Symphonic Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble
About the event
April 13th Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert to Feature Premiere in Honor of President Schulz
Pullman-WA. A concert on April 13th at 8pm in Bryan Hall Theatre featuring the WSU Symphonic Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble will include the premiere of Drive, a new piece by Regents Professor and Director of the School of Music, Greg Yasinitsky, written in honor of the appointment of Kirk Schulz as the 11th President of Washington State University. The composition of the piece was made possible by generous donations from Regent Mike Worthy and the College of Arts and Sciences via Dean Daryll DeWald. Their donations will fund a scholarship for Kirill Polyanskiy, an outstanding undergraduate, music composition student.
Yasinitsky, winner of the Eminent Faculty award, has an international reputation as a composer with over 200 published musical works which are played internationally in over forty countries. He writes: “With Drive, I hoped to capture something of the optimism all of us share with the appointment of Dr. Schulz as WSU’s new President.”
The program will open with the Symphonic Band conducted by Troy Bennefield, Director of Athletic Bands at WSU. They will perform To the Wind by Aaron Perrine,
Dramatic Essay by Clifton Williams and Roll Takes a Walk by David Maslanka. Soloist for the Williams work will be Professor David Turnbull, recognized as one of the finest trumpet players in the country. He regularly tours internationally as a solo cornetist with the Fountain City Brass Band, an acclaimed, award-winning ensemble.
Following the Symphonic Band, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform conducted by Danh Pham, Director of Bands and Orchestras. Pham established the first Wind and Percussion Institute in Vietnam and guest conducts throughout Asia and the US. The program will include Petite Symphonie by Charles Gounod, Candide Suite by Leonard Bernstein and Colonial Song by Percy Grainger
The evening will conclude with the premiere of Drive by Yasinitsky.