UW Wind Symphony to Present ‘Introductions’ Oct. 3

The University of Wyoming Wind Symphony will present its season opener, “Introductions,” Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts concert hall.

Tickets are $14 for the public, $10 for senior citizens and $6 for students. A nominal processing fee will be charged for each ticket. To purchase tickets, visit the Performing Arts box office, call (307) 766-6666 or go online at www.tix.com/ticket-sales/uwyo/6984.

The symphony will perform works by Gustav Holst, Aaron Copland, Shuying Li, Amilcare Ponchielli and David Maslanka. The concert will feature clarinetists Sara Han and Blake McGee. The performance will mark new Director of Bands Matthew Schlomer’s first appearance conducting the UW Wind Symphony.

Formerly a conductor and instructor of saxophone at the renowned Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Schlomer is an international artist whose creativity flourishes across many genres. His diverse background as a saxophonist, composer, arranger, dancer, actor and award-winning visual artist informs his unique approach to performance and concert programming. He avidly pursues diverse artistic collaborations. He also is an advocate of new music, regularly commissioning and premiering works that explore the intersections of different art forms and promote underrepresented composers.

Schlomer’s past positions have included conducting residencies with the Traverse City Dance Project and the experimental percussion group Clocks in Motion, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Luther College and Edgewood College. He has over 12 years of experience teaching grades 5-12 in public and private schools.

He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, the National Association for Music Education and the National Band Association.

South Korean musician Han is assistant principal and E-flat clarinetist of the Washington National Opera Orchestra and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. She was a winner of the Music Academy of the West’s 2019 Keston Music Academy Exchange audition and the 2018 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition. Additionally, she was named a DaCamera Young Artist. She has been featured on NPR’s “From the Top” and has performed on stages around the world.

McGee, UW Department of Music professor of clarinet, has performed as a member of the Portland Opera, Vancouver Symphony and the Oregon Mozart Players chamber orchestra. He is principal clarinet of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he is a highly active chamber musician performing regularly with the Wyoming Reed Trio and Woodwind Quintet, the Wu-McGee Duo and as a member of Lights Along the Shore. McGee also tours annually throughout the country as a recitalist.

For more information, call Kathy Kirkaldie, UW Fine Arts coordinator, at (307) 766-2160 or email kirisk@uwyo.edu.