Vic Markovich, Walter Mays and Dean Roush brought national attention to WSU Bands this past spring at the April 10 Great Composers Concert in Vacaville, Calif.
Yet scores of other Wichita State faculty members, bands alumni and students shine on many and varied stages.
Recognized as artist performers and master teachers, the WSU winds and percussion faculty have distinguished themselves nationally and internationally through solo performances and membership in the school’s resident artist quintets: the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet and the Wichita Brass.
WSU’s winds and percussion faculty members also serve as principals in the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. In such professional arenas, they demonstrate publicly the skills and artistry transmitted to their students. The excellence of their teaching is evident, for example, in the fact that many former members of WSU Bands can be found performing with professional orchestras, major U.S. military bands and serving on the faculties of colleges and public schools across the nation.
More than 200 students in six bands contribute to the musical environment of Wichita State and create a rich variety of benefits for listeners and participants alike. Concert organizations include the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. Jazz bands include Jazz Arts I, Jazz Arts II and numerous combos. Athletic bands include the men’s and women’s Shocker basketball bands. The WSU Bands serve as a laboratory for the preparation of aspiring music teachers and performers, which is fundamental to the mission of the program.
The bands also provide a channel for non-majors to enjoy performing and to promote and sustain the proud heritage of American bands and public school music. Through membership in WSU Bands, students grow musically and aesthetically while enriching the cultural life of the campus and community.
