Wind Ensemble

The premier concert organization of the UL Lafayette Band Program, the Wind Ensemble maintains high standards of performance. It has traveled to France twice and to Mexico for invited concert tours. The Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. William Hochkeppel, performs several concerts during the fall and spring semesters, including the annual Homecoming Concert.

The UL Wind Ensemble performs a wide variety of challenging literature ranging from the classics (such as Holst & Grainger) to the finest contemporary works (Ticheli, Husa, and Bryant, for example). Recently we’ve commissioned and premiered works by James Syler (Congo Square), Michael Schelle (The End of the World) and hosted notable composers such as John Mackey. David Maslanka, and Donald Grantham. 

In addition to our international tours, the Wind Ensemble has been featured at Festival International de Louisiane; the inaugural Louisiana Concert Band Invitational (a Music For All regional festival); and frequently tours to high schools. We’ve also collaborated with special guest artists, such as Marcia Ball and Grammy Award-winners Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet.