The Arizona State University (ASU) Wind Ensemble is set to premiere the full-band version of “Arcadia Trombonica” composed by Brandon University alumnus Kenley Kristofferson Thursday.

The world premiere showcases an innovative fusion of traditional wind ensemble instrumentation with the nostalgic tones of retro gaming.

Originally written as a duet for trombone and 8-bit music, “Arcadia Trombonica” has been expanded into a full-band arrangement, offering a richer dynamic range and broader sonic palette.

The project was commissioned by ASU’s School of Music low brass professor Nora Wilson and is a testament to the evolving relationship between acoustic and digital soundscapes. The development of “Arcadia Trombonica” demonstrates the intersection of artistic creativity and rigorous research, BU vice-president (Research and Graduate Studies) Bernadette Ardelli said.

WINNIPEG — Manitoba Education made sweeping changes to speed up the teacher-certification process by slackening training requirements — even though confidential documents reveal there was reasonable support for moderate tweaks among key stakeholders.

There is a stark contrast between a spring blueprint a senior bureaucrat, citing early feedback from employers, union leaders and faculties of education, described as a relative consensus on the desired outcomes of a recent regulatory review versus what was introduced four months later, according to government slide decks obtained by the Winnipeg Free Press through a freedom of information request.

“Eliminating these requirements is doing an experiment on all of our grade school and high school students, and we don’t know how the results are going to turn out,” said Andrew Frey, a physics professor at the University of Winnipeg.

Frey has joined academic colleagues in affected disciplines, ranging from mathematics to geography, to petition for the reinstatement of requirements for teacher candidates to gain expertise in specific subject areas to become certified.