The saying goes that medicine heals the body and music heals the soul. Music lovers can find out for themselves at San Jacinto College Central Campus’s Wind Ensemble concert, March 7, where the group’s leader hopes participants and attendees alike will find a quality musical experience.

Central Campus music professor and Wind Ensemble Director Graham Tobin said the performance allows students to showcase the sum of the work done in their music classes.

“The concert gives the San Jac community an opportunity to hear high quality symphonic large ensemble music on campus – performed by the student population,” Tobin said. “Just as we can see students perform in their athletic endeavors, we can also hear students perform in their artistic endeavors.

The performance will feature España Rhapsody by Emmanuel Chabrier, Foundry by John Mackey, Friska by Franz Liszt, Brick Street Encounter by Richard L. Saucedo, and Jocuri Poporale Romanesti by Béla Bartók.

Tobin assumed the group’s leadership in the fall of 2016. Although settled in his position now, ensemble member Okang Ralph recalled turbulent times in the early days of Tobin’s tenure.

“In the beginning, things looked pretty grim,” Ralph said. “People weren’t getting their parts, and we had less than a week left before the concert.”

However, Ralph credits Tobin’s leadership with bringing ensemble members together and extracting a successful performance.

“The day of the concert rolls around and miraculously, it turned out to be amazing,” Ralph said. “It was possibly the best concert I’ve been a part of.”

Likewise, Tobin shared some of the difficulties he encountered during his time working with the band.

“Students come to the ensemble with a wide variety of skill levels and varying levels of commitment and work ethic,” he said. “Having small numbers in the ensemble with instrumentation that is not complete – we don’t have any oboes or bassoons for example.”

However, Ralph said he believed no matter what challenges face the ensemble, it’s fate rests in very capable hands.

“To this day Professor Tobin has led a strong and proud band through every concert we have had,” Ralph said. “I think the wind ensemble has a bright future ahead of it with Professor Tobin leading it.”

The Wind Ensemble concert will take place at 7 p.m. on March 7 in Corbin Hall of the Monte Blue music building (C5) on the Central Campus. Admission is free of charge.