Cuts to the Military Bands
Last week a question was raised in Washington regarding whether or not to continue the funding for our nations Military ensembles at their current levels, indeed proposing to cut by 37.5%. This is a...
View ArticleDBR
Our March 29th concert will feature one of today's most interesting characters in classical music: Daniel Bernard Roumain (or DBR). This will surely be an interesting concert to say the least: not only...
View ArticleWind music on Composer's Datebook
One of this week's Composers Datebook entries features Fennell conducting the Cleveland Winds performing a well known Olympic theme song.Enjoy!...
View ArticleDBR part 2
Below is bio of the modern violinist/composer phenom Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR). He will be performing a new piece commissioned by UMWO this coming spring at College Park, and its sure to be an...
View ArticleThe Score
In a never-ending search for new material for this blog- material that embodies the character and interests of the UMD Wind Orchestra- I have come across a feature in the New York Times Opinion section...
View ArticleA Bridge for William
This week on Composers Datebook features a classic wind piece- William Schuman's George Washington Bridge. The entry describes Schuman's connection to the bridge, and how he came to write this rather...
View ArticleA Band for John
More wind music on Composers Datebook, this time describing the events which led to Sousa leaving the Marine Band to form his own touring band. As you'll hear, the reason for this was, in part, due to...
View ArticlePost-Classical Ensemble
I thought it would be good to highlight an ensemble which has served as an excellent model for the UM Wind Orchestra in recent years. 8 years ago, conductor Angel Gil-Ordóñez and artistic adviser...
View ArticleHarbison's Dance Number
This Tuesday's Composers Datebook entry featured wind music: John Harbison's Three City Blocks. In this composition, the composer taps into a period where every hotel in a major city had their own...
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Takemitsu: Signals from Heaven
Our November 4th concert will feature Toru Takemitu's Signals from Heaven. The piece consists of two antiphonal fanfares for brass instruments in two groups, the overall instrumentation being 4 hns, 5...
View ArticleSymphonies of Winds: A Workout for Winds and Brass
Check out this very interesting article from Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times reviewing a recent concert presented by Jonathan Nott and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center....
View ArticleEmily Tsai (oboe) on MFP
As a new graduate student, I have so far enjoyed my studies here at the UMD School of Music. A big part of any music school or conservatory is playing in a large ensemble and I was excited to see that...
View ArticleJessica Zweig (clarinet) on Prague
Upon first listening toa recording of Karel Husa’s Music for Prague and then several days later playing in the first rehearsals for the upcoming Wind Orchestra concert, I couldn’t help but think about...
View ArticleBrendan Kelly (Baritone Saxophone) on MFP and...the Baritone Saxophone
OK so I know what most of you are thinking, "Baritone Saxophone? Who cares!" If this was any other UMWO concert I might let you get away with that thought, as the saxophone studio rarely makes...
View ArticleDanielle Wilt (Flute) on MFP
My very first experience in hearing Music for Prague took place summer of 2010 at Interlochen's Arts Camp when the World Youth Wind Symphony, aka WYWS (pronounced "Why-Whis"), had performed it. Yes,...
View ArticlePedro Paz (Horn) on MFP
I have been a part of several programs in this ensemble, and from experience, I have seen some programs that were interesting and some that were a little challenging to understand. This program...
View ArticleDave Wacyk on Symphonies of Wind Instruments
On Friday's UMWO concert (Dekelboum Hall, Nov. 4th, 8:00 p.m. UMD College Park), The ensemble will be performing Igor Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments. Here, Graduate Conductor Dave Wacyk...
View ArticlePerformers on Husa: Apotheosis.
The Wind Orchestra will be performing Husa's "Apotheosis of this Earth" on Friday's concert in Dekelboum Concert Hall, on the campus of UMD, College Park. Here, a few performers describe the piece, in...
View ArticleCorigliano: Circus Maximus
See the video below, which has John Corigliano speaking to an audience about his Third Symphony, "Circus Maximus". UMWO is performing this piece tonight and tomorrow night at the Clarice Smith...
View ArticleProkofiev's Private Joke
At our next concert, titled "Czechs and Balances", UMWO will be performing a wind work that does not get much time in the sun, so to speak, perhaps because of its unorthodox instrumentation, or perhaps...
View ArticleDBR- in his own words
We finally have a working title, and music for our commissioned piece from Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR). His new work is titled "The Order of an Empty Place". Below are DBR's program notes on the...
View ArticleEmily Knaapen on the Martinu experience
Preparation for the upcoming UMWO concert has been a unique challenge. One piece in particular, Martinu's Nonet, is scored for only nine players and requires a different form of chamber...
View ArticleIan Dahlstrom on "The Order of an Empty Place"
The DBR is an interesting piece. Technically it is very easy, but overall and musically it is very hard. The mostly simple rhythms require a lot of focus and the long stretches of rests make finding my...
View ArticleAndrew Rudderow (Horn) on DBR
Playing this new premiere piece by Daniel Bernard Roumain has been a very interesting experience. As the 3rd horn player, I play the first notes of the piece. By myself. Just a solo horn line, soon to...
View ArticleKristi Licare (Clarinet) on DBR
The two main challenges I have encountered in DBR's The Order of an Empty Place have been counting rests and "singing" some of the solo lines. At first, rests were difficult to count because of the...
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