BOONE—Under Dr. Kevin Gray Richardson’s direction, the Appalachian Symphony Band will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 in the Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall at Appalachian State University. Admission is free, and a live stream of the performance will be available at http://music.appstate.edu.

The program, a presentation of Appalachian’s Hayes School of Music, is titled “To Boldly Go…” It will feature four pieces. Three were originally composed for wind ensemble (aka concert band), which consists of wind and percussion instruments. They are Julie Giroux’s “To Walk with Wings” (2002); Michael Daugherty’s “Vulcan” (2014); and the fifth “Hobbits” movement from Johan de Meij’s “Symphony No. 1” (1988).

In program notes for the Oct. 3 performance, “To Walk with Wings” is described as “a musical epic for man’s quest for flight,” while “Vulcan” pays homage to Gene Roddenberry’s interstellar universe as depicted in “Star Trek,” the classic television series. “Symphony No. 1,” subtitled “The Lord of the Rings,” was inspired by the eponymous trilogy of novels by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Richardson is the associate director of bands and an assistant professor of music at Appalachian. He has also programmed Merlin Patterson’s wind ensemble transcription of the “Mars” movement from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” a famed staple of the repertoire for symphony orchestra since its composition in 1916. A symphony orchestra consists mainly of string instruments, in addition to winds and percussion.

About Hayes School of Music

The Hayes School of Music prepares young musicians for professional lives as performers, composers, music educators, music therapists, conductors and music industry professionals, ensuring the next generation of musical leadership for the state, region and nation. Noted for quality instruction by national and internationally recognized faculty musicians, the school offers four undergraduate degree programs and three graduate-level programs.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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