UCA Wind Ensemble/Symphonic Band concert set for Tuesday

CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band will take the stage at Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on Tuesday.

The concert, free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The UCA Symphonic Band is set to open the concert and will feature music mostly from the 20th century.

The Symphonic Band program will include “Music for Winds and Percussion,” by Elliot Del Borgo; “Country Band March,” by Charles Ives; and “Hands Up!” by Andrew Boysen.“

These compositions utilize 20th-century compositional techniques, including polytonality, tone rows and extended techniques for the musicians,” said Brantley Douglas, associate director of bands. “This has been a challenging program for us to prepare and may challenge the audience at times as well. To balance things out, we will also be playing ‘Florentiner-Grande Marcia Italiania,’ by Julius Fucik.”

Douglas will conduct the performance with Mary Light, a wind-conducting graduate student.

The UCA Wind Ensemble will then take the stage for the second portion of the concert and for its final concert of the semester. The performance will feature music composed by UCA alumni.

The Wind Ensemble program will include “Chaconne,” by Dan Brittan; “Mothership,” by Mason Bates; “Molly on the Shore,” by Percy Grainger; and “Roman Carnival Overture,” by Hector Berlioz.

“As a salute to the Centennial Celebration of the UCA band, we feature ‘Chaconne,’ by UCA band alumnus Dan Brittan,” said Ricky Brooks, conductor of UCA’s Wind Ensemble and director of bands. “Mr. Brittan had a distinguished career as a musician/conductor in the armed forces, then a long tenure as a high school band director in Northwest Arkansas. He is a composer and arranger for wind-band music.”

“Mothership” is a hip and appealing work by the composer-in-residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Mason Bates. It is a unique mixture of electronic and acoustic sounds and features several soloists, plus electronic sounds on a computer to appeal to youth audiences.

The Wind Ensemble will end the concert with the tour-deforce overture “Roman Carnival Overture,” by master Romantic Period composer Hector Berlioz.

For more information, contact Brooks at (501) 450-5764 or rickyb@uca.edu, or Douglas at (501) 450-5022 or bdouglas@uca.edu.