Southeastern Wind Symphony to present two concerts this fall
Monday, September 11, 2017
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Wind Symphony will present two concerts
this fall at Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Hammond.
Tickets for both concerts are adults $10; faculty, staff, seniors and non-SLU
students $5; and Southeastern students are admitted free. SLU students must present
their student IDs to receive tickets. Tickets are available at the Columbia Theatre
box office at 220 E. Thomas Street or by calling 985-543-4371.
The first concert, “There’s a First Time for Everything,” is scheduled Sept. 28
and will feature a wide variety of music. The concert opens with Gustav Holst’s landmark
composition “First Suite in E-Flat.” Also on the program is Samuel Barber’s “First
Essay,” composed in 1937 and translated by Joseph Levey.
The concert will close with a performance of the First Symphony of American composer,
Andrew Boss.Titled “Tetelestai,” which translates to “it is finished,” the work is
an interpretation of the images and feelings conjured by the story of the crucification
and death of Jesus Christ.
“Because it is not a retelling of the story, the work is not programmatic in
nature; rather it seeks to allow the listener to recall their own experience and beliefs
to relate to the music that they are listening to,” said Interim Director of Bands
and Director of Athletic Bands Derek Stoughton. “It is a powerful piece that will
resonate with everyone that has the opportunity to listen to it.”
The second concert, titled “Shades of England,” is scheduled Nov. 9 and will
feature music generally linked to England.
“The concert will open with ‘Intrada 1631,’ which is a wonderful piece based
on liturgical music of the 17th century,” said Stroughton. “Stephen Montague was born
in the United States, but immigrated to London in the 1970s.”
Following will be a special performance of “Give Us This Day” by David Maslanka.
“One of the most important composers for the wind ensemble medium, Mr. Maslanka
unfortunately lost his battle with colon cancer earlier this year,” he said. “He was
a guest at Southeastern a few years ago, and many students still remember his gentle
spirit and true passion for music and its impact on the world. We want to perform
this special piece in his honor, as a tribute to the hundreds of thousands of people
around the world who have been touched and influenced by his music.”
Also on the program is the wind ensemble adaptation of the “Concerto for Tuba
and Orchestra” by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The piece will feature
new professor of Tuba/Euphonium Charles Goodman.
“The concert closes with one of the most important pieces ever written for the
wind ensemble - Percy Grainger’s ‘Lincolnshire Posy,’” Stoughton said. “This piece
is based on folk songs that were collected in Lincolnshire and has become a standard
of our medium.”
For more information, contact the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at 985-549-2184.
