Greetings from Iowa City!

The clocks have  moved forward, the students are on spring break, and spring is in the air. It is the perfect time to catch our breath for a moment before the push to the end of the school year. 

This has been an exciting year for Iowa Bands. Participation in our concert bands continues to be high. In fact, a second section of University Band had to be added in the fall to accommodate an especially large enrollment. This year, more than 900 students have participated in Iowa Bands. 

We have had the usual round of concerts so far this year. In October, Dr. Nick Miller, Assistant Director of Bands, was featured with the Symphony Band in his conducting debut as a member of the Iowa Bands staff. Michael Gause, Assistant Professor of Trumpet, was also featured as a soloist in a performance of the stunning Arutunian Trumpet Concerto.  

The annual Band Extravaganza was held in the Xtream Arena on Sunday, November 5. The large, enthusiastic audience enjoyed performances by the Iowa Symphony Band, Johnson County Landmark, Hawkeye Marching Band, Iowa Dance Team, Iowa Spirit Squad, and Herky. Our featured guest high school band this year was the Lightning Marching Band from North Liberty High School under the direction of Ryan Arp and Nick Carlo. It was a fun-filled afternoon of entertainment involving more than 500 student performers. 

In November, the Symphony Band was joined by the Iowa City New Horizons Band, M. Cory Schmitt, conductor, to present a collaborative concert in the Voxman Music Building. Also, Dr. Greg Hand, Professor of Organ, premiered the Ken Soper arrangement of Symphony No. 1 for Organ and Orchestra by Alexandre Guilmant. It was especially rewarding to share a concert with many of our local musicians, and to launch a new work with a thrilling performance. 

The University Band and Concert Band concluded the fall semester on Monday, December 4 with successful performances conducted by Dr. Eric Bush, Associate Director of Bands, and graduate students Kara Metzger, Cory Schmitt, and Jarrid Jaynes. The programs featured an exciting diversity of repertoire from wind band standards to new works for the medium. 

The annual Iowa Dinner was held at The Berghoff in Chicago on Thursday, December 21. It was a fun gathering of UI faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends, and I continue to appreciate the help of Todd Rogers of Bob Rogers Travel in organizing the event for us. 

The spring semester has gotten off to a strong start. The Iowa Honor Band was held on February 17-18, and it showcased the talents of approximately 220 high school students. Dr. Linda Moorhouse, Director of the School of Music at the University of Illinois, was our featured guest conductor, and Michael Gause was the featured guest artist for the weekend. The weekend featured concerts, master classes, sectionals, and clinics for band directors. It is always a joy to host the Iowa Honor Band, and every aspect of the event was a tremendous success. 

Looking ahead, the Iowa Symphony Band will present performances at Prairie HS, Ankeny HS, and Ames HS as part of their concert tour in late March. They will be joined by the City High School (Iowa City) Wind Ensemble, Mike Kowbell, conductor, in a concert on April 18. The Symphony Band program that evening will feature a composition and performance by internationally renowned tubist, Jim Self. 

The year will conclude with concerts by the University Band on April 22, and the Concert Band on April 24. All the concerts in April are scheduled for 7:30PM in the Voxman Music Building, and I hope you will join us either in person or via live stream. 

As you can see, it has been a busy but rewarding year for Iowa Bands. Of course, the athletic band program has also enjoyed a successful year, which Dr. Bush will highlight in his message. I look forward to the remaining concerts this year as well as a special event next year which will be announced soon. It is a distinct privilege to work with the faculty, staff, and students in the Iowa band program, and I could not be more proud to be a Hawkeye. 

Go Hawks!