The Washburn University Wind Ensemble performed their third and final concert of the semester Saturday night, Nov. 19, 2022, at White Concert Hall.

Five works were performed, including the “Octet” by famed composer Igor Stravinsky. Thomas Pi, senior in music education, played trumpet.

“It was the most abstract of all of the pieces,” Pi said. “It was something to kind of chew on for everyone. Everyone needed to practice, so it was satisfying to get to put that out here.”

Bryce Call, assistant professor of trumpet, joined the ensemble to play the solo part on two pieces.

“On the ‘Evensong,’ I really loved his tone,” said Mia Stricklin, junior in music education, who played flute. “[Evensong] is by Gryc, who is an amazing composer, and I like how he allows the flutes to let our own kind of timbre just kind of ring.”

Merry, triumphant, serene and at times eerie, the ensemble performed a range of works with sharp precision in the acoustic hall. The beginning of “Scram!” by James M. Stephenson pierced the silence and made a few audience members startle.

Conducting the orchestra was J. Thomas Seddon IV, director of bands. Seddon has been at Washburn for five years.

“He’s very real. He’s very realistic and doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Stricklin said. “If he kind of needs to lay something down and just tell it how it is, he’s going to do that.”

The two other works performed on the night were “Children’s March” by Percy A. Grainger and “To Tame the Perilous Skies” by David R. Holsinger.

Next semester’s concert schedule for the Wind Ensemble has not been posted yet. The information will be available at www.calendar.washburn.edu.

Edited by Glorianna Noland, Justin Shepard