The Centenary Wind Ensemble, directed by Thomas Hundemer, presents its fall 2026 concert November 15th at 3:00pm in Anderson Auditorium at the Hurley School of Music. The band will perform “Nine to Five” in tribute to the late Dolly Parton and “The Pokemon Theme” in honor of the 35th anniversary of the game. Featured works are Michael Daugherty’s pop-culture flavored “Niagara Falls” and several movements from “Carmina Burana”, Carl Orff’s often raucous setting of poems by wandering monks from the Middle Ages (as arranged by John Krance). “Niagara Falls” references the massiveness of the scenic waterfall, and in the words of the composer is

“a ride over the Niagara River with an occasional stop at a haunted house or wax museum along the way. Its principal musical motive is a haunting chromatic phrase of four tones corresponding to the syllables of “Niagara Falls”, and repeated in increasingly gothic proportions. A pulsing rhythm in the timpani and lower brass creates a current of energy that give an electric charge to the second motive, first heard in the upper brass. The saxophones and clarinets introduce another level of counterpoint in a bluesy riff with a film noir edge.”

The ferocious watery ending is perhaps reminiscent of the “wall of sound” that the massive waterfall induces when the tourist views the immensity of this natural wonder.

The concert also includes band classics “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance and Sousa’s “The Belle of Chicago” and opens with Otto Nicolai’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor Overture”. Claude Debussy’s “Fetes”, a portrait of a Mardi Gras-like party rounds out the program. “Fetes” (“Holidays”) opens with the swirling excitement of an evening festival, interrupted by the sounds of a distant torch light procession that marches closer and closer finally merging with the general festive merriment.

The Centenary Wind Ensemble consists of students, faculty, alumni and our many gifted area musicians and educators and welcomes interested musicians.

The Sunday afternoon concert is free and open to the public.