Throughout the month of March, the world will be celebrating Women’s History Month, a month dedicated to celebrating women’s contributions to society, history, and culture.
Millikin’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble will celebrate their own way, taking to the stage on Saturday, March 7th for their concert titled She Speaks, which will highlight a number of female composers.
“It’s a good opportunity to highlight women band composers and bands,” Dr. Neal Smith, Millikin’s Director of Bands said. “The band world has been very very male dominated, both in terms of conductors and composers. It’s nice to highlight women composers up and coming.”
And what better opportunity to do so than during Women’s History Month. The concert will feature pieces by Florence Beatrice Price, Gala Flagello, Julie Giroux, and Jennifer Jolley.
“Most of these composers are fairly young, and they’re writing some really great music,” Smith said.
But beyond the music, there will be a new face upon the stage. Roxanne Bakir, a junior music instrumental education major, will take to the stage, acting as the student conductor for Julie Giroux’s “One Life Beautiful.”
“Giroux is a very famous female composer in wind band repertoire,” Bakir said. “As soon as he [Dr. Neal Smith] said the name, I asked him if I could be the one to conduct it. It’s been one of my favorite pieces for a long time, so I wanted to be the one to conduct it, if I had the chance to.”
Joining Millikin’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble on the stage will be students from Williamsville High School Band in addition to their director, Aaron Gosnell. With this being a concert centered around women, Bakir’s conducting of the piece will be a breath of fresh air, providing a young female presence at the podium upon the stage.
“One reason why I really wanted to be the conductor for this concert specifically was because it was all women composers, and with both our director and the guest High School director that’s coming in both being male, I wanted to be the female representation actually there in the space on the podium,” Bakir said.
The Millikin Symphonic Wind Ensemble will showcase She Speaks on Saturday, March 7th at 7:30 pm in Kirkland Fine Arts Center (KFAC). Tickets can be purchased on the KFAC website for $12, or at the ticket office at a discounted price for Millikin students, faculty, and seniors.
Come see the wind ensemble perform and support your fellow Millikin students and women composers from around the world.
