ROCK ISLAND, IL (02/07/2011)(readMedia)-- The Augustana Concert Band will give their final concert of the year on Saturday, February 12, at 2 p.m. in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave.). Under the direction of Dr. Frederick Jaeschke, the band will perform four lively pieces that were chosen by the students. The concert is free and open to the public.

Jaeschke, associate professor of music and music education coordinator, explains how the students select the music for the concert. "The members of the band listen and rehearse various pieces, and then vote for their favorites," he said. "This selection system makes the concert enjoyable for the students and the audience."

The concert will feature "The Willows of Winter" by B.J. Brooks, "For All the Wyle Eternal" by Ralph Ford, "Silverado" by Bruce Broughton, and "Chorale and Shaker Dance" by John Zdechlik. The four pieces are very different from each other. Broughton's "Silverado" was composed as the soundtrack for a western adventure story and is marked by an enjoyable melody and fun syncopated rhythms. "Chorale and Shaker Dance" is one of today's most widely-recognized pieces of band literature and is based on the well-known Shaker tune, Simple Gifts.

Marcus Julian, a sophomore oboist from Itasca, Ill., says that "Chorale and Shaker Dance" is his favorite piece in their concert because of the song's catchy, memorable melody. "I enjoy concert band because it gives me exposure to so many different types of music," he said."I think the audience will really like the different styles and genres."

Students performing in the concert from your area include :

Sheila Ahuja from Rock Island, Ill.. Ahuja is a first year majoring in general studies.

Hannah Barney from Bettendorf, Iowa. Barney is a sophomore majoring in business administration.

Greg Donley from Silvis, Ill.. Donley is a first year majoring in general studies.

Darshan Hullon from Moline, Ill.. Hullon is a first year majoring in general studies.

Eryn Maccabee from East Moline, Ill.. Maccabee is a first year majoring in general studies.

Elizabeth Mayer from Dixon, Ill.. Mayer is a first year majoring in general studies.

Halley Stearns from Sherrard, Ill.. Stearns is a sophomore majoring in communication studies.

The Augustana Concert Band includes students from a wide variety of majors and music backgrounds. "The the vast majority of students in concert band are not music majors," Jaeschke said. "For many of the students, playing an instrument has been a big part of their life, and they simply enjoy playing in the band."

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 70 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 faculty members and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (01/28/2011)(readMedia)-- From Feb. 18-25 the Augustana Choir will perform a variety of choral music in eight concerts throughout Illinois and northern Missouri. They will end with a ninth "home" concert on March 11 in Davenport, Iowa, for the Quad-City community.

The choir will begin its Homeland Tour in Galesburg, Ill., and then travel to Springfield, Ill.; Chesterfield, Mo.; Decatur, Ill.; Bloomington, Ill.; Naperville, Ill.; St. Charles, Ill.; Rockford, Ill.; and Davenport, Iowa.

Augustana Choir members from your area include :

Kaleigh Wall from Eldridge, Iowa, a sophomore at Augustana majoring in music.

Kjerstin Hurty from Moline, Ill., a sophomore at Augustana majoring in business and music.

Martha Ade from Moline, Ill., a junior at Augustana majoring in music and English.

Lauren Reid from Sherrard, Ill., a junior at Augustana majoring in business and communications.

Anita Cook from Davenport, Ill., a senior at Augustana majoring in studio art.

Calvin Vo from Moline, Ill., a sophomore at Augustana majoring in English and theatre.

Ricky Rector from Davenport, Iowa, a sophomore at Augustana majoring in communication sciences and disorders.

In honor of the 150th anniversary of Augustana College, the Homeland Tour takes the choir along the Mississippi and across the state of Illinois to recognize the college's relationship with its geographic home. Featured American composers are Eric William Barnum, Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Stephen Paulus and Robert H. Young. The program also includes works by renowned 20th century international composers Damijan Mocnik, Krzysztof Penderecki and Carl Orff. This rich, eclectic program incorporates works that elicit the idea of community and home.

In addition, the tour program reflects some of the recent performance invitations the choir has received. Selections from Orff's Carmina Burana appear on the program because the Augustana Choir, under Dr. Jon Hurty's direction, has been asked to perform the work at New York's Carnegie Hall this May. Spirituals by composer/arranger Stacey Gibbs close the program. Gibbs asked the choir to record the selections on an upcoming CD of his works.

Hurty feels that tours offer "an opportunity to share the choral program and the talents of our students with an even broader community." Founded in 1931, the Augustana Choir, which tours both domestically and internationally, has performed in some of the world's most treasured places from New York's Alice Tully Hall to the grand Uppsala Cathedral in Sweden and the Great Wall of China.

Touring often is a highlight of a student's college experience. "Tour has been my favorite part of my four years at college," said senior Ryan Shershen. "It takes the cake over classes, parties, other organizations, etc. I have loved the traveling that we have done from Sweden to our nation's capitol. We sound great at every concert, and the best part is that we improve so much as a choir over tour...it is amazing to hear the difference between the home concert after tour and the fall concert at the beginning of the year."

The dates and locations for the Augustana Choir tour are as follows:

Feb. 18-First Lutheran Church, Galesburg, Ill.

Feb. 19-St. John's Lutheran Church, Springfield, Ill.

Feb. 20-Trinity Lutheran Church, Chesterfield, Mo.

Feb. 21-Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Decatur, Ill.

Feb. 22-St. John's Lutheran Church, Bloomington, Ill.

Feb. 23-Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Naperville, Ill.

Feb. 24-Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Charles, Ill.

Feb. 25-First Lutheran Church, Rockford, Ill.

March 11-St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 70 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 faculty members and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

Tate Music Group Artist The Westbrook Singers Performing at Tribute to the African American Family Event

WHEN: 2-5-11

TIME: 7 - 10 p.m.

WHERE: Vickie Anne Palmer Hall at Palmer College, Davenport, IA 52803

WHAT: The Westbrook Singers will be performing songs from their Gospel album, The Westbrook Singers LIVE.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

For more information, contact Kortney Shepherd at 888-361-9473 or kortney@tatepublishing.com

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Location: Moline High School Auditorium

Tickets: $25 in advance / $30 at the door

Proceeds to benefit the music dept. at Moline HS

Starring: The Liverpool Legends,  Beatles Tribute Band

Meet Louise Harrison!

The Beatles took America by storm when they were barely out of high school. Now Moline High School music students can benefit, thanks to The Beatles Tribute Band, The Liverpool Legends and their spectacular multimedia extravaganza, "Come Together For Music Education".

On Saturday, Feb. 5th at 7:30 pm, George Harrison's sister Louise brings this live, Broadway styled stage production to the Moline High School Auditorium to benefit the Maroon's music students. Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet Louise Harrison and the band!

In a new, special feature, students of the Moline High School music department will perform onstage with the Liverpool Legends, backing them vocally and instrumentally on "Got To Get You Into My Life", "Sgt. Pepper", "Hey Jude", "Yesterday", Hello Goodbye", "Something" and more.

The Liverpool Legends are 4 talented musicians and actors handpicked by Louise Harrison making them the only Beatles Tribute Band in the world with a direct, biological link to the original Fab Four. "The Liverpool Legends present the very best portrayal of The Beatles" says Louise.

Headlining their own production in Branson, Mo. since 2006, Liverpool Legends have been voted Best New Show, Best Band, Best Show and the prestigious Branson Visitor's Choice Award. The Liverpool Legends perform songs spanning the entire career of The Beatles and on through the solo years. With precise attention to every musical detail, along with costume changes, vintage instruments, big screen documentary footage narrated by Louise and special effects, Liverpool Legends will make you feel like you are watching the real thing! Together, these four lads will bring "A Complete Beatles Experience."

In this era of state budget cuts, school music programs are struggling to survive.  George Harrison did one Public Service Announcement in his life and it promoted the creative and financial well being of music and performing arts programs within our nation's schools.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Call 309-743-8833 for tickets.