Kennesaw State University Bailey School Of Music Presents Americana Festival

Kennesaw State University's Bailey School of Music, a unit of the College of the Arts, will present the Americana Festival Nov. 7-11. Four diverse concerts will focus on American composers and patriotic songs to celebrate Veterans Day. Veterans will receive free admission into the Nov. 11 performance.

Tickets may be purchased for each performance, or a weeklong pass may be purchased for $45 to attend all Festival concerts. The Americana Festival gives patrons and student musicians the chance to honor service members.

On Mon., Nov. 7, the Festival kicks off with Faculty Chamber Music featuring American composers, followed by the Brass Ensemble on Wed., Nov. 9. The students in Chorale, Treble Choir, and Men's Ensemble join forces on Thurs., Nov. 10. On Veterans Day, Fri., Nov. 11, the Wind Ensemble will pay tribute to the men and women who serve (and have served) our great nation.

"A Veterans Day Tribute," featuring Jason Casanova, euphonium, and Paul Dickinson, tuba, also includes about fifty piccolo performers from all over the metro Atlanta area. BSOM faculty Dr. David Kehler, Director of the Wind Ensemble, encourages veterans to attend this moving concert-for free. "Veterans are invited to be our guests at the Friday night concert for free. They should call Patron Services at 470-578-6650 with their dates of service and branch to receive a complimentary ticket."

Veterans will be asked to stand and be acknowledged during the performance that honors all branches of the United States Armed Forces. Making its Georgia premiere is Anthony Plog's Double Concerto for Euphonium, Tuba, and Wind Ensemble (2019), preceded by Carlos Simon's Sweet Chariot (2019). A traditional favorite on the playlist includes John Williams' Hymn to the Fallen, arranged by Paul Lavender.

No patriotic concert would be complete without Samuel A. Ward's America the Beautiful, arranged by Dragon, followed by Robert Lowden's Armed Forces Salute (1968). Finally, the performance will end with a rousing rendition of John Philip Sousa's The Stars and Stripes Forever (1896).

Kehler hopes the community, along with KSU students, faculty, and staff, will attend and show their support for veterans and service members during the weeklong festival, but particularly on Veterans Day.

Originally known as Armistice Day, Veterans Day is held on Nov. 11 to give universal recognition to the "celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918, (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month)" according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. However, after World War II, the day was renamed "National Veterans Day," to honor all veterans, and, in 1954, President Eisenhower signed the bill proclaiming Nov. 11 as Veterans Day. To learn more about Veterans Day and its history, please visit https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/.

To buy tickets for the Americana Festival, please visit MusicKSU.com. Individual tickets range from $5 to $15 or buy a festival pass for $45 and attend all the concerts. To learn more about Kennesaw State University's College of the Arts, please visit arts.kennesaw.edu.