This Friday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m., the Gustavus Wind Orchestra and the Vasa Wind Orchestra will put on a show like none that has ever been performed before in Christ Chapel. Under the conducting of Professor of Music Dr. Douglas Nimmo, these orchestras will perform in a show that is intertwined with a number of small ensembles.

“This Friday’s combined Gustavus Wind Orchestra/Vasa Wind Orchestra concert is going to be a unique experience for the audience, which is why I’m so excited about it myself.  Not only will the audience get to hear both wind orchestras, but they will also be treated to performances from many smaller chamber groups interspersed throughout the concert,” Junior Philosophy Major and Member of  Gustavus Wind Orchestra, Kalmar Quintet and Wind Sinphonia Alex Legeros said.

Each small chamber group— which include the Trombone Choir, Tuba Euphonium, Saxophone Quartet, Kalmar Woodwind Quintet and the Wind Sinfonia—will have the opportunity to present one of their pieces in between every large chamber song. This allows the large orchestras to transition while the smaller ones perform their own works.

“This particular concert presents a tremendous amount of variety in music. The old saying ‘there’s something for everyone’ holds true with this concert,” Nimmo said.
Among the works that the Vasa Wind Orchestra will play are The Sinfonians by Clifton Williams and Claude Smith’s Jubilant Prelude. In addition, the Vasa Wind Orchestra will perform Loch Lommond by Frank Ticheli, which is “an absolutely gorgeous arrangement of Loch Lommond music,” Nimmo said.

In addition to the Vasa Wind Orchestra, the Gustavus Wind Orchestra will perform Vaclav Nelhybel’s Symphonic Movement and Manhattan Beach by Sousa.

“The Gustavus Wind Orchestra will close with arguably one of the finest pieces of music ever written for wind orchestra: Percy Grainger’s Lincolnshire Posy,” Nimmo said.

This piece is of special significance as Grainger toured with the Gustavus Band in March of 1941. Photos from this tour are on display in the music building.

“I dare anyone who goes [to the concert] not to be fascinated by Nelhybel’s Symphonic Movement, or [not to] dance in their seat listening to Grainger’s Lincolnshire Posy,” Legeros said.

The works featured by the smaller chamber orchestras will also bring much variety and uniqueness to the performance.

“I get really excited playing in small groups; the pressure is definitely on the performers, but I think the music that comes out of ensembles like quintets is far more spirited and personal than what you would get in a group of 60 or 70 musicians,” Legeros said.

The pieces featured in this concert consist of all new literature which were prepared by the musicians in a relatively short amount of time, even with the high level of difficulty exhibited in the works.

“This upcoming concert I look forward to with just as much enthusiasm as our home concert at the start of the semester, and hope the audience is ready for another great musical experience that deviates just a little from our usual performance,” Legeros said.