Wind Symphony to Offer Preview of MMEA Concert on Nov. 17 | Northwest Media Center

The Northwest Missouri State University Wind Symphony will offer a public preview of its upcoming state conference repertoire on November 17 at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts, according to an announcement from nwmissouri.edu.

The free concert begins at 7 p.m. and will feature a livestream for those unable to attend in person. Dr. Kathryn Strickland, a Northwest professor of music and director of the Wind Symphony, explained the significance of the preview event for the student musicians.

“This concert is the first glimpse at our program that’s designed for performance at the Missouri Music Educators Association state conference, where we’ve been accepted to perform in January,” Strickland told nwmissouri.edu.

Audiences will hear a diverse selection of pieces, including “Give Us This Day” by David Maslanka, “In Living Color” by Katahj Copely, “Adoration” by Florence Price, and “Spoon River” by Percy Aldridge Grainger.

Jiwon Choi serves as the staff accompanist in Northwest’s School of Fine and Performing Arts alongside holding the Dennis C. Dau Professor of Instrumental Music position, and will also perform alongside the ensemble. Strickland noted the stylistic range of the upcoming performance.

“It includes a wide variety of music, from contemporary compositions to a 100-year-old folk song, a slow and beautiful organ transcription to a ferociously fast and intense concert closer,” Strickland told nwmissouri.edu. “It’s a step in our preparation for the ‘big deal’ in January.”

January marks the time when the entire group will take the stage at the Tan-Tar-A Conference Center in Osage Beach, Missouri, for the 89th annual MMEA conference. Selection for its MMEA performance was based on the evaluation of a blind panel.

Open to undergraduate students of every academic major, the Wind Symphony functions as one of the state’s rare auditioned collegiate instrumental groups. This structure distinguishes the premier wind band, which regularly performs standard selections, recent repertoire, and premieres of new works.

The ensemble maintains an active performance schedule. Last year, the Wind Symphony was selected to perform at the Nebraska Music Education Association’s Conference and In-Service Clinic. In addition, a peer review committee from the College Band Directors National Association recognized the group back in 2017 by naming it one of the top 10 exemplary collegiate small band programs nationwide.

Beyond class hours, members participate in small group meetings and attend rehearsals twice a week. Those interested in viewing the upcoming performance can access the livestream through the official university platform.

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