NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Bands will present a concert on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free. The public is invited to attend. A livestream will be available at www.nsu.la/CAPA-LIVE.
Donations for the program’s upcoming trip to Dublin, Ireland, will be accepted. Donations can be accepted by contacting Anthony Pursell, Director of Bands: pursella@nsula.edu, 318-357-5825, or by using the link: https://northwesternstatealumni.com/band-ireland-trip/
The concert will feature the 2025 Fall Winds Concert Ensemble. The ensemble was established in 2024 as an opportunity for community members, faculty, staff and administrators to perform alongside the students of the Wind Symphony, according to Pursell.
“The ensemble also gives our senior music education majors an opportunity to conduct and administer the ensemble in all facets of preparation, which will pay huge dividends in their preparation of student teaching,” said Pursell.
Student conductors include Dylan Dunn-Peacock, Reon Bell, Timothy Pursell and Josue Bustillo. They are led by Dr. Andrew Blair, assistant director of bands and Dr. Molly Blair, assistant professor of music education.
“We are giving our undergraduate music education majors an experience that is typically reserved for graduate students at other universities. I am proud of our staff for extending themselves to help these students and equally proud of the students for taking this chance to lead their peers,” said Pursell.
Following the Fall Winds Concert Ensemble, the Wind Symphony will take the stage and perform a short concert cycle in preparation for their performance in January at the Louisiana Music Educators Association in New Orleans. The Wind Symphony will premiere a new fanfare by senior music education major, Turner Sugg, titled “Fanfare for Brotherhood.” The fanfare was written for the Theta Nu chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary service fraternity. Other works on the concert include a visit from composer Rossano Galante, who will lead a high school honor band on campus the following week. Two other works will be featured, Robert Langenfeld’s “Bursts of Joy” and Samuel Hazo’s “Perthshire Majesty.”