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University’s Wind Ensemble Plans First Concert

Dr. Jeff Emge leads UT Tyler Wind Ensemble members during rehearsal in their newly remodeled hall.

UT Tyler has formed its own student wind ensemble and is also serving as host to the Tyler Community Band. The UT Tyler Wind Ensemble, consisting of UT Tyler students, will perform its first concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10. The ensemble will perform again at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. Both concerts will be held at the Cowan Center’s Vaughn Auditorium. The Tyler Community Band, formerly known as the UT Tyler/Tyler Junior College Community Wind Symphony, also will perform two concerts in Vaughn Auditorium this fall. The band, a group of musicians from the Tyler community, will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3. Concerts of both groups will be open to the public. Admission will be free.

First All-UT Tyler Student Ensemble
The UT Tyler Wind Ensemble is the university’s first band solely consisting of UT Tyler students, said Dr. Jeff Emge, conductor, associate professor and music program coordinator.

The 35-member ensemble of woodwinds, brass and percussion meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in a hall (FAC 2007) that was renovated over the summer for sound treatment.

“We’ve hit the ground running,’’ Emge said. “The students, of course, come from public schools and they are used to performing two to three compositions in six to eight weeks and then rehearsing daily. Here, we only meet three times a week and in seven weeks we’re going to give a concert of six selections. So the students are doing more music in less time. An additional challenge is the fact that they have never played together as a group before.’’

Freshman music major Dustin Crawford, who plays the tuba, said the rehearsals are going well. “We’re a bunch of talented people who never met each other before. We’re coming in here and playing and we’re doing really good.’’

Senior psychology major Brandon Cutro played the euphonium with the UT Tyler/TJC Community Wind Symphony before joining UT Tyler’s student ensemble. “I am enjoying it. We’re playing good music,’’ he said of the new ensemble.

“I was excited when I heard that UT Tyler was getting a wind ensemble,’’ Cutro added. “It’s a lot more convenient for UT Tyler students to not have to travel to TJC to play over there.’’

Students join the ensemble by enrolling in Music Ensemble 1140.1 for one semester credit hour. However, the ensemble is always open to new members, who can include faculty and staff, said Emge, adding that they can either enroll for credit or audit the class.

Band for the Community
The UT Tyler/TJC Community Wind Symphony, formerly a collaborative effort between UT Tyler and TJC, has been renamed the Tyler Community Band with UT Tyler serving as host. As in the past, the band consists of musicians from the community and is always open to new members.

“We are in the process of deciding another name for it but right now I am calling it the Tyler Community Band because it belongs to everyone,’’ Emge said. “We have everyone from doctors to homemakers to teachers to music directors, a couple of college students and even one or two extremely good high school students.’’

For more information about the groups, contact Dr. Jeff Emge at 566-7091.

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Contact person: Emily Battle, (903) 565-5604