Symphonic Band concert includes PHS Band, PSU Percussion Ensemble

  Thursday, April 14, 2016 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Doug Whitten, who directs Pittsburg State University’s Symphonic Band, said he’s excited about the ensemble’s upcoming spring concert at 7:30 p.m. on April 21 in the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall of the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts.

“We’re going to play a very crowd-oriented program,” said Whitten, an associate professor of music at PSU.

The Symphonic Band, Whitten said, is made up mostly of non-music majors or music majors who are playing a secondary instrument. For their spring concert, their selections include the “Midway” march from the movie, “1941;” a fun, programmatic piece titled “Pirates!” “Concert Variations,” by Claude T. Smith, which is a staple in band literature; and a lush tone poem, “Dreams,” by Robert W. Smith.

The Pittsburg High School Band, under the direction of PSU alumnus Cooper Neil, will open the concert.

“This will be the first time that the PSU Band and PHS Band have performed together since I have been here,” Whitten said, “and we’re excited to share the stage with them.”

The PSU Percussion Ensemble will also join the Symphonic Band for this concert.

“They’ll perform some really fun Mexican-style marimba music,” Whitten said.

The concert is free and open to the public.