The Music…

Wind Symphony concerts begin with the spectacular opening of the vessel’s music shell, powered by hydraulic lifts. As the roof is raised, the first strains of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” are heard – and an evening of fascinating sights and sounds begins. Musicians are arrayed in a series of stainless steel sculptured “trees,” so that all are visible. And the percussionists are not wallflowers in this group – they perform right out front, with their gleaming batteries of timpani, drums, mallet instruments, chimes and bells.

Music programs are varied and interesting, including classics such as Handel’s “Water Music” or Mozart’s “Grande Serenade,” as well as newly commissioned works, Broadway medleys and Sousa marches. Since the AWSO’s early days in its 52-year history, Robert Boudreau has been searching out exciting young composers, and has commissioned over 400 works. In his 53rd anniversary season, Boudreau looks forward to the premieres of ten newly commissioned works, three of them by young composers in their early thirties.

Canadian composer Mathieu Lussier, born in 1973, has written a new work for trumpet and bassoon with wind orchestra. Thirty-three year old Sergei Tcherepnin has written his second commissioned work for the orchestra, this one titled “Fantasy for Guitar, Winds and Percussion.”. Then there is Minas Borboudakis, born in Greece in 1975, whose composition “Prisma – Photonic Constructions II” will first be heard on the shores of Lake Erie.

There is a Japanese contingent of several musicians in the AWSO this summer. These charismatic performers look forward to the exciting performance of Kaoru Wada’s “Jo-Ha-Kyu,” a tour de force concerto for the percussion section, which has electrified audiences for the past two years. Mr. Wada has also written a new work for the 2009 tour. Other composers from the USA, Japan, Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Russia will also be on hand to hear the first performances of their new works.

All in all, a Wind Symphony performance is an unforgettable experience for the whole family!