When Purdue Bands co-hosts the national American Bandmasters Association convention in Indianapolis with our colleagues from Butler, Ball State and Indiana University in late February, the Purdue Wind Ensemble will be featured at an 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29 Clowes Hall performance on the Butler campus.

The public is invited; admission is free.

The concert will honor Director of Bands Emeritus Al Wright, an Honorary Life President of ABA, who celebrated his 95th birthday in June 2011. This is the third time in Purdue’s history that a concert group has performed at a national band/music convention with the last performance occurring in 1981. Other directors in Purdue's history to hold ABA membership are Bill Moffit and Jay Gephart. 

Steven Bryant’s “Anthem,” a pieced commissioned by Purdue Bands for its 125th anniversary, will be a centerpiece of the concert. Among other tunes on the concert are Justin Freer’s “Rio’s Convergence” and William Pitts’ “Turbo Scramjet.” Every piece will feature a different guest conductor.  Fred Jewell’s “Radio Waves” will be conducted by Gladys Wright and Henry Fillmore’s “Rolling Thunder” will be conducted by Dr. Al G. Wright.

Click here for a flyer about the event.

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