2012-2013 Masterworks Series
Saturday Evenings at 8 p.m. at UNCW Kenan Auditorium
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Spirit of the Americas
Saturday, March 16, 2013
8:00 p.m.
Kenan Auditorium on the UNCW campus
Student Concerto Winners
Julia Lensch, violin and John Crowley, trumpet
Co-Sponsors: Thursday Morning Music Club, CreativeDept.biz, and 91.3 FM
..... Program Notes for This Concert Here .....
Experience the spirit of the Americas on Saturday, March 16th at 8:00 p.m. in Kenan Auditorium when the Wilmington Symphony spotlights American composers. Also sharing their youthful energy will be the upper division winners of the Wilmington Symphony's 36th annual Richard R. Deas Student Concerto Competition John Crowley (trumpet), and Julia Lensch (violin).
First stop on the evening's musical tour of the Americas is Aaron Copland's "El Salon Mexico," his musical depiction of an eponymous dance hall in Mexico City, followed by Leonard Bernstein's "Fancy Free," the vibrant, jazzy score composed for his first collaboration with choreographer Jerome Robbins affirming the energy and vitality of their beloved New York City. Also featured is the North Carolina premiere of a new work "A New Day" by Wilmington composer Barbara Gallagher.
When asked about his inspiration for these song selections, Steven Errante said, "The Copland and Bernstein pieces are all about rhythm. In the Bernstein, it's jazz and stride piano and the Copland has a Latin American feel. So the spirit of the Americas is expressed through these rhythms. Barbara's piece displays the kind of American composing that's happening right here in Wilmington."
Barbara Gallagher's A New Day was commissioned by the Florence (SC) Symphony, and highlights several musical themes that are built from notes of the names of Florence Symphony players and board members; also, there is a southern flavor to some of the tunes. Ms. Gallagher says, "I'm very excited to now have Maestro Errante and the Wilmington Symphony performing this work!" Her music has been performed throughout the U.S. and internationally, and is frequently broadcast on radio stations including National Public Radio, Sirius/XM, and Pandora. A recipient of numerous awards, grants, and commissions, she holds degrees from The Juilliard School.
Performances by the concerto competition winners begin the program with the Wilmington Symphony accompanying violinist Julia Lensch in Fritz Kreisler's "Preludium and Allegro" and trumpeter John Crowley in Alexander Arutiunian's "Concerto for Trumpet."
