Join the University of Southern Mississippi Wind Ensemble for Rhythms of Earth and Spirit, a program that highlights four composers whose works explore faith, culture and human connection through distinct musical voices.

Donald Grantham’s Southern Harmony revisits 19th-century American hymn tunes, transforming them into a modern reflection on spirituality and community. Jodie Blackshaw’s Peace Dancer draws inspiration from a First Nations story by Roy Henry Vickers, portraying the realization that humanity has “lost its way” and must rediscover love and respect for creation. Roshanne Etezady’s Anahita is inspired by the Persian goddess of water, night, fertility and rebirth, using rich harmonies and color to represent transformation and strength. Dennis Llinás’s La Chancla closes the concert with humor and energy, combining Latin rhythms and mythic imagery to celebrate cultural storytelling and rhythm as a universal language.

Together, these works form a path from reflection to celebration, connecting the rhythms of earth and spirit.