The Wellington Winds is busy preparing for our last pair of concerts for the season, on April 19 in Kitchener and April 26 in Waterloo. The theme of this grand finale to our season is Concerto for Wind Ensemble.
The theme may seem a bit cryptic – after all, a concerto is generally understood to be a piece featuring an instrumental soloist accompanied by a large ensemble. But typically a concerto is also a show of virtuosity, which provides a clue to our music director Dan Warren’s thinking in choosing the theme.
“Béla Bartók wrote Concerto for Orchestra for the Boston Symphony, and it was something he wanted to write to really show off the orchestra. It was like a solo piece for orchestra. In this concert, which is called Concerto for Wind Ensemble, we picked a bit more challenging repertoire than we might have, and no soloists. So really, the band is the focus, with lots of different genres – different kinds of music to show off the capabilities of the symphonic band.” – Dan Warren
Danse Folâtre by Claude T. Smith exemplifies the spirit of our concert’s theme. The work was commissioned by the U.S. Army Band, who requested that it specifically showcase the exceptional abilities of all sections of the ensemble. Full Tilt! by Richard Saucedo is similarly virtuosic, and also written originally for the symphonic band.
Continuing in the Winds’ tradition of drawing on orchestral repertoire, the program includes several transcriptions, all of which are exceptionally beautiful, while also showcasing the virtuosity of the ensemble as a whole. These include Salomé’s Dance by Richard Strauss, Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Sensamayá by Silvestre Revueltas, the famous fanfare from Dukas’ La Péri and Scenes from the Ballet Cinderella by Prokovief, artfully transcribed by our own Dave Arthur.
Please join us for this, our season’s grand finale.
Concerto for Wind Ensemble
Sunday April 19, 3 pm., Grandview Baptist Church, Kitchener
Sunday April 26, 3 pm., Knox Presbyterian Church, Waterloo