JUNEAU — The Taku Winds will hold an ensemble concert featuring the music of Dr. Eric Ewazen at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 in the Thunder Mountain High School Auditorium.
The concert will consist of four works by Ewazen, an American composer. The major work “Legacy” was composed to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States Military Academy. The program will also feature Juneau’s own Kathryn Kurtz playing a piccolo solo concerto, “On Wings of Song.” Kurtz plays flute and piccolo with the Juneau Symphony Orchestra.
The concert will also include “A Hymn for the Lost and the Living — In Memoriam, September 11, 2001” and “Celtic Hymns and Dances,” an entirely original work drawing its inspiration from medieval and renaissance music. Taku Winds is directed by William Todd Hunt.
Ewazen is one of the premiere contemporary composers of wind music. He is currently on the faculty at The Juilliard School.
“Taku Winds is fortunate to have this opportunity to work with Dr. Ewazen, who is in town for the Juneau Symphony Orchestra performance of his Concerto for Horn and Strings. The timing of our concert was perfect and allowed Dr. Ewazen to graciously agree to extend his stay for a week,” said Sarah McNair-Grove, President of Juneau Community Bands. “Working with the composer on interpreting his music is a thrill for every musician.”
Ewazen will be in Juneau rehearsing with Taku Winds and preparing them for the concert. He will also hold a pre-concert talk at 7 p.m. to discuss his music and the pieces that will be heard.
Tickets can be purchased at the JAHC, Hearthside Books, on-line at www.JuneauCommunityBand.org and at the door.
Ewazen will also hold a workshop to discuss music composition, directing and conducting at 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at the Juneau Brass Studio at 9550 Moraine Way. This will be available to all interested musicians, conductors and students and is being presented at no charge. Sponsored by the Juilliard School of Music, NYC.
