Garrett Releases Symphonic Winds Retrospective CD Set

Nov. 1, 2019

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Roger Garrett, longtime clarinet professor and director of the Illinois Wesleyan University Symphonic Winds, has selected 158 minutes of music, pulled from Symphonic Winds performances over the past 30 years, for a double CD set to celebrate his upcoming retirement.

“The recordings on this collection represent some of my favorite performances from my time here at IWU, and, of course, some of my favorite compositions for band are represented as well,” said Garrett. “Some pieces didn’t make the collection because we were limited to 158 minutes of space.”

Garrett quickly found that highlighting 30 years of performances in just two CDs would be a massive undertaking. Although many performances from the earlier years were outstanding, performances from the past 17 years were recorded with advanced digital equipment and high-quality microphones, and Roger thusly limited his selections for the CD set to that timeframe.

Even so, nearly 70 concerts had to be collected, transferred to digital formats, equalized and reverb adjusted, with elimination of applause, and with volumes matched for each performance. Because the concerts took place in three different venues, further adjustments were made to create a similar sound.

The recordings feature only Illinois Wesleyan students, many of whom are named in a 24-page color booklet accompanying the CD set.

“My biggest thank you goes to the Concert Band and Symphonic Winds students for enriching my life as they have,” Garrett said. “I’m very proud of their work, and, frankly, I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to stand in front of such good people who were there to have fun making music.”

Garrett’s double CD set is available for purchase at the Illinois Wesleyan Bookstore, located inside of the Hansen Student Center (300 E Beecher St.).

By John Twork