Hundreds attend UNL’s Winter Festival

winter winds festival
winter winds festival

Hundreds attend UNL’s Winter Festival

calendar icon27 Jan 2015    

LINCOLN, Neb.— The Winter Festival, a unique concert band and chamber ensemble festival for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, took over the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music Westbrook Music Building and the Kimball Recital Hall the weekend of January 23-25.

Carolyn Barber, the festival’s director, describes the weekend as "a prism through which we shine instrumental music making. The result is the opportunity to explore instrumental performance from many angles, in many different lights: solo work in the masterclass setting, chamber work with small ensembles, concert band work with a 65-piece group, and finally a symphonic experience with 110 musicians all at once.  There really is no other festival like it for high school students. It gives young musicians a chance to sit side-by-side with their collegiate counterparts, and to interact closely with UNL’s amazing faculty. One minute they’re hearing the faculty play, the next they’re trying it out themselves. It’s intense, but a lot of fun. We’re all really tired when Sunday evening rolls around!"

The festival is designed to give outstanding musicians a comprehensive playing experience. Festival participants are chosen through a recorded audition process. This enables students from far and wide to participate. Hometown students and those from and as far away as Virginia and Texas have come to Lincoln to share their talents.

Students attending the festival are involved in three different ensembles: a select honor band; a chamber ensemble coached by one of the Glenn Korff School of Music’s talented applied wind and percussion faculty; and a large symphonic band that combines the festival honor band with the University Wind Ensemble. Students also participate in a masterclass with the applied wind and percussion faculty.

Next year’s winter festival will be January 22-24, 2016. All interested high school musicians are encouraged to apply. Musicians should look for application materials online in September at music.unl.edu.