Concordia's Wind Symphony to perform at Nebraska Music Educators' Association 2024 conference

by Hope Nelson

Seward, NE (11/04/2024) — The Wind Symphony at Concordia University, Nebraska is set to perform at the 2024 National Music Educators' Association conference at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their performance is to take place at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

The Wind Symphony is Concordia Nebraska's premier instrumental ensemble. It usually consists of 55 to 60 members, around 50 percent of whom are music majors. The group has toured regionally and nationally, and its performances have been featured on the Lutheran Hour radio broadcast. 2024 will be the first year that the Wind Symphony under the direction of Professor Robert Cody will perform at the NMEA conference. Their selection is based on a recorded audition submitted last May, in the group's inaugural year.

The NMEA is Nebraska's subset of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). As a music program, Concordia has a student chapter of the NAfME. The NMEA conference is a space for current, future and retired music educators - including many music students from Concordia - to engage in the study of music together. Presentations, breakout sessions, vendors and various ensemble performances are all featured at the conference.

Jackson Munter, a senior Wind Symphony member studying music education, said that performing at the NMEA conference is great for the group's exposure to new audiences and professional music educators.

"I am very excited to be a part of this group at a time when we can share our music and message to such a large and varied audience," he said. "This performance is important to the Wind Symphony for a number of reasons. The biggest reason is for exposure. We want as many people as possible to hear us and our musicians as well as the Gospel message we bring. We also want to show potential students what Concordia has to offer."

Samuel Dunbar, a senior Wind Symphony member studying music education, said that he's excited to be playing music "for my friends and future colleagues."

"When a collegiate ensemble has the opportunity to perform at NMEA, it shows that they are making music at a very high level. At past conferences, I've been blessed to see some exceptional musicians, such as the Symphonic Wind Ensemble from [the University of Nebraska - Omaha], who inspire me to further develop my craft...one of my favorite parts of NMEA is the connections I have had the chance to make with other professionals in Nebraska," he said.

Professor Robert Cody, who performed at NMEA conferences as an undergraduate student and attended the event in fall 2023, said that the purpose of the conference is to provide resources for current music educators.

"The scope ranges anywhere from early childhood to collegiate ensemble directing," he said. "The purpose...is to resource current music educators with best practice strategies."

Cody also stated that it is an "honor" for the Wind Symphony to be chosen to perform at this year's NMEA conference.

"Acceptance to perform is an affirmation of the ensemble's performance quality. The process to be invited to play involves a recorded audition that is reviewed by a panel. It is an honor to be selected and represent the university in the Lied Center - a prominent performing venue in the state and region - and specifically for an audience of our peers," he said.

Members of the Wind Symphony include:

FLUTE:

Faith Brackney, freshman, Allen, Texas

Sadie Henson, senior, Herrin, Ill.

Abby Kandt, senior, Wake Forest, N.C.

Karalynn Pingel, sophomore, Janesville, Wis.

Psalm Richters, senior, Utica, Neb.

Evelyn Schwartz, freshman, Peachtree City, Ga.

Danielle Turner, freshman, Derby, Kan.

Emma VonKampen, freshman, Atkins, Iowa

OBOE:

Walker Ranada, senior, McKinney, Texas

BASSOON:

Joshua Jurchen, junior, Seward, Neb.

CLARINET:

Bailey Bianco, sophomore, Loveland, Colo.

Arabella Blakeley, junior, Havana, Ill.

Ellie Lehr, junior, Omaha, Neb.

Katheryn Rice, senior, Bellevue, Neb.

Sydney Rohwer, sophomore, Kearney, Neb.

Thomas Zimmerman, sophomore, Apple Valley, Minn.

BASS CLARINET:

Hannah Ethridge, junior, Fulda, Minn.

Isabella Schmid, senior, Rockford, Ill.

ALTO SAXOPHONE:

Autumn Consier, sophomore, Churdan, Iowa

Grace Donnelly, junior, Three Forks, Mont.

Jacob Huber, PB, Canton, S.D.

Nathan Sollberger, sophomore, Louisville, Neb.

Megan Welch, junior, Columbus, Neb.

TENOR SAXOPHONE:

Jonah Carter, sophomore, McKinney, Texas

Taylor Rogers, sophomore, Plainville, Kan.

BARITONE SAXOPHONE:

Logan Walgate, senior, St. Charles, Mo.

TRUMPET:

Taylor Beal, sophomore, Wichita, Kan.

Emily Castens, freshman, New Haven, Ind.

Samuel Dunbar, senior, Lambertville, N.J.

Bailey Hidy, sophomore, Trenton, Neb.

Abbey Kudrna, sophomore, Omaha, Neb.

Maddy Peters, senior, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Mitchell Stephens, freshman, Houston, Texas

FRENCH HORN:

Nathan Feusse, junior, Saginaw, Mich.

Elizabeth Salo, freshman, Palmyra, Mo.

Creighton Urban, freshman, Callender, Iowa

TROMBONE:

Maxwell Carlson, sophomore, Norfolk, Neb.

David Eatherton, freshman, St. Louis, Mo.

Miriam Ganoung, junior, Halsey, Neb.

Michaela Gibbs, freshman, Virginia Beach, Va.

Matthew Guilford, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb.

Joshua Meyer, sophomore, Longmont, Colo.

Jackson Munter, senior, Ithaca, Neb.

EUPHONIUM:

Ellen Klintworth, sophomore, Seward, Neb.

Jacob Laesch, freshman, St. Louis, Mo.

Micah Travis, freshman, Sioux City, Iowa

TUBA:

Matthew Frerking, freshman, Columbia, Mo.

Benjamin Sams, freshman, Utica, Neb.

Colin Thuringer, senior, Sioux Falls, S.D.

PERCUSSION:

Aleksa Chambers, sophomore, Wilber, Neb.

Ethan Gillespie, senior, Random Lake, Wis.

Timothy Mars, senior, Cody, Wyo.

Shasta Tonniges, junior, York, Neb.

Rebecca Tredray, freshman, Robbinsdale, Minn.

Jacob Wald, freshman, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Aaron Wulff, junior, St. Charles, Mo.

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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