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Westminster College Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band will livestream final concert

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Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2021

The Westminster College Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band will perform their final livestreamed concert of the year, “Today is the Gift,” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 30.

Perry J. Gatch, Westminster College percussion instructor, will open the concert with a percussion ensemble piece entitled “Wired” by Lynn Gassock.

The Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. R. Tad Greig, professor of music and director of bands, will perform pieces by Vincent Persichetti, Houston Bright, Rossano Galante, Andrew Boysen Jr. and Brian Balmages. The Wind Ensemble will be joined by the Westminster College Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Andrew Withington, associate professor of music and director of choral activities, in the title song for the concert, “Today is the Gift” by composer Samuel Hazo.

The Symphonic Band, also directed by Greig, will feature pieces composed by Boysen, Frank Erickson, William Harbison and Michael Makowski.

The concert will also include a world premiere performance of “Remnants of Things Forgotten,” a piece composed by Cody Ortz ’15 and performed by the Westminster College Alumni Wind Ensemble.

Ortz specializes in symphonic orchestral compositions, jazz compositions and chamber compositions. He has composed and recorded soundtracks for several film studios, corporate films and animations, as well as orchestrated pieces for various professional orchestras, big bands and wind ensembles. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Chichester in West Sussex, England.

The concert can be viewed live on the Westminster College Bands’ YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/IhV8o5Ci6Ow

The Westminster College Wind Ensemble is a 34-member student ensemble that performs a wide variety of the most challenging established and new works. The Symphonic Band features 60 musicians and performs an eclectic mix of new and classic symphonic band repertoire.

For more information about the Wind Ensemble or the Symphonic Band, contact Greig at greigrt@westminster.edu or 724-946-7279. For more information about the School of Music, visit www.westminster.edu/music.