Symphonic Band Concert

The University of Florida Symphonic Band will be performing a concert of contemporary and standard works. The concert, under the musical direction of Associate Professor Jay Watkins, will showcase the talents of over seventy-five members from a variety of majors across the University of Florida campus.  There will also be two guest conductors on the program, graduate student Andrew Bajorek and Assistant Director of Bands, Dr. Chip Birkner.

The program opens with Celerbation Overture by Paul Creston, first commissioned by Edwin Franko Goldman and the American Bandmaster Association in 1954. This work highlights Creston’s use of rhythmic energy with unexpected accents and irregular phrasing.

Contemporary wind band compser Frank Ticheli, composed Rest as an adaptation of his choral work, There Will Be Rest. The work is a beautiful elegy, with moments of fragility and power, that features the nuances of the symphonic band.

Each year, compsoer Ron Nelson composes music for the winter solstice. Morning Alleluias is a commisioned example of this ritual, which, orginally written for Frederick Fennell and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Ensemble, alludes to Gagaku (ancient Japanese court music) through glissando and hanuting vocal motives.  

Alfred Reed’s transcription of La Procession Du Rocio by Juaquin Turina, is a nod to the “Procession of the Dew” which is an early 20th century tradition in Spain where a procession of aristocratic families  is accompanied by revelry, fireworks and bursts of colorful dancing.

Leonard Bernstein’s empathetic energy is on display in Overture to “Candide”. Rollicking energy is intertwined by a beautiful lyrical melody, much akin to the style of famed opera compsoer, Giacomo Rossini.

Also featured will be Chester by William Schuman and Chester Leaps In by Stephen Bryant, guest conducted by graduate assistant Andrew Bajorek. Both pieces feature themes from William Billings’ choral tune Chester, a revolutionary war song first adapted for band by William Schuman. Bryant takes themes from Chester and interjects wild and humorous themes as a parody of the original song.  

Divertimento by Vincent Persichetti, a collection of short pieces of varying character, will be guest conducted by Dr. Chip Birkner, assistant director of bands. Persichetti wrote Divertimento for the Goldman Band which, at the time of its conception, was regarded by famed wind conductor Frederick Fennell as a “new medium” for wind band.

Address

333 Newell Drive
Gainesville

Phone

352-392-2346

Website

University Auditorium Website