NEWS RELEASE

 

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

2/19/2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-The NSU Wind Symphony will perform in concert Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. NSU Director of Bands Bill Brent is the conductor.

The program will include "Fantasy Variations (on George Gershwin's Prelude II for Piano)" by Donald Grantham, "English Dances, Set I" by Malcolm Arnold, Percy Grainger's "Lincolnshire Posy," "March from Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes" by Carol Maria von Weber and "Symphony #3" by Vittorio Giannini.

"Fantasy Variations" was composed as a result of a consortium of the University of Texas, the University of Oklahoma and its chapter of Phi Mu Alpha, the University of Nebraska, University of Illinois, University of Florida and Michigan State University.

Gershwin's "Prelude II for Piano" is the second prelude in a set of three composed in 1936 ­ his only solo work for piano.

Grantham received the 1999 American Bandmasters Association's ABA/Ostwald Award and the 1999 National Band Association NBA William D. Revelli Composition Competition First Prize for "Fantasy Variations." His works have been performed by the orchestras of Cleveland, Dallas, Atlanta and the American Composers Orchestra.

"Lincolnshire Posy" uses as sources a number of folksongs Grainger recorded on Edison cylinder disks. They included a sailor's song, a war song, a poaching song, dancing song and a local tragedy.

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