Brass Choir, Symphonic Band Collaborate

by Kathryn Sill, Public Relations Writer – November 4, 2015

The Brass Choir and Symphonic Band will collaborate for a concert on November 6.

Cedarville University’s brass choir and symphonic band will host their fall collaboration concert on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Dixon Ministry Center Jeremiah Chapel. The event is free of charge and open to the public.

While the brass choir and symphonic band have done separate concerts in the past, the two groups will be brought together this year to perform under the direction of Brian Balmages, who will serve as the guest conductor for the evening.

Balmages is an award-winning musician and composer of pieces for wind, brass and orchestra. His music has been performed worldwide, and he currently serves as Director of Instrumental Publications for The FJH Music Company Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“This is just a natural collaboration,” Mike DiCuirci, M.M., senior professor of music and director of the symphonic band and jazz band, said. “All of our students will benefit from working with Balmages.”

“The music we’ll play is festive and majestic,” Charles Pagnard, M.M., senior professor of music and director of the brass choir, said. “To an extent, his (Balmages) writing resembles a little bit of film scoring.”

The concert will predominantly feature Balmages’ music but will feature other pieces as well, including a fanfare by Steve Winteregg, D.M.A., professor of music, “Poem” by junior Sean Kisch and “Now Found” based on “Amazing Grace” by junior Calvin Hitchcock.

The brass choir will open the program, followed by the symphonic band’s performance. There are 20 students in the brass choir and 85 students in the symphonic band.

“The love that our students and faculty have for music will be evident at this concert, and we look forward to having the Cedarville family come out and support our students for this wonderful night of music,” Pagnard said.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings.