 The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Joseph Manfredo,
associate professor of music for the Illinois State University
School of Music. The concert will feature the winner of the Earl
Barnes Students Soloist Competition, Colby Spengler, a
clarinetist. Dr. David Brian Williams, professor emeritus of music
and arts technology at Illinois State University, will be a guest
conductor on the program.Music for this the final concert of the
season will include "Themes from Silverado," by Bruce Broughton;
"Light Cavalry Overture," by F. von Suppe; "Strike up the Band," by
George Gershwin; John Philip Sousa's "The Fairest of the Fair";
"Sangamon River Waltzes," by Henry W. Cary, edited by David Brian
Williams; "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral," by Richard Wagner;
"Where Never Lark or Eagle Flew," by James Curnow; "Trail Magic," by
Craig Andrew Fitzpatrick; and "Solo de Concours," by Messager,
featuring Spengler, the student soloist.
Conductors
Manfredo is the coordinator of music education at ISU and teaches
undergraduate courses in instrumental music education. In addition,
he is coordinator of the student teaching program.
Manfredo is in constant demand as a guest conductor, clinician
and adjudicator. He has conducted various all-state bands and honor
bands throughout the Midwest and Southeast. In addition, he has
presented lectures and clinics at the Mid-West International Band
and Orchestra Clinic, Music Educators National Conference national
conference, College Band Directors National Association national
conference, National Band Association national conference,
Instrumental Music Teacher Educators Biennual Colloquium, and the
Conn-Selmer Institute. He has made presentations at state music
conferences in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Ohio and Texas, and internationally in Shanghai, China;
Mainz, Germany; Echternach, Luxembourg; Graz, Austria; Coimbra,
Portugal; and in various cities throughout Brazil.
He serves on the board of directors for the Illinois Music
Educators Association, where he is head of the Music Teacher
Education Division, and was recently appointed chair of the IMEA
committee for teacher evaluation. In addition, he serves as the
Illinois representative for the North Central Division of the
Society for Music Teacher Education.
Williams founded the arts technology curriculum at ISU in the
early 1980s and has been a pioneer educator in music and arts
technology. His distinguished career has included teaching and
administrative appointments at ISU, SWRL Educational Research
Laboratory, the University of Washington and the University of Guam.
In 2001, he received the Illinois Music Educators Association
Distinguished Service Award for his work in music technology. He is
the immediate past president of the ISU College Music Society. He
holds a Ph.D. in systematic musicology from the University of
Washington.
Williams has written extensively in the areas of music education,
music psychology, and music and arts technology. He and Peter
Webster are co-authors of the textbook "Experiencing Music
Technology," published by Cengage Learning and in its third edition.
His composition teachers included Abram Plum, John Verrall,
William Bergsma and Robert Suderburg. Williams received a commission
in 1969 from the National Endowment for the Arts for the opera "Likeweake,"
based on Guamanian/Chamorro folklore, and he has composed works for
small ensemble, voice, choir, and concert band. His "Fanciful
Fractured Fugue for Diverse Winds" was selected for the Huntsville
New Music Festival last year. His "Grassroots" multimedia
performance piece with audience participation for the U.S.
presidential elections in 2008 and 2012 was performed in Atlanta,
Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Birmingham and Huntsville, Ala.; and in
Bloomington-Normal. His anthem "The Lord's Prayer," for choir and
organ, is to be performed this month in Chapel Hill, N.C.
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He and his wife, Kay, are both woodwind players and perform with
the Bloomington-Normal concert band, the Heritage Band of the
Midwest, and on various other occasions in central Illinois.
Student soloist
Colby Spengler is a senior at Morton High School. He is the son
of Phil and Jennifer Spengler. Colby studies privately with
instructor Sherill Diepenbrock and is involved in many band
activities directed by Jeff Neavor at Morton High School. He
participates in symphonic band, marching band, jazz band and the
musical pit orchestra. He has also participated in the Honor
All-State Band and Orchestra, Solo and Ensemble, Bands of America
Honor Band, and Twin City Honor Band. Colby was the John Kamarer
Youth Soloist Competition Winner with the Peoria Municipal Band in
2011. He has accompanied the Boston String Quartet and the U.S. Navy
Band.
In addition to music, Colby is involved in Boy Scouts, where he
received the rank of Eagle Scout and is currently an assistant
scoutmaster. He plans to major in music education at a
yet-to-be-determined university.
Ensemble
The Prairie Wind Ensemble has a rich history owed to its founder,
Conductor Emeritus Donald Lewellen, who created the ensemble in
1977. Dr. Lewellen led the ensemble until his retirement in 2003.
Robert Sheldon served as conductor of the ensemble until his
departure in 2010 due to job responsibilities as conductor,
composer, clinician and concert band editor for the Alfred
Publishing Co. Manfredo took over the ensemble beginning in January
2012.
The ensemble membership represents many professional backgrounds.
Approximately 70 percent of members are current or retired
professional music educators. The remaining 30 percent represent a
diverse set of occupations including recording technician, nurse,
educator, anesthesiologist, information technologist, electronics
technician, engineer, attorney, homemaker, electrician, retail
manager and project manager. Members are from Knoxville, Canton,
Macomb, Bloomington, Normal, Peoria Heights, Washington, North Pekin,
Marquette Heights, Avon, Morton, Cuba, Galesburg, Chillicothe,
Dunlap, Glasford, Mapleton, Bartonville, Metamora, Germantown Hills,
Marseilles, Farmington, Elmwood, Peoria, East Peoria and Morton.
For further information, pictures, contacts and updates for the
ensemble, visit
www.prairiewindensemble.com.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 309-694-5136 or in person at
the box office at the ICC Performing Arts Center on the main campus.
The cost is $8 for the general public, $6 for students and senior
citizens. Tickets are also available for purchase online at
www.artsaticc.com.
[Text from file received]
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