Dana School of Music hosts Wind & Percussion Invitational

February 23, 2023

The Cuyahoga Falls High School Symphonic Band and the North Olmsted Falls High School Wind Symphony will join the YSU Wind Ensemble and YSU Percussion Ensemble at the 16th Annual Wind & Percussion Invitational on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 7:30 PM in Stambaugh Auditorium, located at 1000 Fifth Avenue, Youngstown, OH.

Ted Shistle, the director of bands at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Florida, is this year's guest clinician. Olmsted Falls has been listed annually as one of the "100 Best Communities for Music Education." The high school band program consists of the marching band, four concert ensembles, two jazz bands, and a music theory class. Olmsted Falls Wind Symphony is under the direction of YSU Dana School of Music alumna Julie Roberts. While under her direction, this group has doubled in size and now performs some of the most challenging music in the wind band literature. This ensemble is at the top level of concert ensembles at Olmsted Falls High School and is taken as an honors class by most students.

Cuyahoga Falls High School supports four primary concert bands, including the Freshman Band for all ninth-grade students and three ability-based, auditioned bands: the Gold Band, the Black Band, and the Symphonic Band. Under Dustin Harris's direction, the Symphonic Band is comprised of the most advanced musicians involved in the instrumental music program. The group consistently performs wind band literature of the highest quality. Many of the students in the group take private lessons and perform in other ensembles that meet outside the regular school day.

The two high school bands will perform selected pieces and both the YSU Wind Ensemble, directed by associate professor and director of bands Michael Butler, and the YSU Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of professor and director of percussion studies Glenn Schaft, will also perform.

Selections include "Hoo-Daiko" Traditional Japanese Taiko, arranged by Robert J. Damm; "Arabesque" by Samuel Hazo; "A Movement for Rosa" by Mark Camphouse; "Deep River" by Benjamin Horne; and "Star Wars Trilogy" by John Williams, arranged by Donald Hunsberger.