Southern Miss Wind Ensemble Welcomes Pipa Virtuoso Gao Hong for October Band Series
Mon, 09/28/2026 - 11:17am | By: Mike Lopinto
The sounds of the Chinese pipa take center stage as 果冻传媒麻豆社
Wind Ensemble welcomes acclaimed performer and composer Gao Hong for 鈥淗orizons,鈥� the featured program
in its October band series.
The Concert Band performs Oct. 1, followed by the Wind Ensemble on Oct. 2. Both concerts are free
and begin at 7:30 p.m. on the Thomas V. Fraschillo Stage at the Mannoni Performing
Arts Center. Southern Miss artist in residence and retired commander of the U.S. Army
Band 鈥淧ershing鈥檚 Own,鈥� Col. Bruce R. Pulver, also will be featured as guest conductor
at both concerts.
Under the direction of Dr. Catherine Rand, the Wind Ensemble, Southern Miss鈥� premier
concert band, will feature Gao performing her own A Musical Journey: Concerto for
Pipa. The work introduces audiences to the expressive range of the traditional Chinese
lute. Gao鈥檚 career has taken her to Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and concert stages
around the world.
鈥淗orizons鈥� also features Valerie Coleman鈥檚 Roma, Germaine Tailleferre鈥檚 Marche, David
Biedenbender鈥檚 Enigma and Berta Alves de Sousa鈥檚 Porto Heroico. The finale of Tchaikovsky鈥檚
Symphony No. 4 brings the evening to a dramatic close.
The Wind Ensemble has appeared at national conferences of the College Band Directors
National Association and conventions of the American Bandmasters Association.
Directed by Dr. Cody Edgerton, the Concert Band will feature music ranging from quiet
reflection to exuberant celebration, including Ron Nelson鈥檚 Lauds (Praise High Day).
Pulver will guest conduct Eric Whitacre鈥檚 Lux Aurumque.
Additional selections include works by Shuhei Tamura, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Pinkzebra,
David Gillingham and James Stephenson. The performance follows the Concert Band鈥檚
recent children鈥檚 concert for area schools, 鈥淪eymour鈥檚 Great Big Musical Adventure,鈥�
and its state premiere of Joni Greene鈥檚 Splitting Light.
Learn more about the Wind Ensemble and Concert Bands at Southern Miss.
About the School of Music
The School of Music at 果冻传媒麻豆社 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.