Michael J Votta, JR., music director

The UMD Wind Orchestra pays tribute to American conductor and arranger Donald Hunsberger. From 1962 until his retirement in 2002, he served as professor of conducting and ensembles at Eastman School of Music. During his 37 years as conductor of the school’s acclaimed Eastman Wind Ensemble, Hunsberger premiered more than 100 compositions and maintained a repertory ranging from the 16th-century through contemporary works by Joseph Schwantner, Michael Colgrass and Karel Husa, among others.

This performance features works that Hunsberger arranged or scored, including Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Variations for Wind Band, Julian Work’s Autumn Walk and the iconic Star Wars Trilogy by John Williams. The School of Music’s newest Assistant Trombone Professor Myles Blakemore joins the orchestra for a performance of Quinn Mason’s Trombone Concerto, which demonstrates the instrument’s full musical capabilities in just three movements.