Stephen F. Austin State University will be well represented at the 2018 Texas Music Educators Association annual clinic/convention Feb. 14 through 17 in San Antonio.
The SFA Wind Ensemble, directed by Fred J. Allen, director of bands at SFA, and the Orchestra of the Pines, directed by Dr. Gene H. Moon, director of orchestras, will perform before the nation’s premier music educators’ convention that historically draws more then 26,000 attendees.
“The SFA Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the convention following a competitive round of adjudicated recordings last April,” Allen said in a previous interview. “We are proud to represent SFA before this large gathering of music educators.”
The Wind Ensemble has been invited to perform before TMEA audiences on numerous occasions, but this is the Orchestra of the Pines’ first invitation, according to Moon.
“The unique part about SFA’s involvement in the TMEA performances is that, historically, the invited university orchestra involved a consortium of the largest schools: UT Austin, University of Houston, Texas Tech, Baylor and Rice,” Moon explained. “Smaller-sized schools’ orchestras, in comparison, have never had a stage at TMEA. This invitation for SFA, including the fact that this is the first time, ever, that the SFA Orchestra of the Pines has been invited to TMEA, is a big hallmark event for us.”
Moon said that, historically, TMEA has invited one university orchestra to perform a concert on Thursday or Friday evening of TMEA. Then, the same university orchestra would become the orchestra for the All-State choirs that same weekend. The double duty became too much for the same university orchestra, so this year, for the first time, TMEA invited two university orchestras: one to perform the regular concert and another to be the All-State choirs’ orchestra. Orchestra of the Pines will perform with the choirs, Moon explained.
“TMEA asked me this past May, and I graciously accepted on behalf of our university,” he said. “It is a great honor and a wonderful opportunity for our students.”
With the All-State Mixed Choir, the orchestra is performing the “Gloria” by Frances Poulenc, the fourth movement from George Frideric Handel’s “Te Deum” and several other works. With the All-State Small School Choir, the orchestra is performing Joseph Haydn’s “Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo.” And with the All-State Women’s Chorus, the orchestra will perform “Arise, My Soul, Arise” by Dan Forrest and Ola Gjeilo’s “Ae Generosa.”
The All-State choir performances are at noon, 2 and 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, in the Lila Cockrell Theater.
