ROCK ISLAND — Evan James, a music education major from Oregon, is one of 50 Augustana College student musicians performing in the Augustana Symphonic Band's 2024 Midwest Tour. James is playing the Tenor sax in the ensemble's five performances in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas from March 22 to April 6.
The tour kicks off at Galesburg High School, Galesburg, with performances following at Blue Valley Southwest High School, Overland Park, Kan.; Washington High School in Washington, Iowa; and a final performance at Messiah Lutheran Church, Wauconda. All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public.
This marks the Augustana Symphonic Band's first domestic tour since the 2020 pandemic. The band typically alternates between regional and national tours. Most recently, the band toured Japan in spring 2023.
"The Augustana Symphonic Band looks forward to reestablishing the historic tradition of the yearly spring band tour," Dr. James Lambrecht said. "The opportunity to share this wonderful music with various audiences throughout the greater Midwest will foster a connection with those outside of Augustana and create lifelong memories for the band members."
This year's tour will feature the following works: "Burning the Wicker Man" by Julie Giroux; "Be Thou My Vision" by David Gillingham; "Acadiana (Settings of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco Music)" by Frank Ticheli; "Three Dance Episodes from On the Town" by Leonard Bernstein; "On a Hymnsong" of Philip Bliss by David Holsinger; "The White Rose March" by John Philip Sousa; and "Dancing Fire" by Kevin Day.
The Augustana Symphonic Band, which performs music of the highest artistic quality written for the wind band, was established in 1874. In addition to touring nationally and the Japan tour, the band has performed in the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.
