Contact: Victoria Russell
Photo by: Megan Bean
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's Wind Ensemble will be in Natchez next week as featured university band for the 2014 Mississippi Bandmasters Association State Band Clinic.
Led by Elva Kaye Lance, the ensemble is making its fifth clinic appearance. This year, the 74-member group will headline a Dec. 12 concert at the Natchez Convention Center attended by more than 300 middle and high school band directors and members from throughout the Magnolia State.
"We are honored to be performing at this year's state band clinic," MSU's director of bands said. "Many of the students in our wind ensemble participated in this same clinic while in high school, so this performance is particularly meaningful to them."
With Lance will be guest conductors Barry E. Kopetz, head of the MSU music department, and Cliff Taylor and Craig Aarhus, associate directors of bands.
The Friday performance also features renowned trombonist Harry Watters, who travels internationally as a Jupiter Artist with Jupiter Band Instruments.
The ensemble is MSU's premier concert band. Representing various academic degree programs across campus, its members are advanced musicians selected by competitive audition.
Lance said the ensemble has developed a tradition of excellence in presenting both new works and traditional pieces. In addition to multiple campus performances each semester, the group tours regularly throughout the Mid-South and periodically in Europe.
"All of our students have worked hard preparing for this concert, and we are looking forward to showcasing our band program and music department to the band directors and band students of Mississippi," Lance said.
For more about the Dec. 10-13 MBA clinic, visit www.msbandmasters.com.
Additional information about the ensemble may be obtained by telephoning 662-325-2713 or visiting www.msuband.msstate.edu. Aarhus also may be contacted at cha18@msstate.edu. Learn more at facebook.com/famousmaroonband, instagram.com/maroonband and twitter.com/maroonband.
Mississippi's flagship research university is online at www.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate.