Curving the Canon serves as the unifying theme of the 2019-2020 season for the Murray State Wind Ensemble and University Orchestra. As in years past, both groups will open their seasons at the annual Fall Fanfare Concert in Lovett Auditorium. The world of wind bands has such diverse and rich repertoire of the past, and new and innovative repertoire written each day. This season is dedicated to casting a wide net of diverse composers through nationality, sexuality, gender, race, and time period. We hear music as old as Mozart; on to Italy with Almicare Ponchielli; to the United States with the music of Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Day, Karel Husa; to Britain with Ralph Vaughan Williams; and Australia with the music of Percy Grainger. More details and repertoire in the full season announcement to come.

In our first concert of the season, we will look at a new type of flexibility with our ensembles this year at MSU that offers students the opportunity both as a performer and educator to traverse a vast amount of repertoire in different configurations of players. Sometimes with the wind ensemble approach of 1 on a part, and others with a multitude of doublings modeling the symphony bands of the mid-twentieth century. Utility clarinets and bass saxophone are among their instrumental counterparts to help fill the textures and colors not often heard in today's concerts.

October 6, 2019 - 3:30pm Lovett Auditorium;
"Journey to the Past"
Common Threads, Kim Archer
Falling Leaves, John Fannin
They Hung Their Harps in the Willows, W. Francis McBeth
2 movements from Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Alfred Reed
Into the Silent Land, Steve Danyew
Music For Prague, Karel Husa
Flashing Winds, Jan Van der Roost

As part of our celebration of Racer Band 2019 (Official) Murray State University Racer Band Alumni weekend, we celebrate our history at MSU!
November 15-17, 2019, 
"Past, Present, Future"
Havana, Kevin Day
Folk Dances, Dmitri Shostakovich
Autumn Air, Nicole Piunno
The Daynsere, Tielman Susato, arr. Dunnigan, featuring the fabulous Brent Webster and members of the MSU Guitar Studio
Tocatta Marzialle, Ralph Vaughan Williams 
Legend of Bafe, John Fannin
Give Us This Day, Symphony No. 1, David Maslanka
We invite the alumni to join us for the playing of My Old Kentucky Home, Alma Mater, and the Fight Song to close our concert.

Guest conductors include Dr. Todd E. Hill, Dennis L. Johnson, Director of Bands Emeritus, as well as myself and John Fannin.
Murray State University Music Department

Check back next Monday for repertoire for our November 9, 2019 7:30pm Chamber Concert to celebrate the first ever Murray State University Racer Band Alumni Weekend!
We hope you will join us at any one or more of our recruitment events throughout the year as well:
November 1, 2019 - Quad State String Festival
November 2, 2019 - First Annual Murray State University Football Band Day
November 15-16, 2019 - Racer Band Alumni Weekend
November 25, 2019 - Quad State Middle School Festival
February 20-22, 2020 - Quad State High School Festival
​March 27-28, 2020 - Jame Aebersold Jazz Festival
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2018-2019 Concert Performance Recordings