Wind Ensemble Presents March 6 Concert

The Fairmont State University Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Valarie Huffman, will present its first concert of the spring semester on Tuesday, March 6, at 8 p.m. in the Turley Center Ballroom.

The works for the concert feature contemporary compositions from living composers who frequently write for the wind band medium. Opening the concert will be David Maslanka's Mother Earth, a fanfare based on a poem by St. Francis of Assisi:

"Praised be You, my Lord, for our sister, MOTHER EARTH,
Who nourishes us and teaches us,
Bringing forth all kinds of fruits and colored flowers and herbs."

Following Mother Earth will be Mark Spede's transcription of "Acrostic Song" from David Del Tredici's Final Alice, which is a work composed originally for soprano and orchestra based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland books. "Acrostic Song" is the lullaby-like concluding aria from Final Alice. Following "Acrostic Song" will be the Symphony #1: In Memoriam Dresden-1945 by Daniel Bukvich.

On the night of February 13, 1945, Allied forces fire-bombed the undefended German city of Dresden. Swollen by the flow of refugees fleeing the advancing Russian Army to almost twice its normal population, the "Fire Storm" killed approximately 150,000 men, women and children. The work is an homage to the epic events of that night and will include movements that establish the mood of impending disaster through the fury of the bombing attack, to the prayer for the victims to the actual "fire storm" itself. The "fire storm" is recreated by non-conventional compositional methods.

Next will be the Legend of Wilson"s Creek by Oklahoma composer David Gorham. Wilson's Creek was the site of one of the early battles of the Civil War. The creek itself is located near Springfield, Mo., and it is thought to have been the first major battle west of the Mississippi River. The music is based on the traditional tune "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier," which was a popular song during both the Revolutionary and Civil wars. Concluding the concert is Under the Magical Wing by David Gillingham. A fanfare with a chorale, the work depicts the love an ensemble has for their director, and the challenge to the director to challenge the hearts and minds of their students.

The concert is free to the public. For more information, contact Huffman at vhuffman@fairmontstate.edu.