Baylor Wind Ensemble Invited to National Conference, Will Perform Preview Concert Monday Evening

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (Dec. 5, 2014) – The Baylor Wind Ensemble is experiencing a busy end to its semester as the group prepares for an upcoming four-state tour and culminating performance at The Midwest Clinic, an international band and orchestra conference hosted in Chicago.
The group was the only university wind ensemble invited to perform at the prestigious conference, which is one of the largest in the world and attracts roughly 20,000 music educators and students annually.
“We are very excited and honored,” said Eric Wilson, Ph.D., director of bands. “The Baylor School of Music will receive recognition and exposure in national and international proportion.”
Preparation for such a significant performance starts with the selection of entertaining and inspirational music and includes hours of logistical planning.
“There are many aspects involved in such a high-profile performance as this,” Wilson said. “Many of us have been working for months to plan and plot our course from Waco to Chicago. It is an arduous and lengthy process, but worth every moment.”
The ensemble will embark on its four-state tour of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois on Sunday, Dec. 14, and will perform six concerts at several performing arts centers along the way. The entirety of the tour is dedicated to Laura Onwudinanti and Jack Stewart, two Baylor School of Music students who were killed in a car accident last July.
A free preview concert will be held on the Baylor campus at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, in Jones Hall, 110 Baylor Ave.
“Our program consists of diverse and engaging music that is very audience friendly,” Wilson said. “They will hear a wide array of band music, from the high-energy and action-packed to the reflective and poignant.”
See below for the complete tour schedule:
Sunday, Dec. 14: Allen HS Performing Arts Center, Allen, Texas, 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 15: Frisco Heritage HS Performing Arts Center, Frisco, Texas, 9:30 a.m.
Monday, Dec. 15: Owasso HS Performing Arts Center, Owasso, Oklahoma, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 16: Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, St. Louis, Missouri, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 17: West Aurora HS Auditorium, Aurora, Illinois, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 19: Midwest Clinic, McCormick Place Skyline Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois, 4 p.m.
by Kristen Bennett, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The Baylor University School of Music provides transformational experiences that prepare students for careers in music. Our students thrive in a Christian environment characterized by a nurturing resident faculty, an unwavering pursuit of musical excellence, a global perspective, dedication to service, and devotion to faith. They investigate the rich musical and cultural heritage of the past, develop superior musical skills and knowledge in the present, and explore and create new modes of musical expression for the future. While preparing for future leadership roles, the students join with School of Music faculty in enhancing the quality of community life, enriching the larger culture, and making Baylor a place in which heart, mind and soul coalesce. The School of Music of Baylor University is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music and the Texas Association of Music Schools. Degree programs leading to the bachelor of music education degree conform to certification requirements of the Texas Education Agency.