Monday, September 15, 2008

Fall Concert Begins 50th Anniversary Season

The Concord Band will open its 50th Anniversary season with its annual Fall Concert to be presented at The Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street in Concord on Saturday, October 25, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. Last year, the Band began a two-year celebration of its 50th anniversary by featuring performances of its favorite commissioned works in concerts throughout the year. 

Julie Grioux
Composer
This concert will feature a performance of Julie Giroux's Boston Liberties, which the Concord Band commissioned in 2002, as well as the world premiere performance of a new composition for band by Concord composer Michael Weinstein. The Band is also thrilled to welcome back guest conductor Dr. Steven Grimo, who last appeared as guest conductor with the Band in March 1997.
Dr Steven Grimo
Lt Col USAF (retired)
Guest Conductor


Now in his final season as Music Director of the Concord Band, Dr. William G. McManus will open the concert with March of the Tall Ships, an exciting concert march composed by Jay Chattaway in commemoration of the 1976 Operation Sail, which was the largest gathering ever of tall sailing ships from all over the world. This historic event took place in New York harbor on July 4, 1976, as part of America's bicentennial celebration.

Composer Michael Weinstein, a resident of Concord, is a prolific writer with more than fifty works in the concert music field to his credit. His compositions include pieces for symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber works, and solo instrumental pieces. The Concord Band is honored to present the world premiere of his composition Four Songs Without Words on Poems of Kliest for Concert Band.

The concert will continue with a performance of the beautiful Percy Grainger setting of the Scottish folk song, Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon, followed by Julie Giroux's Boston Liberties, a four-movement work reflecting the seafaring life of Boston of the late 1800s. The Concord Band presented the world premiere of this work in March 2003. The first half of the concert will close with An Ellington Portrait, a setting of eight of Duke Ellington's greatest songs.

To open the second half of the concert, guest conductor Steven Grimo will take the podium for a performance of Julie Giroux's exciting La Mezquita de Cordoba, a musical celebration of the multicultural, religious, and artistic accomplishments that took place in the magnificent La Mezquita Cathedral in Cordoba, Spain. Dr. William McManus will return to the podium for a performance of Robert Russell Bennett's wonderful arrangement of music from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

Dr. Grimo will close the concert with March Madness, an exciting march composed of bits and pieces of numerous well-known marches. This concert promises to be an exciting start to the Concord Band's 50th Anniversary season.