CWU Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band to present final concert of year

Members of the CWU and Ellensburg communities are invited to attend a free year-end musical celebration on Thursday, May 29, at the McIntyre Music Building.

The event in the Hertz Concert Hall will feature performances by the CWU Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, under the musical direction of CWU Director of Bands Dr. T. André Feagin.

This dynamic concert will showcase an array of contemporary works for winds and percussion, offering audiences an evening of fresh sounds that still feel remarkably familiar. The program is thoughtfully curated to highlight lush harmonies, memorable melodies, and a deeply emotional musical experience for both performers and listeners.

The concert will also feature Eric Mills, graduate student conductor, as guest conductor with the Symphonic Band. Composers on the program include Yosuke Fukuda, Frank Ticheli, Florence Price, Jacques Press, and Andrew David Perkins.

A special highlight of the evening is the collaboration with distinguished composer Dr. Nicole Piunno, who will serve as composer-in-residence with the CWU Bands. Over the course of the evening, four of Piunno’s works will be presented between the two ensembles, including her major new work, Sunflower Studies: Symphony for Wind Ensemble.

She will work closely with the ensembles leading up to the performance and will be on location to offer insight into her music and the creative process behind these exciting compositions.

Piunno is an acclaimed composer whose work invites listeners to experience the full spectrum of life’s complexities. Her music explores the intersections of light and dark, chaos and order, beauty and brokenness, weaving these contrasts together through rich harmonic language and intricate counterpoint.

Her works have been performed by ensembles such as The President’s Own United States Marine Band, the United States Coast Guard Band, and at high-profile events such as regional CBDNA conferences, the Midwest Clinic, and all-state concerts nationwide.

If you have questions about the May 29 event in the Hertz Concert Hall, email TAndre.Feagin@cwu.edu or call 509-963-1916.

Chamber Trio Performing Tuesday Night

Also taking place this week in the McIntyre Music Building will be a special performance featuring three current and former CWU faculty members.

On Tuesday, May 27, at 7:30 p.m., Dr. Jeff Snedeker (horn), Dr. Scott Erickson (obo), and Dr. Giyong Ahn (piano) will be presenting a Trio Chamber Recital. The concert is free and open to the public. Snedeker, Erickson, and Ahn will be presenting a variety of works by French, German, and American composers.

One such selection is Romance, which French composer Adolphe Blanc created for three Parisian friends in 1872. Another selection is by German composer Carl Reinecke, who was a close friend of Johannes Brahms and completed his lush and monumental trio in 1900. American James Stephenson composed Mind Fields during a dark time in his life as his father struggled with the effects of a stroke.

If you would like to learn more about Tuesday’s concert in the Hertz Concert Hall, email jeffrey.snedeker@cwu.edu.