STERLING — Although they missed Kansas Day by a few weeks, the Sterling College Symphonic Band will be performing the official Kansas State Song and many other Prairie-based songs as part of their concert this weekend. Entitled “Songs of the Prairie,” the band concert will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19 at in Culbertson Auditorium on the college campus.   

Director Larry Brownlee said, “the song ’Prairie Dances’ by James Holsinger was the impetus for the theme. It’s a great composition and I knew I could build a concert around the theme of the prairie. And, since that’s where we live, it seemed a logical theme for the concert.”

One of the pieces in the concert is titled “The Prairie is My Garden,” by Robert W. Smith which is based on a painting of the same name by South Dakota artist Harvey Dunn. Brownlee said, “Dunn is noted for his prairie paintings, especially ones showing the strength of the pioneer women.  We will be using that painting on the cover of our program.”

One of the numbers Brownlee is most excited to have the band perform is “Spin.” He said, “This is a piece that I commissioned composer Andrew Boysen, Jr. to write while I was teaching at Sterling High School. The work has never been published and has only been performed a few times anywhere. When working with the composer on the work, I told him that I wanted a work that gave a musical depiction of a tornado. This is the work that he created. It is extremely challenging and one that the audience will thoroughly enjoy.”

The Sterling College Jazz Band will be performing a piece entitled “Amber Waves” which is a medley of “America,” “America the Beautiful,” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The newly formed Brass Ensemble will be making their first concert appearance in this concert as well. 

Brownlee said, “I just love the opportunity that we have to perform for an audience. That is what instrumental music is all about...the sharing of emotion in a non-verbal way. We have a great variety of music to stir various emotions and feelings, including: a beautiful arrangement of the Kansas State Song, ‘Home on the Range,’ songs about the Santa Fe Trail, and the Pony Express among others.”

Dr. Pete Manely, Director of Sterling’s Athletic Training Program, will be the MC for the concert which will also include poetry by Sterling College students. There is no admission charge for the concert which will also be livestreamed at www.sterling.edu/arts.