Forces Unite in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

The Utah State University Wind Orchestra and Symphonic Band, conducted by Thomas P. Rohrer and Gregory Wheeler, combine for a winter concert Friday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Kent Concert Hall in the Chase Fine Arts Center on USU’s Logan campus.

The concert is free and open to the public.

“This annual showcase and curricular performance outlet of the USU bands demonstrates the abilities of the school’s finest wind and percussion players, from music majors to non-majors alike,” said Rohrer. “The concert is a rare public exhibition of musical variety — from high art to toe-tapping razzle dazzle — by students from every college on campus.”

The Wind Orchestra program begins with Ron Nelson’s festive work Savannah River Holiday, and continues with two multi-movement pieces, Symphony for Band by Jerry Bilik and Year of the Dragon by Philip Sparke.

The Symphonic Band program features Original Suite by Gordon Jacob and the Percy Grainger adaptation of the British Folk song Green Bushes. A Yorkshire Overture by Philip Sparke and See Rock City by Brant Karrick complete the program.

Following the separate performances of each ensemble, the groups will combine for Hounds of Spring by Alfred Reed and Star Wars Medley, the theme for the evening, by John Williams.

“The headline work was arranged for concert band in 1977, the year the first movie was released, and was likely the first such authentic arrangement to be published,” said Rohrer. “After many permutations and additional films, this version remains an enduring legacy of where it all started in 1977.”

The university bands concert is free and open to the public.

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Source: Utah State University Bands

Contact: Whitney Schulte, 435-797-9203, whitney.schulte@usu.edu