On Tuesday, October 14th, the University of Connecticut Symphonic Band is presenting what promises to be a fun autumnal concert. The concert opens with Eric Whitcare’s October, a beautiful piece that evokes the natural and pastoral essence of Whitcare’s favorite month. Moving into another fall-themed piece, the second selection is Marc Camphouse’s Yosemite: Autumn. Camphouse was inspired while on a family vacation to the Northern Californian region after being awestruck by the natural beauty of Yosemite National Park. He sought to capture the awe-inspiring sights and sounds of Yosemite in his composition. Next, things become a little spooky with Modest Moussorgsky’s A Night on Bald Mountain. The piece is inspired by Russian legend, in which witches perform a black Sabbath on the eve St. John’s Day. The composition was originally written for a play, The Witch. The concert features a special presentation of Stephen McNeff’s Ghosts. Ghosts is a type of theme and variation that starts with The Haunting and then segues into musical descriptions of 6 different ghosts: the Gray Lady, the Dog of Godley, the Bank of England Clerk, the Girl in the Tower, The Oldham Coliseum Ghost, The Blackpool Tram, and the Polish Sailor. The “ghosts” are all dispelled with a chorale incantation to finish the piece.
The concert is perfect for a fall evening and guaranteed to get you in the Halloween spirit! It is directed by Dr. David Mills, professor of music and director of bands, and will be held at the von der Mehden Recital Hall. The von der Mehden is located at 875 Coventry Rd on the UConn campus and provides plenty of convenient, well-lit parking.
For more information, contact: Kirk Matson at Kirk.Matson@uconn.edu