From blues to bluegrass to Mozart’s Requiem, Kansas Wesleyan’s Music Department will display its range in sometimes surprising ways during upcoming concerts.
The Wind Ensemble and Jazz Combo kick things off with a concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in Sams Chapel. Benjamin Rohrer, Wind Ensemble director, will offer a program ranging from marches to highlights from the musical “Oliver.” The Jazz Combo, directed by Jake Montoya, will run the gamut from blues to funk to Latin-inspired on the same program.
The KWU Percussion Ensemble, led by Daniel Albertson, ensemble director, will present its program at 7 p.m. April 30 in Sams Chapel.
The selections, all by modern composers, will showcase the tonal ranges of percussion instruments. Dr. Gustavo do Carmo, KWU collaborative pianist, will assist the quintet.
The KWU Philharmonic Choir will be featured in two performances of Mozart’s Requiem, the composer’s final masterpiece, with the Salina Symphony. The first will be at the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia at 7 p.m. May 3. The next will be at the symphony’s home, the Stiefel Theatre, at 4 p.m. May 4.
The KWU String Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. May 6 in Sams Chapel. Orchestra director Leonardo Rosario will also be featured on the violin in the “Strings and Threads Suite” by American classical and bluegrass composer Mark O’Connor.
“This series of concerts really runs the gamut,” said Michelle Dolan, executive director of music. “We’ll present classical and modern, country, bebop and Latin. No matter what style of music our students appreciate, we are able to offer it to them. Audiences are sure to appreciate the range, as well.”
Visit https://www.youtube.com/@kwustudentmedia/featured for links to live streams of concerts held on campus. Not all concerts may be streamed.
