01 Feb 2016 Free UCA concert

The University of Central Arkansas Symphonic Band will give its first concert of 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the university’s Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall.

This concert, free and open to the public, is the only one of the 2015-2016 academic year that will feature just the symphonic band, comprising both music and non-music majors.

The band will play five selections: “Esprit de Corps” by Robert Jager, “Pageant” by Vincent Persichetti, “Fanfare to ‘The Hammer’” by Anthony O’Toole, “Salvation is Created” by Pavel Tschesnokoff conducted by graduate student Nathan Rakow, and “Marche Militaire Française” by Camille Saint-Saens.

“This first concert of the new year is always a challenge for us,” said Brantley Douglas, associate director of bands at UCA as well as the symphonic band’s conductor. “We have just a little over a month to prepare an entire concert. The students have been working very hard to get ready for this program.”

The planned version of “Marche Militaire Française” is a new edition created by Douglas.

“I felt the need to play a piece of music to show our solidarity with the French people given the unfortunate attacks in Paris last year,” Douglas said. “I took several older arrangements to create a rendition that reflects the modern wind band instrumentation. I feel that it is fitting that we open our concert with ‘Esprit de Corps,’ which is based off of the United States Marine Corps Hymn, and we close with the ‘Marche Militaire Française’ to honor our long-time friend and ally.

For additional information, contact Douglas at 501.450.5022 or [email protected].