STARKVILLE, Miss.—- Tuesday, February 8, the SHS Wind Ensemble held its February Concert at First Baptist Church in Starkville. The Wind Ensemble’s performance was conducted by Shawn Sullivan, Connor Byrd and Mississippi State student intern, Ryan Perkins. Trenton Brown conducted the Percussion Ensemble’s performance. 

Byrd, who is the newest director with the band, conducted the ensemble’s first piece, “The Belle of Chicago.” Sullivan continued the concert with the pieces, “Irish Tune from County Derry,” “Beyond the Gates” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”  

Ryan Perkins is a senior Education major at Mississippi State. The student intern conducted “Rippling Watercolors.” Perkins feels that the concert had a few spots for improvement, but felt that overall, it was a pretty good concert.  

Margaret Ann Sullivan, selected for the Mississippi Lions All State Honor Band, is a freshman French Horn player. 

“I felt like we did good as an overall band, but could’ve done better,” Sullivan said. She looks forward to State Evaluation where the band can have the chance to improve on tuning and dynamics. 

Senior Daneah Saffold was pleased with the concert.  

“I think the concert went really well. I think we sounded great and I’m glad we were able to have a concert this year,” Saffold said.  

Brown, a percussion director for the band, conducted the Latin piece, “Sofapilla.”  

“For this concert, we wanted to choose something that would challenge the students, but as well be something that the crowd could get into and enjoy,” Brown said. 

The Wind Ensemble will begin preparing for their State Concert Evaluation in Oxford set in March.