Overhead view of spring band concert

AU Symphonic Band, Ashland Area Community Band teaming up for April 29 concert

Published on April 22, 2022
Arts and Culture

April 22, 2022 ASHLAND, Ohio – The Ashland University Symphonic Band and the Ashland Area Community Band are joining forces for their annual Spring Band Concert on Friday evening, April 29, at 7:30 p.m., at Hugo Young Theatre. The concert is free and open to the public.

One of the program’s highlights will be the AU Symphonic Band, led by director Joseph Lewis Jr., performing four of the five movements of Johan DeMeij’s Symphony No. 1 “The Lord of the Rings.” The symphony is based on literary themes from the popular fantasy novel. The ensemble is also scheduled to play “Black Granite,” James Hosay’s tribute to the men and women who died during the Vietnam War, Igor Stravinsky’s “Berceuse and Finale (from The Firebird)” and selections from “The Danserye” by Renaissance composer Tielman Susato.

The Ashland Area Community Band will present a band director showcase of sorts, according to Lewis, as three band members will each conduct a piece. Six pieces will be played in all, including three widely-known features: “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite,” the most famous of all circus marches; “Amazing Grace,” the traditional Christian hymn; and “Hollywood Milestones,” a medley of soundtrack music from some of the most popular movies of the last 25 years.

The AU Symphonic Band consists of about 60 students from Ohio and across the U.S. and performs a variety of literature throughout the academic year, while the Ashland Area Community Concert Band features musicians from Ashland and the surrounding counties who desire to continue their musical study and creative activity.

For more information, please contact Joseph Lewis Jr., at 419-289-5132 or jlewisjr@ashland.edu.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.