University Bands Open Fall Concert Season with Performance at Walton Arts Center

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Lila Uribe Southern, W. Dale Warren, Christopher Knighten

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony will open their 2013-14 concert season with a performance at Walton Art Center at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7. The concerts are presented by the department of music in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Joy Pratt Markham Series. The public is invited, and admission is free.

“These students are incredibly gifted young musicians who all share a passion for music-making,” said Christopher Knighten, director of university bands. “They will perform five concerts this academic year and their preparation for our first concert has been exceptionally strong.  It is a pleasure to teach and make music with such talented young people.”

The performance will feature Lia Uribe Southern, assistant professor of bassoon at the University of Arkansas. She also serves as principal bassoonist of the Symphony Orchestra of Northwest Arkansas and the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra as well as assistant principal bassoonist of the Fort Smith Symphony. Southern will perform Andante e Rondo Ongarese, Op. 35 by Carl Maria von Weber with the Wind Symphony.

The Wind Symphony will be conducted by W. Dale Warren, senior wind conductor and professor of music, with selections conducted by assistant director of bands Jamal Duncan and graduate conductor Staci Hatmaker. The Wind Ensemble will be conducted by Knighten.

“The Wind Ensemble is a collection of instrumentalists playing woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, along with harp and piano,” said Knighten. “We structure this ensemble so that, unlike many student experiences in bands, there is only one person playing each part of a composition. The individual responsibility each person shares in this ensemble, coupled with the high performance standards, helps foster professionalism and musicianship.”

The program is as follows:

Wind Symphony, Warren, conductor

• Fanfare and Allegro by Clifton Williams
• Lagan Love by Luigi Zaninelli, Hatmaker, conductor
• Andante e Rondo Ongarese, Op. 35 by Carl Maria von Weber, featuring Southern
• Prelude in the Dorian Mode, Antonio de Cabezon, arr. by Percy Grainger, Duncan, conductor
• Danza Final from Estancia, Alberto Ginastera, arr. by David John

— Intermission —

Wind Ensemble, Knighten, conductor

• Tunbridge Fair, by Walter Piston
• Avelynn's Lullaby by Joel Puckett
• Two Chorale Preludes, Johannes Brahms, arr. by Ralph Guenther
• Songs Without Words by Dan Welcher