“Music from around the World” by Colombo Wind Orchestra
The Colombo Wind Orchestra’s annual concert, this year titled “Music from around the World” will be held on Tuesday, April 2, at 7 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. Conducted by Maestro Keiko Koba-yashi, it will feature a delightful selection of music spanning various continents, genres and composers.
The first piece to be performed is the “March of the Royal Trumpets” composed in 1892 by John Philip Sousa, son of an immigrant Portuguese father and a German mother, who became a remarkable US band leader and composer as well as inventor of a brass instrument later called the Sousaphone.
It will be followed by “Bulgarian Dances Op. 35 in memoriam Alfred Reed” by Swiss composer Franco Cesarini whose works with their intricate melodies and dynamic, complex rhythms, will add a touch of excitement to the programme.
Among the other highlights will be the composition by American composer Alfred Reed, titled ‘El Camino Real’ - a fiery Latin fantasy based on a series of Spanish flamenco folk melodies.
The concert will include “The Empire Strikes Back”, the end titles of the Hollywood blockbuster “Star Wars” by the legendary John Williams, whose iconic compositions have become synonymous with cinematic excellence.
“The Selection from Princess Mononoke” composed by Joe Hisaishi in 1997 for the Japanese animated epic historical fantasy film sees traditional Japanese elements blend with modern orchestration.
The finale will be ‘Les Misérables’ by Claude-Michel Schönberg – the stage adaptation of Victor Hugo’s famous novel.
Tokyo-born conductor Keiko Kobayashi is no stranger to Sri Lankan audiences having been a guest conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka every year since 2008. She has conducted the CWO since its inception in 2012. Formed by the wind players of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, the CWO consists today of more than 40 players representing the entire range of wind instruments from the piccolo flute through oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba and saxophones, in addition to percussion, double bass and keyboard.
Their repertoire consists of classical western music, pop, film music, jazz as well as Sinhala songs.
Tickets are priced at Rs. 5000, Rs. 4000, Rs. 3000, Rs. 2000 (reserved) and balcony Rs. 1500 (unreserved) and can be purchased only through ticketministry.com and by calling Jitendra or Andrea on 0753122232 and 0779953117.