McAllen Wind Ensemble to premier new composition
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- Published: Friday, 31 January 2020 10:15
The McAllen Wind Ensemble has been given the honor of premiering the composition “Angels in the Sky” by composer Aaron D. McMichael on February 11. Mr. McMichael composed the piece specifically for the McAllen group as they celebrate their 45th year of performing in the Rio Grande Valley. The February 11th concert, sponsored by Thurmond Eye Associates is entitled “Something...Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue” The event will feature a musical potpourri of concert band works from each of the categories of the old wedding rhyme.
Aaron D. McMichael’s works definitely belong in the “something new” category. Even though he has started composing seriously in just the last three years, Mr. McMichael’s parents started him in music at the young age of five. When he started middle school, he switched to trumpet and was an instant success. After graduating high school, he earned a scholarship at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi. There he met the composer Robert W. Smith, who extended a full scholarship to Troy State University. Once Mr. McMichael graduated in 2003 with his bachelors’ degree, he began teaching at Victoria High School. Since then, he has taught at several high schools and middle schools across the state of Texas including Brownsville ISD, Mercedes ISD, San Benito ISD, Mission ISD, and Victoria ISD.
Every year, the Valley Star Awards offers a great lineup of entertainment – and this year is no different. The lineup includes some of the best Wintertainers™ performing in the Winter Texan parks and resorts during the Winter months. This year’s lineup includes Rick McEwen, Dave and Daphne, Tom Wurth, Desert Polynesia, Maggie Mae and Dan Smith, and Absolutely Country, Definitely Gospel.
While there were a lot of familiar names at the first Showcase, I was not familiar with more than half of the Wintertainers™ on the list to perform at the second Showcase. The activity director’s association and Robert and Billie Ferguson put on two showcase events every year to help activity directors book entertainment for next year. The Showcase allows the activity directors to get a sampling of what the Wintertainers™ can offer.
Shows and dances hosted by mobile home and RV parks and resorts are attended in numbers by the Winter Texans that spend their winters here in the Rio Grande Valley. The parks and resorts spend a lot of effort getting popular wintertainers to perform at their venues. Each year, the Valley Star Awards, hosted by Robert Ferguson and the Winter Texan Times, presents awards to the Rio Grande Valley’s top Winter Texan entertainers – are as we call them, “Wintertainers™.”
It’s that time of year so get ready bull riding fans as the “Hottest 8 Seconds of 2020” will be returning to Mercedes again. You’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat as the NPBR will bring some of the nations top bull riders for a two-day event to be held at the Payne Auto Group Arena in the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Complex in Mercedes, on January 25 and 26.
Leslie Blasing has been singing for over 30 years and has grown into a sensation of her own – and very rightfully earned. She sings with a heart of gold, putting her voice and talent in everything she sings.
