Wharton County Junior College Band Director Joe Waldrop leads students through a rehearsal. Waldrop will direct his final concert with the college on Thursday, March 27, at the Horton Foote Theatre on the Wharton campus.
WHARTON – After 36 years of directing, Wharton County Junior College Band Director Joe Waldrop will host his final concert, “My Favorite Songs II.” He’s counting on former students to help him close out a remarkable career.
“I have invited former students to join us on the stage and I am looking for one last big blow out before I end my time here,” Waldrop said.
“My Favorite Songs II” will have two performances, one at 3 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27 at the Horton Foote Theatre on the Wharton campus. Both are free of admission and open to the public. Waldrop held a concert earlier this spring entitled “My Favorite Songs I.”
“This concert is made up of some of my favorite songs from the various concerts we have held in my 21 years here at WCJC as well as some songs that I really enjoyed back when I was in high school and we played at football games,” Waldrop said.
For some of the songs, Waldrop utilized marching band arrangements rather than jazz arrangements as it was a better fit for his students. One key component was to push up the tempo.
“I am not a fan of slow music,” Waldrop said.
The “My Favorite Songs II” concert will feature a few selections from the big band era while the bulk will come from pop music. Selections include “Big Noise from Winnetka,” “The Horse,” “Green Onions,” “House of the Rising Sun” and “Tusk.”
The concert will end with AC/DC’s “Heatseeker.”
“I’m hoping many of our former students will join in with us on that final song,” Waldrop said.
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