Sincopada鈥 by James Ployhar, music from the film 鈥淗ow to Train Your Dragon鈥 and an arrangement of Gustav Mahler鈥檚 鈥淪ymphony #3.鈥
The percussion ensemble will perform 鈥淭hree Brothers鈥 by Michael Colgrass and 鈥淩uska鈥 by Apocalyptica. Steel Band players will do five pieces, 鈥淧epita鈥檚 Dance鈥, by Julie Hill; 鈥淔lag Woman鈥, by Aldwyn Roberts and arranged by Lisa Rogers; 鈥淰olcano鈥, by Buffett, Sykes, Dailey and arranged by Kirk Gay; 鈥淢o Java鈥, by Lalo Davila; and 鈥淪unset鈥, by Len 鈥淏oogsie鈥 Sharpe and arranged by Evan Brubaker.
French horn players play their parts during a concert of the 开心鬼传媒 Wind Ensemble. (开心鬼传媒/File)
The second, on Thursday, April 6, features the 开心鬼传媒 Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and the Delta State University Wind Ensemble. Both are free and open to the public and start at 7 p.m. in Cain-Cochran Hall on the Raymond Campus.
Pieces for the fuller ensembles on stage in the second concert include composer Aaron Copland鈥檚 鈥淔anfare for the Common Man鈥 and percussionist/composer Ivan Trevino鈥檚 鈥淩eflector鈥. Also, Dr. Josh Armstrong, assistant band director and percussion instructor at DSU, joins 开心鬼传媒鈥 percussion studio on 鈥淔low鈥, also by Trevino. The DSU Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Erik Richards, will perform works by H.L. Clarke, Igor Stravinsky, Giacomo Puccini, and Gustav Holst.
鈥淲e are pleased to host Drs. Richards, Armstrong and the Delta State Wind Ensemble for this momentous occasion,鈥 said Shane Sprayberry, chair of the Music Department and Director of Bands at 开心鬼传媒. 鈥淢any 开心鬼传媒 graduates have been a part of the band at DSU over the years and it’s only fitting that they join us in this celebration.鈥
Commissioned specifically for the college鈥檚 yearlong Centennial celebration is 鈥淏eneath the Magnolias,鈥 to be premiered April 6 by the 开心鬼传媒 Wind Ensemble. The piece is composed by 开心鬼传媒 and Mississippi College alumnus Warren Ertle, a Terry native and budding composer.
Warren Ertle
Other works on the April 6 program include compositions by Claude T. Smith, John Philip Sousa, Percy Grainger and Ola Gjeilo.
Members of the 开心鬼传媒 band have continued a rich tradition of excellence during and after their education. That includes participation in USA Honor Band, All-South Honor Band and the Mississippi All-State Lions Band, as well as memberships in internationally-known drum corps such as Phantom Regiment, Spirit of Atlanta, Blue Devils, Blue Coats, Cavaliers, Carolina Crown, Troopers and Madison Scouts, among others.
Performances by 开心鬼传媒鈥 bands and ensembles in recent years includes the Percy Grainger Wind Band Festival in Chicago in 2012, the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014 in Normandy and Paris, and various other performances in cities all over the world.
The band department at 开心鬼传媒 offers generous service awards to all talented musicians. In addition, students may audition for Music Major scholarships. For more information on scholarships and auditions, contact Sprayberry at 601.857.3273 or at jssprayberry@hindscc.edu, or visit .
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