OSU Wind Ensemble captures crowds
Friday, April 17, 2009
Click to view video of OSU's Wind Ensemble
Hunter Lewis, a grad student working on his master’s in Conducting, described how he felt when the Oklahoma State University Wind Ensemble received the first of several standing ovations at last month’s National Conference of the College Band Directors National Association in Austin, Texas.
It was the third time the OSU Wind Ensemble had been invited to the conference, and the OSU group was one of only three in North America to have the honor of performing. OSU’s evening ensemble performance was a huge success.
“I’ve only seen four or five standing ovations in my career, and we received several at the Austin conference,” said Dr. Joseph Missal, the director of the Wind Ensemble.
The ensemble has had the privilege of performing in Canada, Japan, England, and Austria. The group’s final performance of the semester was Tuesday at the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts in Stillwater.
OSU’s Wind Ensemble is considered in the top 20 nationally by most university band conductors.
“It is quite impressive for a wind ensemble to be asked to play at six regional College Band Directors National Association conventions and three national conventions, which we have done the past few decades,” said Missal.
Only the best of the best are allowed to call themselves members of the wind ensemble at OSU. There are 53 slots, and students vie for a position during an extensive three-day audition every fall. Every member must audition each year to gain a spot in the wind ensemble.
It is a competitive and stressful process. After receiving a slot in the wind ensemble, the students are expected to attend rehearsal twice a week with Dr. Missal, plus they put in hours of personal practice time.
Missal said the greatest recognition for the students is receiving an invitation to perform at major conventions and conferences. The only thing that could be any better would be to have the original composer witness their performance.
The students hope for at least five to six major performances throughout the year and Lewis said preparing for the conferences and performing are the highlights to the year. “There is a great sense of community here, everyone holds everyone else to such a high standard,” he said
These elite players carry on their musical talents after graduation and share their knowledge with the country as teachers, members of professional orchestras or bands, and more.
Missal said he hopes for even more conferences next year, as well as another success like the Austin conference.
“We hope to have original composers come in the future and rehearse with our students to receive invaluable first-hand criticism from the creator of the music and a professional in the field,” he said.