WT Concert Band to Give First Concert of Semester

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas —Works exploring grief, Grecian culture and ghost stories are on tap for West Texas A&M University’s Concert Band concert.

The performance is set for 6 p.m. March 2 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus.

Admission is free.

The program will include “Lola Flores” by Alfred Sadel and Terig Tucci; “Oracle” by Eric Rath, the Canyon High School band director and WT alumnus; “Heartland Portraits” by Julie Giroux; and “Haunted Objects: Tsukumogami” by John Mackey.

“It has been a thrill to put this program together,” said Dr. Russ Teweleit, director and professor of music education in WT’s School of Music.

“Radiant Shadows” was composed while Giroux’s Great Dane was dying from bone cancer.

“Music is transcending and miraculous. You don’t accidentally compose music of this nature; you have to live it,” Giroux wrote. “The hurting never stops, but healing also never stops.”

“Haunted Objects: Tsukumogami” reflects Mackey’s affection for the Japanese culture.

“(Mackey’s wife) introduced me to the concept of tsukumogami, which are everyday items or tools that, after being around for a century, acquire a spirit and take on a life of their own. The idea inspired me to write music that alternated—and danced—between harmless and mischievous,” Mackey wrote. “I don’t consider the tsukumogami to be hurtful; they’re pranksters. They’re always reminding us that they have a use, and you should discard them with caution, as they might end up haunting you.”

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WT—