U of A Bands Holds First Concert of the Fall

U of A Bands will feature the Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony in the first concert of the Fall 2022 season at the Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. today, Oct. 3.

The Wind Symphony, conducted by Jeffery Summers, will be performing four pieces. Jennifer Jolley's "Lightway" and Katahj Copley's "Serenade for Wind Nonet" showcase the young talent emerging in the music world. "There are fantastic composers out there, early in their careers, taking time to write for bands," Summers said. "It's really healthy that we've got young, great composers writing for us."

The third selection of the Wind Symphony's program is Frank Ticheli's "Simple Gifts: Four Shaker Songs," a piece that reflects on the simplicity and humility evoked by 18th and 19th century Shaker folk songs. To end their performance, Chase Jones will be conducting "In this Broad Earth" by Steven Bryant, a piece inspired by Walt Whitman's "Song of the Universal" from Leaves of Grass.

Following the Wind Symphony, the Wind Ensemble will be performing three pieces, one of which is a world premiere. Led by Christopher Knighten, the group will open with a small chamber piece written by English composer Gordon Jacob. "Old Wine in New Bottles" uses English folk melodies and creates contemporary harmonies using a small woodwind ensemble.

After performing Leonard Bernstein's "Candide," the Wind Ensemble will finish the evening with the world premier of James Stephenson's "The Lonesome Valley Folksuite." The U of A Bands, in partnership with several other programs in the state of Arkansas, commissioned the composer to create a piece based on Arkansas folklore. "It's a six-movement work based on the ideas from Percy Grainger in honoring folk singers," Knighten said. "This will be the world premiere, but it will be performed several other times in the state."

The Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony bands are composed of musicians from across campus with a strong variety of backgrounds. Nearly a third of the ensembles' members are from majors outside music, and many of the music majors in the bands are double majors in another field of study. "We have students from engineering, business and architecture," Knighten said. "But what we all have in common is the desire to gather and make music."

Admission to the performances is free, but a ticket is required. Tickets can be acquired through the Faulkner Performing Arts Center.

The next concert for the Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony will be held on Monday, Nov. 21.