Tarleton State University’s 100th anniversary as a founding member of the Texas A&M University System continues with a concert that includes original compositions by music faculty members Drs. Anthony Pursell and Troy Robertson and accompaniment by the Boston Brass.
The special evening of music and singing—showcasing Tarleton’s wind and jazz ensembles and university choirs and soloists—also features guest conductor Dr. Timothy Rhea, director of bands at Texas A&M University.
The concert begins with the premiere performance of Centennial Colors, an original composition by Dr. Anthony Pursell, director of Tarleton bands, who describes the music as “a celebratory work that encompasses the spirit and history of Tarleton—from its aspirational beginnings to the present day.”
Following the debut of Centennial Colors, Rhea will conduct Percy Grainger’s Irish Tune from County Derry.
Rhea’s visit to Tarleton represents the strong camaraderie between the two institutions and the commitment for continued collaboration.
Featuring Tarleton’s Select Women’s Ensemble, Texan Gentlemen and the Chamber Choir, the university’s vocal division takes the reigns with several selections from the same early time period. The culminating work, The Yellow Rose of Texas, was arranged by Tarleton’s Director of Choirs Dr. Troy Robertson.
The concert then takes a turn and features three of Tarleton’s applied music faculty, Dr. Heather Hawk and Dr. Iwao Asakura, singing solo works, accompanied by Dr. Leslie Spotz.
Dr. Brian Walker, Tarleton’s assistant professor of trumpet, performs a new arrangement of Kevin McKee’s beautifully written solo, Centennial Horizon.
To close out the concert, the internationally-acclaimed Boston Brass performs with the Tarleton Wind Ensemble in a fun-filled original work titled, Cinematic Fantasy.
As a final treat, the Tarleton instrumental and vocal divisions perform a new rendition of the Tarleton Color Song, composed in collaboration with Drs. Robertson and Pursell.
