Inside Iowa State

Aug. 20, 2009

Leading the way at the Concert on the Green are (l-r) Wind Ensemble conductor and music department chair Michael Golemo, associate professor of music and Des Moines Symphony concertmaster Jonathan Sturm and LAS dean Michael Whiteford. Photo by Steve Jones.

LAS college celebrates 50 years with outdoor concert

by Steve Jones, LAS Communications

It will be 1959 all over again when Iowa State's Wind Ensemble performs on central campus Aug. 27 to celebrate the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' (LAS) 50th anniversary. Broadway selections and other musical favorites from that era will highlight the free one-hour "Concert on the Green."

The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. on the lawn next to the campanile. A few chairs will be available, but concertgoers should bring their own chairs or blankets.

"We're out to capture the feel of a traditional, summer outdoor band concert with an assortment of lively musical styles," said Michael Golemo, professor and chair of music and conductor of the Wind Ensemble, the top university concert band. It includes more than 50 undergraduate musicians from throughout the university.

"We'll play popular Broadway and movie selections from 1959 in addition to current selections and even some light classical music," Golemo said. The play list will include a selection from The Sound of Music, which opened on Broadway in November of that year.

Jonathan Sturm will be a guest violinist. Sturm, associate professor of music, is concertmaster of the Des Moines Symphony. LAS dean Michael Whiteford will guest conduct one number.

"This will be a fun, fast-paced and enjoyable concert," Golemo said. In the case of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to Tye Hall in the Music Hall.

LAS is planning other 50th anniversary events this semester, including a student contest and movie nights featuring college faculty as expert commentators. More information about the anniversary and history is online.

Formed as the College of Sciences and Humanities in 1959, the college changed its name to Liberal Arts and Sciences in 1990. Although the college officially is only a half-century old, Iowa State has been offering liberal arts, science and humanities courses since it opened in 1869.