Chase Morin conducts the Wind Symphony during a rehearsal.
The CSU Wind Symphony begins its four-part symphony series with a concert featuring the work of German composer Paul Hindemith on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Griffin Concert Hall.
This season, the Wind Symphony celebrates outstanding cornerstones written for the winds and percussion genre, each featuring one of the great original symphonies by Hindemith, Ticheli, Hovaness, and Gould.
“[Symphonies of Wind and Percussion], Series is a vehicle for exploring composers who’ve written in these areas,” said Dr. Rebecca Phillips, conductor of Wind Symphony. “It allows our students to perform some of the finest literature in the genre in a new way.”
The opening concert, conducted by Dr. Phillips and graduate conductor Chase Morin, features Paul Hindemith’s Symphony in Bb for Band. The symphony, one of Hindemith’s last orchestral compositions, was completed in 1951, and premiered the same year in a performance by the United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” conducted Hindemith himself. The CSU concert also features works by Beethoven, Whitacre, and Kurka.
About Rebecca Phillips
Dr. Rebecca Phillips is the director of bands at Colorado State University where she conducts the CSU Wind Symphony and guides all aspects of the band and graduate wind conducting program. Prior to this appointment, she served as the associate director of bands, director of athletic bands, and associate professor at the University of South Carolina where she was responsible for directing the Symphonic Winds Concert Band, “The Mighty Sound of the Southeast” Carolina Marching Band, “Concocktion” Pep Bands, teaching undergraduate instrumental conducting, and directing the Carolina Summer Drum Major Clinic.
About the CSU Wind Symphony
The Colorado State University Wind Symphony performs the finest literature of yesterday, today, and tomorrow with a flexible instrumentation that includes as few as eight or as many as seventy-five players. Membership, determined each semester by a blind audition, includes the most accomplished graduate and undergraduate CSU music and non-music majors. In addition to commissioning and premiering new works, the CSU Wind Symphony regularly features faculty artists and the ensemble tours throughout the state and region, performing at conventions, conferences, and other venues across the west.
by Star Donaldson (UCA Intern)