The first University of Maryland Wind Ensemble concert of the 2017-2018 season is anchored by two cornerstones of the wind repertoire, Ralph Vaughan Williams' lyrical English Folk Song Suite, and Paul Hindemith's monumental Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. Also included in this concert is a little-heard chamber work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his Divertimento in E-Flat Major,
Whether your love of classical music has spanned decades, or this concert will be your first, Tine Thing Helseth wants you to feel welcome.The rising star Norwegian trumpet soloist often offers commentary and context from the stage, encouraging audiences to react and be present in the experience. Her virtuosic technique, tonal warmth and ability to span genres were evident in her BBC Proms concert in London. She is also recognized as a curator, both at her own festival, Tine@Munch, and as part of the Leeds International Concert Season.
The University Band and Community Band share an evening of traditional and contemporary wind band music. Conducted by UMD alumnus Bill Sturgis, and UMD Assistant Director of Bands, Eli R. Osterloh, this concert will be an entertaining evening for the whole family! Children and adults interested in playing an instrument are sure to be inspired.
A UMD Choral Activities favorite, the Bach Cantata Series explores the more than 200 cantatas written by the great master through informal performances by students, faculty, staff, and community friends.
In their UMD debut, The Boston Trio presents works that invoke the spirit of colors. Jennifer Higdon’s Piano Trio movements entitled "Pale Yellow" and "Fiery Red" underscore that colors, like music, reflect moods and energy levels. In her spectacular arrangement of Debussy's La Mer, Sally Beamish blends orchestral colors for the piano trio palette, creating – in the composer's own words – “light and shade, and subtleties of color." Antonin Dvořák's richly saturated melodies in the dark key of F minor evoke velvety hues of blue and purple.
Program:
Two of America’s most thought-provoking, multi-faceted and compelling classical chamber artists, award-winning pianist Jeremy Denk and violinist Stefan Jackiw, join together to perform Charles Ives’ complete sonatas for violin and piano. They combine forces with a quartet of UMD School of Music alumni singers who perform the various hymns and songs from which Ives drew inspiration for his sonatas.
Faculty percussionist Lee Hinkle joins School of Music colleagues to premiere a new work for marimba and strings, which he commissioned with Philadelphia composer Andrea Clearfield as winners of the Global Première Consortium Commissioning Project.
School of Music string faculty collaborate in unusual chamber music combinations on this ”quartetless” concert featuring Brahms' String Quintet, No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111.
Someone can’t get a signal. Friends debate the existence of God. A man has a secret. A scientist dissects a brain. A person is in love and that love can’t be reciprocated. Experiencing this kaleidoscope of vignettes is like watching a stranger’s Snapchats – the characters may be unfamiliar and unrelated to each other, but the emotions are instantly recognizable. In this relentlessly paced serio-comedy, celebrated British playwright Caryl Churchill asks how our infinite access to inspiring, mundane, crucial, insignificant information affects how we connect to each other – and ourselves.
Rivals and fellow Russian expatriates, Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Prokofiev both sought – and found – fame and fortune writing music for the theater. They were also known for accepting short-term commissions from touring ballet troupes when in desperate need of cash. Such is the early history of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat (1918) and Prokofiev’s Trapeze (1924), better known as the Quintet in G-minor.
