The St. Olaf Band will perform tonight at 7 in the Bowling Green High School Performing Arts Center.
The concert is free for students, and $10 for adults and senior citizens. Tickets are available at the
door.
The St. Olaf Band is the oldest music organization at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., a campus
renowned for its musical ensembles. The band has toured nationally since 1904 and internationally since
1906.
They have toured several times within the United States as well as in Europe, Japan, Mexico, and have a
Mediterranean tour planned for June 2014.
Conductor Dr. Timothy Mahr is a nationally recognized composer with over 60 published works to his
credit, including "The Soaring Hawk" for which he received the ABA/Ostwald Award.
This is not Mahr’s first time to visit Bowling Green. In the early 1990s, the Bowling Green Bands
commissioned Mahr to write "In Mind, In Spirit" in memory of former member Jodi Krone. Krone
was a talented saxophonist in the BGHS band program graduating in 1992.
When Thomas Headley, former director of bands at BGHS, was preparing for retirement, he decided that he
wanted to give something back to the profession that he loved. So, he commissioned Mahr to write another
piece for the Bowling Green bands. In 2009, Mahr returned to Bowling Green to guest conduct that piece,
"Beacon – a Meditation on Light" for Headley and the Bowling Green High School bands.
When contacted about hosting a St. Olaf College band concert in Bowling Green, current band irector Bruce
Corrigan, responded immediately – "Yes!"
Corrigan said "Tim Mahr has become one of my favorite composers. His style of composing is unique
and moving. In addition, Tim is a wonderful person that has already had a profound effect on so many of
those in BG. To have both Tim and the St. Olaf College band perform in Bowling Green is a tremendous
opportunity for our students and community. We are fortunate here in BG to have a wonderful college
school of music. The St. Olaf College Band is yet another opportunity for our students and community to
grow musically."
St. Olaf band ‘s tour also includes stops in Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota as
well as Cincinnati.
Corrigan added "a special thanks to all of those in the BG community that have helped with housing
the 93 members of the band to help cut their travel expenses."
Program selections will include "Overture for Band" by John Heins, one of Karl King’s most
popular marches "Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite," a Tim Mahr composition "Scenes From a
Life Danced," and works by Vincent Persichetti, Dan Welcher, and David Maslanka.