As some of you may know by now, some of our groups in the Rock Prairie family will be making a change come 2013 that will be like going back in time.

2013 will usher in a new, yet retro moniker as our Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band, and Big Band will fall farther under the University of Wisconsin - Rock County banner.

What this means is this;

(1) The Rock Prairie Concert Band will revert back to its old moniker of the UW-Rock County Concert Band; This name harkens  back to the bands inception near the opening of the U-Rock Campus in the mid to late 1960's (see everything old is new again).

(2) The Rock Prairie Chamber Orchestra will be renamed the UW-Rock County Chamber Orchestra.

(3) The Rock Prairie Big Band will evolve further into the stage band from its dance/ swing band origins and become the UW-Rock County Jazz Band. The campus once maintained this band in years past as well, but the group fell under the Rock Prairie moniker after it was resurrected in the mid-1990's.

The groups that will remain under the Rock Prairie banner will be the Rock Prairie Youth Orchestra and the Rock Prairie Jazz Combo.

It should also be emphasized that the Rock Prairie Performing Arts Association will remain the group supporting the all of the groups musical directions and fund raising, working in the background, albeit with a bit more assistance, from the UW Center School we have called home since the beginning. To this we are eternally grateful and thank the University for their continued support, no matter what form it takes.

This is also the time to remind everyone reading this latest post that the RPPAA is still looking for musicians and enthusiasts of our music forms to join with us on our board to aid in future endeavors, now with increased University of Wisconsin - Rock County backing. Your opinion matters and we would like to here your ideas.

A special Thank You goes out to Dean Carmen Wilson, UW-Rock County's current guiding force, and an accomplished musician in her own right. We at the RPPAA Thank You for your attendance at our events and your continued and now increased interest in us and all of the other UW-Rock County-based music, theater, and arts departments.

Thank You for reading and Happy New Year from all of here at the Rock Prairie Performing Arts Association!

We look forward to bringing you an even more exciting 2013!