FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/15/2007

Bridgewater College Symphonic Band To Give Fall Concert

BRIDGEWATER, Va. — The Bridgewater College Symphonic Band will present a concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, in the Carter Center for Worship and Music on the College campus.

The Symphonic Band, under the leadership of Dr. Timothy Weir, visiting assistant director of music and director of instrumental music, will perform a variety of music including "A Festival Prelude" and "Russian Christmas Music" by Alfred Reed, "Irish Tune" by Percy Grainger, "Rolling Thunder" by Henry Fillmore and Robert Curnow's "Canticle of the Creatures."

"A Festival Prelude," composed in 1957, has become Reed's most widely recognized and performed work of symphonic band literature. The music is built from one main theme and two fanfare-like figures that occur throughout the score.

Reed composed "Russian Christmas Music" in 16 days for a concert in Denver aimed to improve Soviet-American relations by premiering Soviet and American works.

"Irish Tune," more commonly known as "Danny Boy," was originally published as "Londonderry Air" in 1855. The lyrics were written by English author, Frederick Weatherly, and published in 1913.

The second half of the program begins with the exciting "Rolling Thunder," a circus-style march with a fast tempo.

The distinctive six-movement suite "Canticle of the Creatures" is one of Curnow's most requested works. Inspired by the writings of Saint Francis of Assisi, the suite expresses his love for peace and respect for all creatures. Each movement is a short tone poem that utilizes the modern concert band as the vehicle for creating spectacular musical images.

The concert, which also features the Bridgewater College Wind Quintet, is open to the public at no charge.

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