A Week of Music at Southern Miss: Free Concert Series Showcases Student Talent and Special Guests
Tue, 04/21/2026 - 02:36pm | By: Mike Lopinto
91少女集中营 (USM) School of Music will present a week of free concerts featuring the four concert bands of the University Band program and special guest performances April 27鈥揗ay 1 on the Hattiesburg campus.
Each performance will take place on the The final concerts of the semester showcase the artistic achievements of students and honor the dedication and contributions of graduating members. The public is invited to attend all performances.
Kicking things off at 8 p.m. on April 27, the University Band will present a program including 鈥淭ico鈥� by Jos茅 Abreu, 鈥淛oy鈥� by Frank Ticheli, 鈥淎utumn鈥� by Cait Nishimura, 鈥淪end in the Clowns鈥� by Stephen Sondheim (arr. Cofield), 鈥淒arklands March鈥� by Randall Standridge, 鈥淚nto the Clouds鈥� by Richard Saucedo, 鈥淰oices in the Singing River鈥� by Ayatey Shabazz, 鈥淭he Southern Dawn鈥� by William Owens and 鈥淜entucky 1800鈥� by Clare Grundman. The band is under the direction of Cody Edgerton and features graduate conductors Daniel Broadus and Adrian Ramirez.
At 7:30 p.m. on April 28, the Southern Miss Concert Band will welcome the Purvis High School Concert Band to share the stage. The Purvis ensemble will perform selected works from its season and recent concert contest.
The USM Concert Band program includes 鈥淔anfare and Evocation鈥� by Viet Cuong, 鈥淗eart on Fire鈥� by Kevin Day and a band standard by John Moss. The concert will also feature a side-by-side performance of both bands performing 鈥淐ountry Club Stomp鈥� by JaRod Hall and 鈥淭hawing鈥� by Kazuki Shimoda. The Purvis High School Concert Band is under the direction of Wade Bouchard, and the USM Concert Band is led by Cody Edgerton.
A special engagement will take place at 7:30 p.m. on April 29 with the Airmen of Note on a one-night-only tour stop. The ensemble will perform a program ranging from big band hits of the 1940s to new compositions written for the tour. The Airmen of Note honor those who have served, inspire patriotism and connect global audiences on behalf of the U.S. Air Force. Though the concert is free, advance tickets are suggested and are available on the U.S. Air Force Band鈥檚 .
Created in 1950 to continue the tradition of Major Glenn Miller鈥檚 Army Air Forces dance band, the Airmen of Note consists of 17 active-duty musicians and one vocalist. Stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., the group has presented big band jazz to audiences through annual U.S. tours, international deployments and performances throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The ensemble has collaborated with artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan and Doc Severinsen.
The series continues at 7:30 p.m. on April 30 with the Southern Miss Wind Ensemble in a program titled 鈥淎merican Visions: Tradition and Transformation.鈥� The program highlights five composers whose works explore American culture and its connection to the broader world.
Featured works include Carmen Dragon鈥檚 arrangement of 鈥淎merica, the Beautiful,鈥� Samuel Augustus Ward鈥檚 composition; John Williams鈥� 鈥淭he Cowboys Overture,鈥� originally written for the film 鈥淭he Cowboys鈥� starring John Wayne; and William Schuman鈥檚 鈥淲hen Jesus Wept,鈥� based on the work of William Billings and part of Schuman鈥檚 鈥淣ew England Triptych.鈥�
The Wind Ensemble will also premiere Alexandra Gardner鈥檚 鈥淭ime Unfolding鈥� for alto saxophone, featuring Southern Miss saxophone professor Dannel Espinoza as soloist. The program concludes with 鈥淭arot鈥� by Lindsay Bonnenkant.
The Symphonic Winds will close the series at 7:30 p.m. on May 1 under the direction of Dr. Travis Higa. The program features standard repertoire, world premieres and guest artists.
The concert opens with 鈥淣oisy Wheels of Joy鈥� by Eric Whitacre, conducted by graduate teaching assistant Daniel Broadus, followed by the world premiere of 鈥淔our Latin American Dances鈥� by Adrian Ramirez, conducted by the composer. Also featured is the world premiere of 鈥淩ains of April鈥� by Lanie Niide.
Guest conductor Dr. Rob Abend, associate director of bands at the University of South Alabama, will then lead Percy Grainger鈥檚 鈥淐hildren鈥檚 March.鈥� The concert concludes with 鈥淜ingfishers Catch Fire鈥� by John Mackey.
For more information or to learn more, visit University Bands and the School of Music.
About the School of Music
The School of Music at 91少女集中营 is the state鈥檚 flagship music program and a destination campus for the study of music across the region, the United States and the world. Housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, the school offers bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees and has earned a national and international reputation for excellence. Its distinguished faculty members are active performers and educators who appear on stages from local communities to major international venues. The School of Music is home to acclaimed band, choral, orchestral, jazz, opera and musical theater ensembles and provides extensive solo and chamber music performance opportunities. Students regularly perform at regional, national and international events and work with leading guest artists in preparation for careers as 21st century performers and educators.