UPEI Wind Symphony recital Nov. 24
Program includes ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Psalm for the Band’
The UPEI Wind Symphony, under the direction of Karem J. Simon, will perform a full recital of contemporary wind band music on Friday, Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m., at Park Royal United Church in Charlottetown.
With performances in recent years at local churches – St. Dunstan’s Basilica and Zion Presbyterian – the Wind Symphony is continuing a tradition of performing beyond campus.
The centrepiece of the program is Johan de Meij’s Symphony No. 1, “The Lord of the Rings”. Based on the trilogy of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien, it was written between March 1984 and December 1987.
The symphony consists of five separate movements, each illustrating a person or an important episode from the book. The movements include: Gandalf (The Wizard); Lothlorien (The Elvenwood); Gollum (Sméagol); Journey in the Dark and Hobbits.
Soloist for this recital is UPEI’s saxophone professor, Nicole Strum.
Vincent Persichetti’s “Psalm for Band” will also be featured. It is a contemplative work that utilizes the soloistic and corporate colour of the modern wind band.
Tickets for this performance are $15, adults and $10, students and are available at the UPEI music department as well as the admission’s desk on the night of the recital.
Comprised mostly of UPEI music majors, the UPEI Wind Symphony has produced an annual compact disk featuring selected repertoire from year year’s performances during the past 19 years.
“Cathedrals”, released in May 2010, received the 2011 Music P.E.I. Award for best classical recording. In February 2011 the Wind Symphony released “O Canada”, a CD project for P.E.I. public schools. Its most recent compact discs include “Freebirds”, “Lincolnshire Posy”, “Magnolia Star” and “Singularity”.