November 25, 1998

KU WIND ENSEMBLE TO PRESENT TRIBUTE TO GERSHWIN

LAWRENCE -- The Concert Wind Ensemble will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of George Gershwin as part of its Holiday Concert at the University of Kansas at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, in the Lied Center. Robert E. Foster, KU director of bands, is conductor of the 63-piece wind band.

Guest soloists for the concert are Wendy Zaro, associate professor of voice, soprano, and John Stephens, professor of voice, bass. The two will be featured in selections from Gershwin's 1934 opera, "Porgy and Bess," arranged by Robert Russell Bennett, and will also lead a "Christmas Sing-Along" by James Ployhar, featuring Santa Claus as the guest conductor.

The Wind Ensemble's holiday program will open with "Military March No. 1 in F" ("York'scher March") by Ludwig van Beethoven.

The remainder of the program includes:

  • "Geschwindmarsch by Beethoven," a 1946 work by Paul Hindemith, which was paraphrased from "Symphonia Serena" and based on "Military March No. 1."

  • "Tempered Steel," a 1997 piece by Charles R. Young, the first commissioned work by the Big 12 Band Directors Association.

  • "Hands Up!," a 1996 work by Andrew Boysen Jr.

  • "Crusade for Freedom" by J. J. Richards.

  • "A Christmas Intrada" by Alfred Reed.

  • Gershwin's "An American in Paris," arranged by John Krance.

  • "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson.

  • "White Christmas," Irving Berlin's 1942 classic, arranged by John Moss, and featuring Zaro as soprano soloist.

    • General admission tickets for the Wind Ensemble concert are now on sale in the KU box offices: Lied Center, 864-ARTS; Murphy Hall, 864-3982, SUA, Kansas Union, 864-3477. Tickets are $5 for the public and $4 for students and senior citizens. Both VISA and MasterCard are accepted for phone orders.

    Story by Charla Jenkins, (785) 864-2684

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