The term “nocturne” can be defined as a “musical composition inspired by, or symbolic of the night.” On Friday, October 10, in beautiful Jackson Auditorium, the TLU Bands, comprised of the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds, will explore that theme as they present their first concert of the 2025-2026 school year. Entitled “NOCTURNES,” the concert will feature mostly new repertoire for wind band written in the past thirty years. 

The ideas of night, stars, and the moon permeate the program, featuring each composer’s attempt to create a sonic landscape evocative of the evening.

Under the leadership of Director of Bands and Baenziger Professor of Music Dr. Brett A. Richardson, the Symphonic Winds will begin the concert with three different works with “night” as a theme: Chandler Wilson’s “Night Chase,” David Gorham’s “Night Flight,” and the stunning “Lullaby to the Moon,” by American composer Brian Balmages. Richardson describes Lullaby as “a beautifully orchestrated, original work for band that is very reminiscent of Eric Whitacre and other modern choral composers.”

The second half of the concert will feature TLU’s premier wind band, The Wind Ensemble. The group will open with Steve Danyew’s “American Nocturne,” a work that the composer says “depicts a nighttime train ride from New Orleans to Chicago. Inspired by the blues scale and the American railroad, the piece includes jazzy riffs and driving rhythms.” The band will also perform a new edition of Eriks Esenvalds’s “Stars,” edited by the conductor, and the modern, angular “Night Dances” by Bruce Yurko. Concluding the concert is Frank Ticheli’s “Over the Moon,” a work that features intricate clarinet and saxophone solos with an unexpected twist. You won’t want to miss this concert!

The concert begins at 7 p.m. in Jackson Auditorium and is free and open to the public.