Review: Concord Band Winter Concert

Review by Richard Chick

Winter 2007 Poster

Saturday, March 3, at 51 Walden Street, the Concord Band performed their Winter Concert. The program consisted almost entirely of contemporary concert band music. If you are one who attends concerts of contemporary works with some trepidation and brings to mind an evening filled with confusing, discordant, and otherwise unpleasant cacophony — it is definitely the wrong mental image. In fact the program was filled with delightful accessible works, which, although you would likely never have heard them, would have left you wanting to hear them again.

The program started with three distinctly different pieces by Clifton Williams. The first, Strategic Air Command, was written for that branch of the USAF. This is a rousing concert opener with clashing cymbals, bass drum "sonic booms" and a lovely chorale section in the lower brass complimented by the contrasting high piccolo trills musically played by Laura Finkelstein. The appropriately stirring work was performed with conviction under the direction of the band's Assistant Conductor, Paul Berler. Generally accurate playing throughout the ensemble and attentiveness to the conductor's cues and dynamics resulted in a satisfying performance.