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St. Olaf Band to present fall concert on Sunday, Oct. 28

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October 16, 2001

The St. Olaf Band, conducted by Timothy Mahr, will conclude their 2001 fall tour with a home concert at St. Olaf College on Sunday, Oct. 28. The performance, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Skoglund Center Auditorium

The program for the 2001 Fall Tour will include "Godspeed!" by Stephen Melillo, "Mourning Dances" by Timothy Mahr (a recent commission for the KKP/TBS National Intercollegiate Band), "Chester Leaps In" by Steven Bryant, "Chester" by William Schuman, "Symphony No. 5" by David Maslanka (co-commissioned by the St. Olaf Band), and "Mambo Loco" from Divertimento by Ira Hearshen.

Founded in 1891 as the St. Olaf Cornet Band, it has developed over the decades into an ensemble noted for superb musicianship. Under the leadership of conductor Timothy Mahr, the St. Olaf Band performs the very best compositions and transcriptions for the symphonic band, producing an exciting, crowd-pleasing style.

The St. Olaf Band is the oldest music organization at St. Olaf College. >From its earliest days the band has toured nationally and internationally. In 1906, the St. Olaf Band performed a four-week, 30-concert tour to Norway, making it the first American collegiate band to make a European concert tour. The Band has subsequently toured several times in Norway, Great Britain, and central Europe, as well as throughout the United States.

In 1978, 1980, and 1984 the Band conducted month-long study programs in England, highlighted by joint concerts with the Royal Military School of Music ­ Kneller Hall Fanfare Trumpets, who perform for the British royalty on all state occasions. The St. Olaf Band is the only American college or university band ever to play in concert with the Kneller Hall musicians.

In June 1991 the St. Olaf Band toured the British Isles to celebrate its centennial year. Performances included Burnley, Coventry, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, Harlech, Stratford, London and a concert again with the Royal Military School of Music ­ Kneller Hall Fanfare Trumpets.

In October of 1995 the St. Olaf Band performed for King Harald and Queen Sonja from Norway during their visit to the St. Olaf College campus and gave a joint concert performance with His Majesty?s King?s Guard Band. In May and June of 1996 the St. Olaf Band returned to Norway for an eighteen-day tour.

In the spring of 2000 the Band returned to England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales for a concert tour, which included joint performances with the Wind Ensemble of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and the Band of Her Majesty?s Grenadier Guards.

St. Olaf College prepares students to be responsible citizens of the world, fostering development of mind, body, and spirit. A four-year, coeducational liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), St. Olaf has a student enrollment of 2,950 and a full-time faculty complement of approximately 300. It is one of Money Guide?s top 100 "elite values in college education today," and it leads the nation?s colleges in percentage of students who study abroad.

Contact Carole Leigh Engblom at 507-786-3315 or leigh@stolaf.edu.