The Wartburg College Wind Ensemble will present its annual fall concerts Nov. 3-4.

The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Neumann Auditorium on the Wartburg campus. Admission is free.

Craig Hancock, director of bands and professor of music, directs the Wind Ensemble. This 53-member group is made up of the finest wind and percussion players at the college. In the spring, the ensemble will travel to Japan for the college’s May Term.

This year’s performance will feature Johan de Meij’s Symphony No. 1, “The Lord of the Rings.” The five-movement work will be narrated by the wizard Gandalf, portrayed by Matthias Letsche, a sophomore at Waverly-Shell Rock High School.

“This monumental work is a massive undertaking,” Hancock said. “Lasting nearly an hour, with the addition of narrative between the movements, it challenges both the performer and audience alike to stay focused for a great length of time. Significantly difficult for the performers, it displays not only technical prowess but tests their ability to play as soloists as well. Based on the popular ‘The Lord of the Rings’ book, which pre-dates the movies, the audience should not come thinking they will hear the movie music, although this could easily be movie music.”

Also featured will be “Shadow Rituals,” a composition by Michael Markowski.