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UMES Wind Ensemble
The UMES Wind Ensemble in Concert
John R. Lamkin, II, Ph.D.
Band Director
UMES Wind Ensemble
Founders' Day
The UMES Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. John R. Lamkin, II, is a forty-piece instrumental ensemble that plays a variety of compositions written or arranged especially for the wind band. With the abundance of new and exciting band pieces available from a variety of composers who write primarily for this medium, Dr. Lamkin adopts the philosophy that the band will only achieve its maximum sonic potential by performing works written primarily for the band than by performing transcriptions of orchestral works. However, since there is no string program at UMES, the band does occasionally perform orchestral transcriptions of work prepared by masterful arrangers.
Dr. Lamkin has an affinity for performing works that feature the band and choir together. He goes out of his way to locate works written especially for band and choir and usually features the UMES Concert Choir with the UMES Wind Ensemble during the Fall Concert and the Honors Band and Choir concert in the spring.
The instrumentation of the band has been relatively stable over the years; however, the group finds it difficult to attract double reed players from the high schools. Double reed players who are interested in performing in the UMES Wind Ensemble are encouraged to apply. The band has been fortunate to have at least two horn players each semester, and on occasion the horn section has grown to six. Occasionally, during a few semesters, the band has lacked euphonium players, but usually a music major who has had experience playing the euphonium or baritone horn is able to cover the part. Fortunately, the band has had a complete trombone section throughout the years, and there always seems to be an abundance of saxophone players, flute players, clarinet players, trumpet players, and percussionists. While most of the musicians are music education majors, the Ensemble includes faculty members, high school students and several community musicians.
The band performs at least five times a year for the following: Founders' Day in September, fall/winter concert, December graduation, spring Honors Band and Choir Concert sponsored by the UMES Wind Ensemble, and May graduation. The UMES Wind Ensemble can be heard on the 2005 recording, "Celebrating Music at UMES." The Wind Ensemble rarely travels off campus, but this past spring (2008), several members of the clarinet and flute section went on tour with the UMES Jazz Ensemble to St. Thomas. They participated in small ensemble performances that included a clarinet choir, a woodwind ensemble, and a saxophone quartet.
Each semester, Dr. Lamkin chooses a graduating senior music major to serve as the student band director and that student usually conducts a piece during the fall and spring concerts and conducts the Alma Mater during graduation. All the members of the Wind Ensemble are encouraged to participate in the UMES Pep Band directed by Brian Perez, the woodwind and music theory teacher. The Pep Band usually performs during all of the basketball games.
Music Performance Scholarships are available for band students in the amount of $1,000.00 per semester, and once awarded, students can maintain their scholarships provided that a GPA of 2.65 is achieved each semester. Book scholarships in the amount of $250.00 are awarded to those who agreed to participate in the UMES Pep Band.
Students who are interested in a performance scholarships must successfully pass an audition. Audition requirements can be acquired by contacting Ms. Adrienne Agnew at 410-651-6571.