New voice at the Hop

A new voice is becoming popular at the Hopkins Center. The Dartmouth Symphonic Wind Ensemble (DSWE), a 45-piece performing group made up of the College's best woodwind, brass, and percussion players, has been enthusiastically received at a wide variety of concerts since its rejuvenation by conductor Max Culpepper in the winter of 1985. Culpepper, who was wind ensemble conductor at the University of Massachusetts and at Northern Illinois University before coming to Dartmouth, said, "There is a very high level of musical talent at Dartmouth, in spite of the fact that few students major in music performance." He enjoys working with student-musicians who play "for the joy of it."

All of the Hopkins Center's 10 performing organizations are busy, but none more so than the DSWE. The group plays literature from all musical periods in ensemble sizes from eight to 45 musicians. Their credits include chamber music at the Hood Museum, brass at Rollins Chapel, concerts for alumni (both on and off campus), a new digital recording, outdoor "study break"concerts, and the concerts at Spaulding each term, which have featured such well-known soloists as composer-performer David Amran and New York Philharmonic principal trumpet Phillip Smith.

DSWE's album, entitled "Ivy Echos at Dartmouth," consists of what Culpepper calls some "generic college music"— fight songs and other tunes associated with the Ivy League, traditional Dartmouth songs, and the album's centerpiece, a newly commissioned work entitled "Dartmouth Fantasy." The work was composed by Floyd Werle, whom Culpepper considers the world's best arranger of band and choir music. The composition was made possible by a gift from Bob Willing '58.

DSWE plans to travel with the Glee Club on tour to New York and Washington, D.C., during spring break.

Alumni groups who are interested in future DSWE performances in their home cities may contact Director for Regional Affairs David Orr at the Blunt Alumni Center or Max Culpepper at the Hopkins Center.