In many areas across the nation, bands and orchestras play locally inspired music for local people. These are not touring bands or professional musicians, but rather a group of local people linked by a passion for music.
On Sunday at 3 p.m., one such band will be performing on the Mississippi State University campus in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium along with two other student ensembles.
When Craig Aarhus, assistant director of bands at Mississippi State University and community band co-director, came to the university in 2003, he had a vision to put together such a band combining members of the community and students at MSU. The community band would provide an outlet for people who played music at some point in their life and wanted to continue playing.
“The group is a mix of MSU students and adult musicians from throughout the local area. We play a lot of different music … original band music, transcriptions, pops literature, patriotic music, marches, etc.” Aarhus said.
MSU’s second concert ensemble, the Symphonic Band, will be joining the community band also. Comprised of students of all majors on campus, the Symphonic Band performs a wind repertoire of various styles of music. A student band, the Symphonic Band plays three concerts during the year.
The final student band performing Sunday, the Campus Band, is based on a course which has a special focus on sight-reading music and other practical music skills. Aarhus will direct this ensemble, which plays two concerts annually.
This is the second year the three ensembles have come together to play a concert.
“For this concert, our music all revolves around different types of American music: Jazz, patriotic, traditional march, folk songs, etc,” Aarhus said.
Ashley Norwood, a graduate student studying psychology and community band member said she enjoys the opportunity to play in the ensemble.
“The music that we play in community band is a unique mix of challenge and fun. We strive as a group to achieve the highest level of music complexity while at the same time laughing, having a good time, and making new friends,” Norwood said.
Clifton Taylor, associate director of bands, conductor of the Symphonic Band, said he agrees.
“Sunday’s concert is an opportunity for my students to share their gifts and talents with the community that has adopted them,” he said. “The act of sharing talents with others is a practice that I trust my students will carry with them to their future communities after graduation.”
For more information about the concert or any of the MSU ensembles, visit msstate.edu/org/band/ensembles.