278 MTSU WIND ENSEMBLE CHOSEN FOR TOP PERFORMANCE SPOT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 12, 2008
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, (615) 898-2493

MTSU WIND ENSEMBLE CHOSEN FOR TOP PERFORMANCE SPOT AT FEB. 29 SOUTHERN DIVISION COLLEGE BAND DIRECTORS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Ensemble Will Perform Free Feb. 25 Concert Before Departing for Georgia

(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU Wind Ensemble was selected, through a blind- audition process, to perform at a premiere concert time slot at the Southern Division College Band Directors National Association conference in Columbus, Ga., at 7 p.m., Feb. 29, in the Schwob School of Music Legacy Hall OF Columbus State University.
The Southern Division is one of five regions of CBDNA and encompasses all universities in the southeastern United States.
"This is probably the most important performance invitation any student ensemble has had in the history of the MTSU School of Music," said Dr. Reed Thomas, conductor of the group and director of bands at MTSU.
Thomas said about 25 college bands from throughout the southeastern U.S. submitted live performance recordings and were blindly selected by a jury before being nominated for performance. From those 25 bands, five were selected to perform and the MTSU Wind ensemble was given the "finale" spot on Friday in the Wednesday-through- Friday conference.
"The invitation ... to perform at the premiere concert time for these national organizations is a recognition of the artistic maturity of the student musicians and programs in the School of Music, said Dr. George T. Riordan, director of the school. "(It is) an honor that MTSU now shares with some of the most honored bands throughout the nation."
In addition to the many university band directors who will be in attendance, the National Band Association will hold its biannual national convention at the same time and high-school band directors from across the nation will be in attendance.
"We are looking forward to representing the MTSU School of Music at this regional and national conference and letting many musicians know about some of the great things happening here at MTSU," said Thomas, referring to the national exposure his group will receive during the event.
Thomas said the MTSU Wind Ensemble will perform several new works, including Robert Bradshaw's new Trumpet Concerto, which was premiered earlier this year by the Wind Ensemble with faculty member/soloist Michael Arndt on trumpet; three movements of Shafer Mahoney's Symphony for Wind Orchestra in E-flat; a chamber winds piece by David Gillingham; Schuman's Declaration from Crendendum; and Hudson Nogueura's Brazilian piece titled Senzalas, Maracatus, e Quilombos.

There will be a pretour concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, in the T. Hinton Music Hall in the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. The group will also perform for band students at Siegel High School on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 26. The ensemble will depart for Atlanta on Thursday morning, Feb. 28, and perform for Lassiter High School before arriving in Columbus for the players’ Friday evening performance.
For more information on this and other events in the MTSU School of Music, please visit www.mtsumusic.com or call 615-898-2493.




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