News Release

BYU Wind Symphony Dazzles with Mighty Sound

The Wind Symphony is Brigham Young University’s premier concert band at Provo, in the US state of Utah. The group is coming to Australia from 3-18 May 2018 and has planned a series of special performances.

The group consists of 50 of the best woodwind, brass, and percussion players and is one of America’s most travelled collegiate concert bands.

Led by director Dr Don L Peterson, the band performs a variety of genres that appeal to audiences. The band’s extensive repertoire includes pieces from classical and modern composers such as John Philip Sousa, Dmitri Kabalevsky, and their programme here includes numbers from one of Australia’s most prominent composers, Percy Grainger.

“Grainger is a staple among wind band composers and his music is truly unlike any other,” says Nick Ayala, piccolo player and graduate student studying instrumental conducting. “His music is fun, sometimes technically challenging and always endued with a great deal of emotion.”

Patrice Tipoki, best known for her roles in hit musicals from Australia to the West End, including Fantine in Les Misérables, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Elphaba in Wicked, and Nala in The Lion King, will be the featured guest soloist in concerts at Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The BYU Wind Symphony has travelled extensively since 1987 including performances in Asia, Europe, South Pacific and the Baltic states. It returns to Australia for the first time since 1991.

The professional quality of the Wind Symphony’s performances has resulted in prestigious invitations to perform for the College Band Directors National Association and for the American Bandmasters Association.

New Zealand newspaper, North Eastern Telegraph, once commented, “The faultless precision and control of the players . . . almost made one gasp with incredulous wonder.”

BYU Wind Symphony provides an exhilarating experience with the sounds of mighty brass, woodwind and percussions instruments. It will carry you to the wondrous world of instrumental music as it washes over you. Performances are scheduled for Sydney May 3-4, Canberra May 8, Melbourne May 10-14 and Brisbane May 16-18. 

For more information regarding dates, times and places click on tix.byu.edu

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