Acclaimed American symphony to play Christ Church this week

One of the best university college bands in America's Midwest will perform a free concert at Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral this Wednesday, May 29, starting at 8.30pm.

The Bethel University Wind Symphony is made up of more than 45 wind, brass and percussion instrument players, many of whom are music students at the university in St Paul, Minnesota.

At Christ Church Cathedral, the all-student symphony will perform the 'Celtic Collection – a selection of Irish and Scottish airs, including 'Amazing Grace', 'Loch Lomond' and four Scottish dances – as well as 'Cotillon', a suite of dance tunes, especially suited to wind instruments and first performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1939.

It will also feature a selection of American tunes, including marching songs 'The Circus Bee' and the classic American 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' and American folk tunes including 'The Cry of the Wild Goose'.

The orchestra is made up of 45 students, aged from 18-24 years, who tour every year. Recent overseas tours included Korea, England, Wales and the Czech Republic, and this year the Wind Symphony has decided to include Ireland and Scotland.

“These tours offer a wonderful opportunity to open up the world to students, creating a deep sense of community among the participants and giving our musicians an opportunity to focus deeply on our craft,” explains Stephen B Thompson, the orchestra’s conductor and professor of music at Bethel University.

In addition, the Bethel University Wind Symphony will also perform in Kilkenny at St Canice’s Cathedral, on May 28 at 3.30pm – admission is €4.50; and at the Portadown Town Hall, Portadown, Co Armagh, on 30 May 30at 7.30pm. All proceeds for the Portadown concert go to the Lord Mayor’s charity, Down’s Syndrome Association.

The concert taking place at Christ Church Cathedral is free, but the event will be ticketed so you must reserve your seats in advance at www.ChristChurchTickets.com