Wind Ensemble
Photo: Richard Termline/New York Times/Redux Pictures
Described by the New York Times as “one of America’s most esteemed concert bands,” the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble is the premier wind band at the University of Kansas and is conducted by Dr. Paul W. Popiel, Director of Bands. Their Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 was described by Feast of Musicas as “showing amazing chops in their transitions and an impressive range of dynamics” and by the New York Times as “performing with polish, assurance and copious spirit, eliciting a rousing ovation."
The Wind Ensemble’s membership is selected by audition from among the finest wind and percussion players at the university. The Wind Ensemble performs diverse repertoire of the highest caliber from chamber works to large ensemble pieces and has a strong commitment to new music as well as the finest standard band repertoire. The band has a long tradition of excellence and performs regularly at national conventions, commissions new works, and hosts outstanding composers, conductors, and soloists. The Wind Ensemble meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00-2:50 in the Fall and from 2:00-3:50 in the Spring.
How to Join the Wind Ensemble
Membership in the KU Wind Ensemble is by blind audition and is open to all qualified students at the University. Auditions take place the first week of classes of each semester and are heard by the conductors and the appropriate applied music Professor.
Auditions consist of prepared excerpts and sight-reading. The prepared excerpts are available in the KU band office or may be downloaded here.
Wind Ensemble Repertoire
2014-2015
Please click here for the 2014-2015 Wind Ensemble concert season
2013-2014
October 6 at the Lied Center, 2:30 pm
Canzona (1951), Peter Mennin (1923-1983)
Panta Rhei (2010), Ingrid Stolzel (b. 1971)
Bliss (2003), Michael Torke (b. 1961)
Morning Star (1997), David Maslanka (b. 1943)
Rapsodia Borealis (2001), Soren Hyldgaard (b. 1962)
Dr. Michael Davidson, trombone soloist
October 22 at the Lied Center, 7:30 pm
Anniversary Fanfare (2013), James Barnes (b. 1949) WORLD PREMIERE
Bassoon Concerto for Winds and Electronics (2013), Kip Haaheim (b. 1955) WORLD
PREMIERE - Eric Stomberg, bassoon soloist
November 10 at Kauffman Center KC, MO
Capt. Michelle Rakers, US Marine Band & Sharon Toulouse, guest conductors
Wild Blue Yonder (2006), James Barnes (b. 1949)
Symphony No. 4 (1952), Morton Gould (1913-1996)
Commando March (1943) Samuel Barber, 1910-1981
The Alcotts (1920) – Charles Ives (1874-1954)/ trans. Elkus
Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (1775)/arr. Simone Manti -AJ Miller and
Sarah Miller, euphonium soloists
Semper Fi (1888) John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
Band of Brothers (2001) Michael Kamen (b. 1948)/ trans. Nowlin
Armed Forces Medley arr. Knox
Stars and Stripes Forever (1896), John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
December 3 Blue Valley High School, 7:00 pm
A shared program with the Blue Valley High School Bands!
Commando
March (1943) Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Avian Bear, guest conductor
Wild Blue Yonder (2006), James Barnes (b. 1949)
Sharon Toulouse, guest conductor
“Marches” from Symphony No.4 (1952), Morton Gould (1913-1996)
Military
Escort Bennett/Fennell - Combined with BVHS Bands
December 9 Murphy Hall 130, 1:00 pm
Canzon septimi toni No. 1(1597) by Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612)
Old Wine in New Bottles (1958) by Gordon Jacob (1895-1984)
Chorale and Alleluia (1954) by Howard Hanson (1896-1981)
Ice 9(2011) by Von Hanson (b.1984) world premiere
Cameron's Dream (2013) by Joni Greene (b.1981) world premiere
Four Scottish Dances (1957/1978) by Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006)/Trans. by John Paynter
Spring 2014
February 1 Prairie Winds Concert at Lied Center, 7:30 pm
Krunch (1996) Tim Davies (b. 1972) KU SAXOPHONE QUARTET 1
…and the mountains rising nowhere (1977)Joseph Schwantner (1943)
Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (1775)arr. Simone Mantia
Albert and Sarah Miller, Guest SoloistsSharon Toulouse, Guest Conductor
Commando March (1943)Samuel Barber (1910-1981)Matthew O. Smith, Guest Conductor
February 6 at Park Hill South High School, 7:00 pm
Commando March (1943)Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Chorale and Alleluia (1954)Howard Hanson (1896-1981)
Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (1775)arr. Simone Mantia
Albert and Sarah Miller, Guest SoloistsSharon Tolouse, Guest Conductor
Four Scottish Dances (1957/1978)Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006)/Trans. John Paynter
February 25 Lied Center, 7:30 pm
Quator (1933) Jean Francaix (1912-1997) FLAT VI QUARTET
Lateral Perspectives (2010) Kevin Walczyk (b. 1964) Luke Johnson, guest conductor
Net Luck Soaring (2011) Joni Greene (b.1981) Ben Harper, guest conductor
...and the mountains rising nowhere (1977) Joseph Schwantner (1943)
Idea Number Twenty-Four (2006) Terry Everson (1962) KU TRUMPET QUINTET
Lincolnshire Posy (1937) Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882-1961)
April 15 Lied Center, 7:30 pm
Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920, rev. 1947) Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Concerto for Flute and Wind Orchestra (2012) James Barnes (b.1949) world premiere
Sarah Frisof, soloist
Matthew O. Smith, guest conductor
A Child’s Garden of Dreams (1981) David Maslanka (b.1943)
April 25 Murphy Hall 130, 2:30 pm
Chad Simons Lecture-Recital tentative: “The Wind Music of Composer Joni Greene”
2012-2013
September 21, 2012
7:30pm, Collage Concert at the Lied Center of Kansas
Movement 2 from Symphonic Requiem, op. 135 (2011) by James Barnes (b. 1949)
October 2, 2012
7:30pm, Lied Center of Kansas
Road Stories (2010) by Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
Music for Prague 1968, (1968) by Karel Husa (b. 1921)
Symphonic Requiem, op. 135 (2011) by James Barnes (b. 1949)
Click to view the event poster.
October 17, 2012
7:30pm, Lied Center of Kansas
“Canzon Primi Toni” from Sacrae Symphonie (1597) by Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612)
La Creation du Monde, op. 81a (1923) by Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)
November 2, 2012
7:30pm, Yardley Hall, Overland Park, KS
From Glory to Glory (2011) by Kevin Walczyk (b. 1964)
On the Waterfront (1954) by Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990)
Nitro (2006) by Frank Ticheli (1958)
Event Horizon (2011) by Joni Greene (b. 1981)world premiere
Rhapsody in Blue (1924) by George Gershwin (1898 – 1937)
Steven Spooner, piano
February 1, 2013 Shared with Jazz Ensemble 1 and soloist Steve Leisring, trumpet
7:30 pm Lied Center of Kansas
Blue Shades (1997) by Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)
Rhapsody in Blue (1924) by George Gershwin (1898 – 1937)
Steven Spooner, piano
March 18-21, 2013
Naxos Recording Sessions
“In the Shadow of No Towers” (2012) by Mohammed Fairouz (b. 1985)
Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists (2001) by Philip Glass(b. 1937)
Ji Hye Jung and Robert van Sice, timpani
March 26, 2013
8:00pm (EST), Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall, NYC
“In the Shadow of No Towers” (2012) by Mohammed Fairouz (b. 1985) world premiere
Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists (2001) by Philip Glass (b. 1937)
Ji Hye Jung and Robert van Sice, timpani
kuendowment.org/music_carnegie»
April 2, 2013
7:30pm, Lied Center of Kansas
“In the Shadow of No Towers” (2012) by Mohammed Fairouz (b. 1985)
Midwest premiere
Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists (2001) by Philip Glass(b. 1937)
Ji Hye Jung and Robert van Sice, timpani
April 23, 2013
7:30pm, Lied Center of Kansas
Festive Overture, Op. 96 (1954/1965) by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
O Magnum Mysterium (2003) by Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)
First Suite in Eb, Op. 28, No. 1 (1909)
I. Chaconne II. Intermezzo III. March
by Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
Ravenkind (2012)
I. Odineyes II. Nighttress III. Jetpriest IV. Creekkeeper
by Forrest Pierce (b. 1972) with Robert Walzel, soloist world premiere
Theme and Variations, Op. 43a (1943) by Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
2011-2012
Collage September 23, 2011
6:00 Chen Yi - Movement 2 from Dragon Rhyme
Concert #1: Tuesday October 4, 2011
7:00 Ticheli - Wild Nights!
23:00 Walczyk - Clarinet Concerto
5:00 Mahoney Sparkle
13:00 Dello Joio - Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn Michael Mapp, guest conductor
6:00 Chen Yi - Movement 2 from Dragon Rhyme
(3:00 Sousa - The Washington Post)
Concert #2: Chamber Winds - Wednesday October 19, 2011
10-15:00 selections from Weill Kleine Dreigroschenmusik
10-15:00 selections from Dvorak Serenade
Concert #3: November 8, 2011
1:30 Gould - Fanfare for Freedom
9:00 Torke/Patterson - Javelin Matt Smith, guest conductor
11:00 Copland/Hunsberger - Quiet City Steve Leisring, trumpet & Margaret Marco, English horn
20:00 Reed - La Fiesta Mexicana Sarah Labovitz, guest conductor
16:00 Torke - Mojave Ji Hye Jung, marimba
Concert #4: November 13, 2011 7pm at the Kauffman Center, Kansas City
Gould- Fanfare for Freedom
Torke- Mojave
Ji Hye Jung, marimba
Ticheli- Wild Nights!
Copland/
Hunsberger Quiet City
Steve Leisring, trumpet & Margaret Marco, English horn
(Encore- Sousa - The Washington Post)
Recital: Sarah Labovitz DMA recital - Wednesday December 7, 2011
23:00 Dvorak Serenade
5:00 Mackey Strange Humors
6:00 Plog - Three Miniatures
22:00 Reed - La Fiesta Mexicana
TBA
Spring 2012
Concert #5: Prairie Winds Concert/Perc Ens February 4, 20126:00 Daugherty - Desi
16:00 Torke Mojave
6:00 Varese - Ionisation, Sarah Labovitz, guest conductor
5:00 Mahoney Sparkle
6:00 Chen Yi - Movement 2 from Dragon Rhyme
More Percussion Ensemble, TBA
Concert #5.5: KMEA Friday February 24, 2012
Ticheli- Wild Nights!
Copland/
Hunsberger Quiet City
Steve Leisring, trumpet & Margaret Marco, English horn
Torke- Mojave
Ji Hye Jung, marimba
Chen Yi - Movement 2 from Dragon Rhyme
Concert #6: Scholarship Concert - Friday March 30, 2011
TBA Robert E. Foster, guest conductor
14:00 Copland, A Lincoln Portrait
10:00 Ticheli, An American Elegy
NAXOS Recording "American Landscapes" - Recording April 1-6, 2012
9:00 Torke Javelin
16:00 Ticheli Simple Gifts
6:00 Torke Mojave
5:00 Copland Quiet City
6:00 Ticheli An American Elegy
Copland Variations on a Shaker Melody
Concert 7: Thursday April 26, 2012, John Whitwell, guest conductor
2010-2011
Collage Concert September 24th, 2010
5:00 Bryant - Radiant Joy
October 6th, 2010
3:30 Strauss - Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare
13:00 Greene - Circean Waters
15:00 Bennett - Suite of Old American Dances Sarah Labovitz, guest conductor
9:00 Barnes - Chorale Prelude on a German Folk Tune (1984)
20:00 Grainger - Lincolnshire Posy
November 10th, 2010
"Old Wine in New Bottles"
12:30 Jacob - Old Wine in New Bottles
17:00
Milhaud - Suite francaise
Cheryl Lee, guest conductor
15:00 Bennett - Suite of Old American Dances
Sarah Labovitz, guest conductor
11:00 Gandolfi - Vientos y Tangos
19:00 Hindemith - Symphony in Bb
Cheryl Lee MM conducting recital December 1st, 2010
Mendelssohn - Nocturno, op. 24
Benson - Solitary Dancer
Wilt - Nevermore
Grainger - Colonial Song
Milhaud - Suite francaise
Shared with Jazz Ensemble 1 February 5th, 2011
22:00 Mintzer - Go! - Concerto for Tenor Saxophone
Vince Gnojek, soloist
3:30 Bernstein - Slava!
April 1st, 2011
10:00 Strauss - Serenade in Eb, op. 7
4:00 Gabrieli - Canzona Septimi Toni #2
6:00 Lauridsen/Reynolds - O Magnum Mysterium
9:00 Roger Nixon - Fiesta Del Pacifico, Sarah Labovitz, guest conductor
20:00 Grainger - Lincolnshire Posy
-intermission-
5:00 Bruce Broughton - Silverado
with combined Horn Choirs from KU and UMKC - guest conductor Paul Stevens
19:30 Wilson - Concerto for Horn and Wind Ensemble
Gail Williams from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, soloist
4:00 Sousa - Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
"New Paradigms" May 10th, 2011
15:00 Maslanka - Traveler
11:00 Daugherty - Red Cape Tango
Cheryl Lee, guest conductor
7:00 Varese - Octandre
22:00 Bryant - Ecstatic Waters
Steven Bryant, resident composer
2009-2010
October 2, 2009
Frank Ticheli, guest composer/conductor
Michael Davidson, trombone
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Cheryl Lee, graduate student conductor
Postcard (1994) – Frank Ticheli
Sanctuary (2005)– Frank Ticheli
Concertino for Trombone and Band (1987) – Frank Ticheli
Angels in the Architecture (2008) – Frank Ticheli
Blue Shades (1996) – Frank Ticheli
November 9, 2009
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Haley Armstrong, graduate student conductor
Day Signal from Signals from Heaven (1987) – Toru Takemitsu
Et Expecto Ressurectionem Mortuorum (1964) – Oliver Messiaen
Night Signals from Signals from Heaven (1987) – Toru Takemitsu
Music for Prague 1968 (1968) – Karel Husa
February 6, 2010
Stephanie Zelnick, clarinet
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Fanfare for Freedeom (1943) – Morton Gould
Saint Lawrence Suite (1958) – Morton Gould
Derivations for Solo Clarinet and Band (1953) – Morton Gould
Jericho Rhapsody (1939) – Morton Gould
American Salute (1943) – Morton Gould
May 4, 2010
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Esch, guest conductor
Cheryl Lee, graduate student conductor
Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920 ver.) – Igor Stravinsky
Symphonietta (1961) – Ingolf Dahl
Scherzo alla Marcia from Symphony No. 8(1783) – R. Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 4 "West Point" (1952) – Morton Gould
2008-2009
October 3, 2008
"Opera Without Words"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Steve Leisring & Dai Zhonghui, trumpet
Frank Perez, graduate student conductor
Overture to La Forza del Destino (1869) – Guiseppe Verdi
Regina Coeli from Cavalleria Rusticana (1890)– Pietro Mascagni
Wedding Dances from Bandana (1998) – Daron Hagen
The Good Soldier Schweik Suite (1956) – Robert Kurka
Carmen Fantasia (1994) – Georges Bizet/Hunsburger
November 23, 2008
"British Invasion"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Scott Watson, tuba
Haley Armstrong, graduate student conductor
Masque (2001) – Kenneth Hasketh
Hammersmith - Prelude and Scherzo, OP. 52 (1930) – Gustav Holst
Tuba Concerto (1984) – Edward Gregson
Yiddish Dances (1996) – Adam Gorb
Tone Poem, Mannin Veen (1933) – Haydn Wood
February 16, 2009
"Joint Concert with Lawrence H.S. Band"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
February 21, 2009
"An evening of jazz and jazz-influenced music"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
February 27, 2009
"KMEA, Century II Concert Hall, Whichita, KS"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (1961) – Leonard Bernstein
| I. | Prologue. Allegro moderato |
| II. | “Somewhere.” Adagio |
| III. | Scherzo. Vivace leggiero |
| IV. | Mambo. Meno presto |
| V. | Cha-Cha (“Maria”). Andantino con grazia |
| VI. | Meeting scene. Meno mosso |
| VII. | “Cool” Fugue. Allegretto |
| VIII. | Rumble. Molto allegro |
| IX. | Finale. Adagio |
Cuban Overture (1932) – George Gershwin
March 30, 2009
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Paul Stevens, horn
Occident et Orient (1869) – Camille Saint–Saëns
O Magnum Mysterium (1994) – Morton Lauridsen
Concerto for Horn in E-flat, K. 417 (1783) – W.A. Mozart
Masquerade (1966) – Vincent Persichetti
Symphony No. 6 (2008) – James Barnes
April 24-25, 2009
"Campus Creative Project"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Turtle Island String Quartet
The Tree of Life (2008) – David Balakrishnan
World Premiere Performance
2007-2008
September 28, 2007
Debut Concert
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Stephanie Zelnick, clarinet
Festive Overture, Op. 96 (1954) – Shostakovich/Hunsberger
Colonial Song (1905/1917) – Percy Grainger/Rogers
Finish Line (2006) – Cindy McTee
Fantasie Brillante on Verdi's Rigoletto (1851) – Luigi Bassi/Laurendeau
Serenade in E flat, Op. 7 (1882) – Richard Strauss
Southern Harmony (1998) – Donald Grantham
November 23, 2007
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Lyndsay Boysen, Frank Perez & Eric Posner, assistant conductors
Michael Davidson, trombone
La Procession du Rocio (1913) – Joaquin Turina, trans, Reed
Trauermusik (1844) – Richard Wagner
Divertimento for Band, Op. 42 (1950) – Vincent Persichetti
Octour (1922-3, rev. 1952) – Igor Stravinsky
Concertino for Trombone in E flat Major, Op. 4 (1837) – Ferdinand David
"Dance of the Jesters" from The Snow Maiden (1884) – Pyotr Illyich Tschaikovsky
February 14, 2008
"An Evening in Paris"
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Frank Perez & Eric Posner, assistant conductors
David Fedele, flute
Fanfares Liturguique (1947) – Henri Tomasi
Petite Symphonie, op. 90 (1885)– Charles Gounod
Children's Overture (1964) – Eugene Bozza
Concertino, op. 107 (1910) – Cecile Chaminade, arr. Wilson
Paris Sketches (1994) – Martin Ellerby
February 27, 2008
Eric Posner, conductor
Fanfares Liturgiques (1947) – Henri Tomasi
Lincolnshire Posy (1937)– Percy Aldridge Grainger
Song (2000) – William Bolcolm
"March" from Symphonic Metamorphosis (1943) – Paul Hindemith, trans. Wilson
March 31, 2008
Joint Concert with the KU Kansas City Youth Wind Symphony
Yardley Hall, Overland Park, Kansas
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Wild Nights! (2007)– Frank Ticheli
Shadow Dance (2006) – David Dzubay
Anahita (2005) – Roshanne Etezady
"Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" from Lohengrin (1846–48)– Richard Wagner
April 27, 2008
Murphy Hall 50th Anniversary Celebration
Scott A. Weiss, conductor
Vince Gnojek, saxophone
Wild Blue Yonder (2006) – James Barnes
Dusk (2004)– Steven Bryant
Concerto for Soprano Saxophone (2007) – John Mackey
