The Wichita State University Concert Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble will honor George Naylor, a WSU alumnus who is retiring from the Valley Center Public School District, with its annual spring concert.
The event is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, in Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Admission is $6 with discounts available.
A reception in honor of Naylor will follow the concert. It is hosted by Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.
Naylor, who has maintained strong connections to his alma mater, is retiring from the Valley Center district after more than three decades as the high school band director.
For this concert, he will conduct the Symphonic Wind Ensemble in one of his favorite musical selections, “The Cowboys” by John Williams.
The Concert Band will perform “Rejouissance” by James Curnow; “Prospect” by Pierre La Plante; “Butterflies and Bees” by Thomas Duffy; and “Bullets and Bayonets March” by John Philip Sousa.
The Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform The Good Soldier Schweik Suite for Sixteen Players, Op. 22 by Robert Kurka; Bolivar for Trombone and Band by Eric Cook; and feature Ian Fitzwater, soloist, WSU senior trombone performance major. Following Naylor’s “The Cowboys,” the wind ensemble will play “Old Scottish Melody” by Charles Wiley and “Turbine” by John MacKay.
The concert will be broadcast live at www.wichita.edu/wsuir.
Naylor is a 1969 graduate of Wichita North High School where he participated in the instrumental music program under the direction of F. Robert Hollowell.
He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wichita State University in 1974 and began his teaching career in the Garden Plain public schools teaching grades 5-12.
He has been an instrumental music director in the Valley Center public schools since 1976. During his tenure, the middle school and high school bands have received numerous superior ratings.
Naylor is known professionally throughout the Wichita area, having performed in numerous ensembles and as soloist. He has played for many weddings, church celebrations and special events including performing the National Anthem preceding the Drums Across Kansas DCI contest, the dedication of the Wurlitzer organ at Century II in the early 1970s, the first Wichita River Festival Twilight Pops Concert and the first Wichita Jazz Festival.
Notable entertainers he has performed with include Clark Terry, Lou Marini, Eddie Daniels, Sonny and Cher and Rosemary Clooney.
He has adjudicated at middle school and high school contests in the Wichita area and was selected to conduct the Wichita All-City 7th and 8th Grade Honor Band in 2000. He has twice been the recipient of the Kansas Music Educators Association South Central District Outstanding High School Teacher Award.
Naylor also is a member of the Senseney Music Community Concert Band and plays lead trumpet in the Jazz Friends Community Big Band sponsored by Friends University.
He is a member of Kansas Bandmasters Association, Music Educators National Conference, Kansas Music Educators Association, serving as South Central District President from 2001-2003, and Phi Beta Mu International School Bandmasters Fraternity.