Omaha Community Band Encourages Musicianship in Young Instrumentalists
February 13th, 2024
For over 20 years, the Nebraska Wind Symphony has provided middle school musicians the unique opportunity to perform with the group during their winter concert through an event called “Middle School All-Stars.”
Deb Lund has been the coordinator of this event every year. Lund plays the tenor saxophone with the group. She presented the idea of “Middle School All Stars” to the director of the NWS, and the new tradition was born.
There are about 40 schools that are contacted to participate in “Middle School All-Stars.” Each year, the NWS features a different instrument at the concert. These concerts are a fun experience for everyone involved! The repertoire varies each year.
Some years the NWS brings in a featured professional musician on the instrument that the kids play, just to highlight the experience even more. Lund hopes these concerts provide the spark for these students to continue growing as a musician.
The students rehearse with the NWS the Monday before the concert, allowing to experience that process with the group, along with different sectionals. The Nebraska Wind Symphony Winter concert featuring the Middle School All Stars is Sunday, February 18 at 3pm in the Strauss Performing Arts Center on UNO Dodge Campus. To find out more about the concert or the NWS, visit nebraskawindsymphony.com.
