The Music Department at Gustavus Adolphus College has been very busy recently, and that trend is going to continue.

This Saturday, Nov. 14 the Gustavus and Vasa Wind Orchestras will be collaborating for a concert in the Bjorling Recital Hall from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. with an intermission.

This annual concert is free of charge and open to the public. It will also be live streamed on the Gustavus website for those who are unable to attend in person.

Gustavus Wind Orchestra (GWO) and Vasa Wind Orchestra often work together. The conductors, James Patrick Miller and Karrin Meffert­-Nelson respectively, enjoy working with each other and seeing their students do the same.

“I love the collaborative atmosphere of listening to and supporting one another,” Meffert-­Nelson said.

This fall concert is the second performance for the Orchestras this year. Their first performance was during Family Weekend and the Nobel Conference.

The concert is a culmination of the students’ and conductors’ work so far this semester. It gives the student musicians an opportunity to express their skills and to show how they have improved.

“I think the students gain from any concert the chance to push themselves to the level it takes to perform for an audience,” Meffert-­Nelson said. “I think it stretches everyone musically. The adrenaline makes them rise to a higher level which I think is very exciting.”

The music for this concert is a blend of contemporary and traditional, according to Miller.

“I love the collaborative atmosphere of listening to and supporting one another.”
—Karrin Meffert-­Nelson

This will also be the premiere performance of a clarinet concerto that includes the talents of student musicians and Meffert­-Nelson.

“I think the concert provides really great contrast in music,” Meffert­-Nelson said.

Since the concert is free students are greatly encouraged to attend.

“We love when people come out, especially students. To me, the best is when we get a big population of students to come to the performances.”

For more information on GWO and/or Vasa, visit their respective pages on the gustavus website.

Other upcoming concerts from the Music Department include the Gustavus Jazz Lab Band concert on Nov. 15, a Music Colloquium Series: Voz en Punto “Mexican Chorale Music” on Nov. 16, the Philharmonic Orchestra’s fall concert on Nov. 21, and of course the Christmas in Christ Chapel performances on Dec. 4, 5, and 6.