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Concert band, Key Players team up for spring concert


The band posing for a picture with their instruments

The Concert Wind Ensemble and the Key Players rock ensemble are scheduled to team up for a joint concert under the direction of Dr. Dan Hanson at 7:30 p.m. April 10 in Te Ata Memorial Auditorium at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.

The event is free and open to the public.

The wind ensemble will present a colorful program of contemporary and classic music as well as showcasing two student conductors.

Senior James Harper, of Comanche, will conduct Galop by Dmitri Shostakovich and senior Christopher Jordan, of Duncan, will conduct “The Kaffir on the Karoo” from John Philip Sousa’s Tales of a Traveler.

Jordan describes USAO’s Concert Wind Ensemble as a welcome break from the routine of classroom studies.

“Everyone shows up in a good mood and ready to play, which makes all the difference. It’s not a huge band but we’ve got a lot of soul,” Jordan said.

The university’s premier rock ensemble, the Key Players of USAO, debuted new material during a full set at Droverstock this year.

“The keyboard-driven group demonstrates complex and powerful sounds,” Hanson said. “We are very excited to share this material in the rich acoustic environment of Te Ata Memorial Auditorium." 

The set for this show includes music by Deep Purple, Chicago, Jethro Tull, The Who, Styx, the Little River Band and Elton John.

The Key Players of USAO includes Nathan Allen of Amber, Bailey Vinsant of Morris, Zev Stein of Oklahoma City, Bret Embry of Oklahoma City, Glenn Finley of Oklahoma City and Hanson.

Both ensembles serve a special function on campus, welcoming non-music majors and providing artistic expression credits that are required as part of USAO’s innovative Interdisciplinary Studies program. Scholarships are made available to each performing member.

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