One night can change everything.
Donald McKinney, director of wind ensembles and conducting at the University, will make his debut directing the Wind Ensemble tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Union Theatre.
But he didn’t plan to be a conductor.
“I was convinced I was going to be a professional saxophone player,” McKinney said. “I was kind of obsessed with paying the career.'”
Fast forward to 2010, and the director of wind ensembles and conducting position opened up at the University’s School of Music.
“I knew LSU had a great tradition of bands and music,” McKinney said. “So I just threw my name in the hat and applied. It just kept unfolding to when I was offered the