Join us Monday evening for a concert by the Western Carolina University Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band showcasing our best student conductors and soloists. These WCU music majors were chosen through audition to lead or solo with the bands. Featured conductors Courtney Allen, Kristin Beesley, and Zach Ferguson are all juniors majoring in music education. Student soloists are graduate student Chris Kristich and freshman David Meyers, both performing on trumpet, and senior Erin Pugh, performing on oboe.

John West, director of  bands at WCU, has this to say about the concert, "This is a very special opportunity for some of our talented students to demonstrate their abilities as conductors and soloists. This is the fourth year we have done this concert and it is a pleasure for me to watch these students take the lessons they have learned from their coursework and put them to use on the concert stage.”

This free concert is Monday at 8pm in the Performance Hall of the Fine and Performing Arts Center.  

On Tuesday, the Catamount Concert Series presents its final concert of the academic year with a performance by WCU Jazz Combos. Student quartets and quintets of various instrumental combinations are directed by WCU faculty member Pavel Wlosok and graduate student Wells Gordon. The jazz combos perform a variety of jazz styles including blues, fusion, bop, and modal jazz. Composers include Antonio Carlos Jobim, Herbie Hancock, Sergio Mihanovich, Booker T & the MG’s, McCoy Tyner, and John Coltrane.

There is no admission charge for this concert which is Tuesday evening at 8pm in the Recital Hall of the Coulter Building.

On Sunday afternoon, the Western Carolina Civic Orchestra presents a concert featuring soloists orchestra's annual student solo competition. Violinist Molly McClure, clarinetist Katie Ebert, and soprano Cynthia Smith will solo with the orchestra. Also featured on the program is Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1. Also on the program is music by Mozart, Handel, Meyerbeer, Lehar, and Bernard Crusell.

William Henigbaum leads the orchestra in this free concert which takes place Sunday at 4pm in the Recital Hall of the Coulter Building. 

The WCU Fine Arts Calendar has a full list of this semester's events from the School of Music, as well as other arts events. Events are free admission unless they are marked ($). Please check back often for further concert information, additions, and changes.

Updated on April 27, 2009.