WASBE Day 4

Hi folks,

Another day in Cincinnati has come to and end. I have to admit that it started a little slow. The result of experiencing the local whiskeys until a little too late last night.

When I did get into the university, I attended a very informative session on the current activity in South and Central America in the Wind Band movement. It is interesting to hear how national governments are adopting a strong attitude toward instrumental music in an effort to keep kids busy and weapons out of their hands! I also learned of a number of composers who are beginning to write wind music from the many South American cultures.

I was then given the privilege of introducing the open rehearsal of the International Youth Wind Orchestra. The conductors are H. Robert Reynolds, Frank Battisti and Donald Hunsberger. They are all working standard repertoire (Linconshire Posy, the Holst Suites and Hindemith's Symphony in Bb) in a project that will result in a comprehensive DVD set that looks at the rehearsal process of these three icons and their approach to these four standard works.

The rehearsal itself was followed up by a forum where these gentlemen expressed their views on the works at hand, conducting in general and answered questions from the audience. It was truly amazing to benefit from the experience and wisdom of these three men.

The session was followed by a short concert by the Westlake High School Wind Ensemble from Austin Texas. This group is truly an amazing high school ensemble and they played an interesting program. Who knew that Carter Pann (of Slalom fame) could write something slow and expressive!

I had the opportunity to have dinner with Odd Terje and we were able to catch up on a lot of things. We then returned for a pre-concert talk ad an amazing performance by the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Ensemble. They played a mostly very contemporary programme that included a number of current and ex RNMC faculty composers. The performance ended with a truly exciting performance of Metropolis by Adam Gorb.

The reception and concert also allowed me an opportunity to finaly meet Joseph Turin and to thank him for Jazzalogue and to discuss saxophone repertoire with an up and coming composer at the RNMC and to talk in more concrete terms with Adam about the proposed sax quartet! Off to bed, so I don't sleep through the proceedings tomorrow. I have sessions to review on the WASBE blog and meetings to go to!