Dorian Band Festival celebrates 50th anniversary
Date 2/25/1999 12:00 AM | Topic: Arts & Culture Luther College celebrates 50 years of the Dorian Band Festival this weekend as over 600 high students from approximately 170 high schools converge on campus Sunday, Feb. 28 and Monday, March 1. Concert Band, Varsity Band and Wind and Percussion Ensemble contribute to the celebration with two concerts in two days.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, the Luther Concert Band, Varsity Band and Wind and Percussion Ensemble will be perform at 7 p.m. in the CFL. This evening program will include their fall concert hit "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas." The concert will also feature "Concerto for Tuba," by James Barnes, played by the Wind & Percussion Ensemble and featuring new Luther College low brass instructor Benjamin Kirby as soloist.
The second concert is the Dorian Band Festival Grand Concert held in the CFL on Monday March 1, at 7 p.m. This musical celebration will consist of three bands, including the Dorian Symphonic Band. Eighty hand-selected high school musicians make up this ensemble directed by Fred Nyline, director of Varsity Band. The other two Dorian bands, each consisting of 250 individuals from more than four states, will be led by guest conductors Bruce Moss of Bowling Green, Ohio, and Luther graduate Jeffrey Dobbler of Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind.
The first Dorian Band Festival was held in 1950 and led by Weston Noble. This was the first Dorian Festival held at the college, predating the first Choral Festival by one year.
According to Nyline, though the Dorian Band Festival is 50 years old, it still holds the same purpose it did in 1950: to create interest in musical performance to as many young people as possible and to help in the recruitment efforts for Luther.
The Luther College Concert Band will perform next March 5 at a band festival at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
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David J. Carroll
Chips Staff Writer
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