UWA Wind Ensemble Concert Feb 16th, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | UWA Auditorium

Festa! | Elliot Del Borgo (1938-2013)

Some treasures are heavy with human tears | John Mackey (1973)

Summit | Kevin Day (1996)

Country Gardens | Percy Grainger (1882-1961)/ed. Karrick

Vignettes of Mount Vernon | Aaron Perrine (1979)

I.

II.

III.

The Walking Frog (1919/1993) | Karl King (1891-1971)/arr. Foster

Festa! (1985)

In contrasting three-part overture format, this piece erupts into a lively, dramatic opening. This dissolves into the second section where the woodwinds play a slow, rhythmic pulse with an underlying melodic theme. The low winds follow this theme and gradually add voices in very soft tones until an explosive return to the opening completes the work. The extensive use of percussion provides excitement and enhances the strong melodic material.

Some treasures are heavy with human tears (2021) begins with a simple motivic gesture: a rocking oscillation between flute and vibraphone that sounds akin to a lullaby. This principal motive carries throughout the piece, acting as the listener’s avatar through the emotional journey. A melody spins out from it, accompanied by ethereal ringing provided by crystal glasses and whirly tubes, and although the overall mood is one of melancholy, the atmosphere is also peaceful until a disorienting fog of trombone glissandi passes over. The songlike melody continues, at times abruptly shifting from the resigned mood of the home key of G minor to the distantly bright C major, evoking a fleeting remembrance of a more hopeful spirit, before just as quickly dissipating back. The simplicity of the opening returns, but this time fuller, with more voices joining before the glissando cloud returns (this time augmented by timpani), ushering in a new mood: confusion. The opening gesture reemerges, ceaselessly rocking in a rhythmic nature, oblivious to a building torment in the surrounding harmonies which become brasher and angrier as the piece approaches its dramatic climax. The apex of the piece is a wail, acknowledging the reality of the trauma in a moment of agony bordering on rage. This too, however, subsides, and the peacefulness of the beginning of the work returns to stay with one exception: as the final phrase of the work cadences and the last tones decay, a single muted trumpet rises from the silence in a bright flash and is suddenly extinguished. (Jacob Wallace)

Summit (2020) is an energetic work that was commissioned by the Indiana Bandmasters Association. The composition depicts a group of individuals working together as a team to forge its way up the face of a mountain, dealing with steep cliffs and chilling winds, eventually working its way to the very top. (Day)

Country Gardens (1918/2013) is an English folk tune that Cecil Sharp collected in 1908 and passed on to Grainger, who played improvisations on it during his World War I tour as a concert pianist for the U.S. Army. According to Grainger, it is a dance version of the tune The Vicar of Bray. Once published in its original piano form, the tune brought Grainger great success. However, it was not among his favorite compositions. Later in life, despite the steady stream of income from its royalties, the fame of Country Gardens and the widespread public association of this work as being his best known piece, the work came to haunt Grainger. He once remarked, “The typical English country garden is not often used to grow flowers in; it is more likely to be a vegetable plot. So you can think of turnips as I play it.” (SUNY Fredonia Wind Symphony)

Vignettes of Mount Vernon (2021)

While it’s difficult to choose, autumn just might be my favorite season. The turning colors and crisp air tend to evoke various memories of growing up. Most recently, however, I’m reminded of my time spent teaching in Mount Vernon, Iowa. If you don’t know Mount Vernon, imagine a quaint Midwestern college town—something picturesque that could appear on a postcard. When I was asked to write a suite for this particular project, I knew I wanted something reminiscent of this period of my life. Vignettes of Mount Vernon consists of three short movements, each representative of a slightly different mood I associate with the changing season in Iowa. (Perrine)

The Walking Frog (1919/1993)

This ragtime two-step was written to accompany the clown act of Baker and Dazell as they walked around in frog costumes. The piece is lighthearted and very catchy, and is best performed at a tempo under the typical march tempo of 120 bpm. It makes extensive use of trombone glisses, and the wood block adds a playful character during the trio.

• March 6, 7:00 p.m. | UWA Wind Ensemble | Joint concert with Demopolis High School Band @ Demopolis High School Auditorium
• March 11, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | West Alabama Marching Band | Auxiliary Audition Clinic (click for application)
• April 1, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | West Alabama Marching Band | Auxiliary Auditions
• April 7, 11:00 a.m. | UWA Wind Ensemble | Host performance for Concert Honor Band Festival (open to the public) @ UWA Auditorium
• April 7-8 | UWA Concert Honor Band Festival | For high school/middle school band students - Application deadline: March 1 | Click here for HS application - Click here for MS application
• April 22, 9:00 - 6:00 p.m. | West Alabama Marching Band | Drumline Audition Clinic
• April 25, 7:00 p.m. | UWA Wind Ensemble | Concert @ UWA Auditorium
• June 10-12 | West Alabama Marching Band | Drumline Audition Camp