蘑菇短视频

This week, those vibrations will echo all the way down to the Sunshine State. 

The 蘑菇短视频Wind Ensemble will perform at the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division Conference on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa. 

Pride of the Mountains Marching Band director Matt Henley will also present a presentation on the band鈥檚 2025 halftime show, Connect, at the conference. The CBDNA is made up of music educators from across the country devoted to teaching the next generation of performers.

鈥淚'm incredibly proud of our students,鈥� said Margaret Underwood, director of the School of Music and director of bands. 鈥淭o be selected for this honor out of so many bands shows how committed they all are to their craft. It also demonstrates what wonderful mentors they have in our faculty. 

鈥淲e are all so excited about this opportunity and to share our music making with other band programs.鈥�

The 蘑菇短视频Wind Ensemble, made up of 55 of the finest instrumentalists on campus, was one of six groups selected to play at the CBDNA conference, and the only one without a graduate program in music. 

Twenty-seven collegiate wind ensembles across 11 southern states submitted recordings for consideration. 

鈥淚t's a very cool opportunity for our wind ensemble and our school to be represented at a conference of this size,鈥� said Forsby Quick, senior music major and the ensemble鈥檚 principal trumpet. 

鈥淎s our director Dr. Underwood explained it, it's kind of the biggest caliber that we can really shoot for with the size of our music program, so it's pretty cool that we get to do that, and it will be a fun trip.鈥�

The ensemble will be performing four pieces: Smetana Fanfare by Karel Husa, Sinfonia No. 4 by Walter Hartley, The Creation of Faith by Jodie Blackshaw and the premiere of Ocean of Undiscovered Truth by Roger Zare, which will feature 蘑菇短视频saxophone professor Ian Jeffress as a soloist.

All of the pieces鈥� composers have a connection to 蘑菇短视频or North Carolina. Husa and Hartley retired to North Carolina, Zare teaches composition at Appalachian State University and the 蘑菇短视频School of Music has collaborated with Blackshaw several times.

鈥淭he performance opportunity is the main thing. It's kind of forced us to really work hard as a group to try to play at the best of our ability,鈥� said Forsby, a Fayetteville native,鈥� 鈥渟o we're going to get to put on a great concert, and hopefully, draw some attention to the school.鈥�

In preparation for this conference, the ensemble has worked with a number of clinicians, including Zare, Craig Kirchhoff, former director of bands at the University of Minnesota and Timothy Robblee, director of bands at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia.

In addition to performing at the conference, the wind ensemble will perform at local high schools on the way to Tampa, including Norcross High School near Atlanta and Tarpon Springs High School in the Tampa area.

Ensemble members will also have the opportunity to connect with peers and leaders in music at the conference.

鈥淚'm really excited to connect and network with other band directors, because I'm a music education major,鈥� said Emilia Sepulveda, a clarinet player in the ensemble and a senior from Fayetteville, Georgia. 

鈥淚t's really nice to be able to be around so many people that have been in the profession for so long and to learn their stories and any advice they have for someone who's going in鈥� I'm really excited to hear the other bands play, and I can only imagine how hard they're working with how hard we're working, so it's honestly just a really big bonding experience, too.鈥�

POTM鈥檚 performance was selected through an anonymous adjudication conducted by a group of band directors throughout the Southeast.

Only five other regional bands, including Clemson University鈥檚 Tiger Band and the University of Georgia鈥檚 Redcoats, will have their performances showcased at the event.

It鈥檚 an incredible moment for 蘑菇短视频musicians and the campus community as a whole, emphasized Henley.

鈥淭his honor is a powerful testament to the diligence, discipline and commitment our students demonstrate every single day. To be recognized in this way 鈥� by fellow college band directors from across the Southeast 鈥� is both humbling and deeply meaningful,鈥� Henley said. 

鈥淚 am equally proud that the 蘑菇短视频Wind Ensemble has also been selected to perform at the CBDNA conference. Together, these selections stand as clear evidence of the complete, immersive musical education our students receive at 蘑菇短视频 鈥� one that values depth, excellence and versatility across ensembles and performance experiences.鈥�

Henley recognized the accomplishment as an endeavor only possible through the collaboration 蘑菇短视频inspires.

鈥淭his recognition is not about any one individual,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t reflects the extraordinary students we are privileged to teach, the dedicated faculty and staff of the 蘑菇短视频School of Music and a university that believes in us, supports our mission and lives our mantra. I am deeply grateful to work alongside my School of Music colleagues as we continue to provide a rich, high-quality and wide-ranging array of musical experiences for our students.鈥�