Windiana Concert Celebrates Rosa Parks
Windiana’s November 20 concert will honor the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ courageous act on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The concert will also present the second performance of a composition honoring Richard Brauer, the premiere of a Jared Coller transcription, and music to begin the celebration of the Semiquincentennial of the USA.
December 1 will mark the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ act of courage. A Movement for Rosa was composed by Mark Camphouse, who is on the faculty at George Mason University in Virginia. For the annual Valparaiso University Martin Luther King, Jr., Day celebration in 2005, and in honor the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ leadership, Prof. Camphouse served a residency at Valparaiso University. He rehearsed the VU Chamber Concert Band and conducted a performance of A Movement for Rosa with the band during the MLK Convocation in the Chapel of the Resurrection. Maestro Camphouse also presented sessions about his music and Rosa Parks during the afternoon plenary time. A Movement for Rosa honors Rosa Parks, and also contains rhythms, melodies, and musical motives that reflect Mr. Camphouse’s experience growing up in the Chicago area during the 1960s.
Windiana will present the second performance of Portraits in Legacy, which honors Richard Brauer, namesake of the Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University. Windiana anchored a consortium of donors who commissioned the composition from Dr. Chandler Wilson of Stetson University in Florida. The premiere took place at the 2025 Valparaiso University Homecoming Showcase Concert.
Windiana percussionist Jared Coller serves as Education Manager for the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Coller composed Slane, which is based on the hymn tune of the same name. Windiana will present the premiere of Joseph Clark’s transcription of the work. Mr. Clark is one of the band teachers at LaPorte High School. Mr. Coller is former director of bands at Rensselaer High School and Middle School. He is a graduate of Valparaiso University, and an endorsing artist for Artifact Percussion and Soultone Cymbals.
Also on the program are…
James Curnow’s Amber Waves of Grain and John Philip Sousa’s march The Liberty Bell, which will help us start the celebration of USA 250.
Variation Suite, the first published composition by the late Chesterton composer Michael Boo.
A delightful suite of dances by acclaimed composer Florence Price.
Caught by the Horns, a feature selection for our horn section, by Burton Hardin.
And Thawing by award-winning Japanese composer Kazuki Shimoda. This piece is being played by the bands in the East Porter County Music Festival.
The concert, without intermission, will last about one hour.
Windiana is a professional-level concert band, based in Valparaiso. Concert tours have included Italy, Hawaii, China, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Australia. Windiana performed at Carnegie Hall in 2022. Conductor Jeffrey Scott Doebler serves as director of music education and bands at Valparaiso University, and is the founder of Windiana.