In Concert:
Community Music Groups Working Together

A Newsletter of Southwestern Pennsylvania Band Partners

Winter 2008
Volume 4 Issue 2 
Printable Version in PDF Format

Inside This Issue: 
 Aeolian Winds of PittsburghBand Directory Additions Band Camps |
New Music Corner | Combined Concert CalendarBand Web sites | Contact US

Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh
From http://www.aeolianwinds.com/about.html
Used with permission by Laurel Kuxhaus

Dedicated to wind chamber music performance, composite on, and promotion, the Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh were founded in September, 2003, by the original University of Pittsburgh Wind Quintet. The group has since expanded to include wind chamber ensembles of varying sizes and players who are not directly a part of the University community. The name change in May, 2004, formalized this status and strengthened the group’s mission to integrate high-quality wind music into the greater Pittsburgh community. The group’s members bring the diverse experiences of their daily lives and chosen professions to the music-making, creating a truly unique ensemble.

While primarily a wind quintet, the group also regularly performs both smaller and larger-scale wind works, such as trios and octets, in both public and private venues. The diverse venues and programs presented reach a larger audience than might be found in a typical concert-hall setting. In addition to formal concerts on the Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch concert series, the Sanctuary Concert Series at First Baptist Church, and the University of Pittsburgh Chamber Music Concerts, the group has provided music at Pittsburgh Symphony Heinz Hall during the First National Performing Arts Convention. The group also performs in nontraditional spaces, such as the Quiet Storm Coffeehouse, Schenley Park, the Waterworks Shopping Mall, and Future Tenant during the first Gallery Crawl sponsored by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. In their quest to reach an audience that might not typically hear a wind quintet, the group was featured on a University of Pittsburgh Men’s Glee Club concert, as well as on the Allegheny Prime Time Chorus’ “Sing For Life!” benefit concert. Repeat performances at the National Aviary and the Giant Eagle grocery stores bring wind quintet music to an even broader audience. The group was featured on WQED-fm’s Bayer Arts Magazine in July, 2005, and was invited to perform on the inaugural broadcast of The Morning Show in August, 2006. In addition, the group regularly performs at private dinners, celebrations, and other functions.

The Aeolian Winds are particularly dedicated to performing, featuring, and commissioning works by American composers. The group has performed works by Eric Ewazen, Stephen Foster, Herman Stein, Robert Muczynski, Aaron Copland, Leroy Anderson, and Peter Schickele. In addition to working with Bill Douglas and plans to give the Pittsburgh premiere of the work later in the 2007-08 season. The group is no stranger to premieres, having recently completed the Pittsburgh premier of a new edition of the Wind Quintet in A-flat by Gustav Holst containing previously unreleased material. This fall they are going to premier a new wind quintet by composer Greg Bathrolomew.

In collaboration with the Allegheny County Library Association, the Aeolian Winds have embarked on a series of educational concerts for children. These interactive, standing room only, concerts entitled “Musical Storytelling” feature music from Tchaikovsky to Ligeti including music by American composer John Falcone. The goal is to teach about classical music, the sounds of wind instruments, and how music can impact storytelling. Due to their popularity, encore performances have been requested during 2008.

The Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh have been the artists in residence at the First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh since August, 2005, and have recently begun a partnership with the Allegheny County Library Association.

For more information about the Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh, Visit their web site at:
http://www.aeolianwinds.com/


Southwestern PA Community Bands (As of December 25, 2007)
There are no updates from the last issue.  If you are aware of community bands in the region that are not yet in the online directory please let them know about us.  We currently have 23 groups listed in our directory from the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

send email to  newsletter@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net

Band Camp: What are you going to do on your summer vacation?

There are opportunities regionally and throughout the US for adult musicians to attend camps and workshops to further their musical experiences. Some focus on small ensembles or jazz techniques, while others aim to bring musicians together for clinics, small ensembles and concert band experiences.  What follows is information on several band camps found from web searches and recommendations from other musicians from the Community-Music List.

Those in Pennsylvania and Ohio are listed first, the rest are listed alphabetically.  For most you will need to visit their web site for more details.

Band Camp for Adult Musicians at Allegheny College.

Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet - Saxophone and Woodwind Workshop

North Central Ohio Adult Music Camp

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
Interlochen Adult Band Camp

International Music Camp Summer School of Fine Arts

Jazz Vermont

Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camps


New Music Corner

This section is intended to be a place for conductors and musicians to share information on new music they are playing.  If you have something to contribute please email us the information at newsletter@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net.  Please include the title, composer/arranger, publisher and a brief description of the piece.  Your description might include things like difficulty, instrumentation strengths requirements, style, etc.

Sevens
Composer: Samuel R. Hazo
Published: 2004
Grade: 5
Performance time: 3:50 min
Publisher: Hal Leonard Publishing Corp. 
Samuel R. Hazo’s website: http://www.samuelrhazo.com/

Compiled by Sarah McElfresh
Sources: JW Pepper website and http://www.samuelrhazo.com/sevens.html

“Sevens” is one of those pieces that is truly fun to play and rehearse.  During rehearsals, one finds themselves doing what you’re supposed to and listening to other sections working on their part and seeing how yours fits in.  Rather than just sitting there waiting.  It does have its challenges (a mix of time signatures and intricate rhythms), but is well worth the time and effort.  Audiences (and musicians a like) love this piece!   What follows are the notes from JW Pepper and some information from the composer himself.  See the website listed above for Hazo’s complete entry on this work. 

JW Pepper’s web site says “Best described as a jazz-flavored ‘barnburner’ for wind symphony, this exciting work pays homage to the innovative concepts of George Gershwin and an appreciation for modern-day jazz composer Gordon Goodwin. The title refers to the common jazz 7th chord, the number of notes in many of the phrases of the piece, the 7/16 time signature that is found throughout the work and even the letter "G", which is the seventh letter of the alphabet and Gershwin and Goodwin's shared initial. This one rips!”

According to his web site, Hazo notes that when George Gershwin (at the request of Paul Whiteman) incorporated jazz elements into orchestral music in the early 1920’s many purists were appalled yet audiences loved the new sound.  This new idea shook things up in symphonic music of the day and certainly had a profound impact of music moving forward.  By 2004, when Hazo wrote “Sevens” “the overlapping of musical genres is, at the very least, acceptable and, more accurately, encouraged.”

“Sevens” was commissioned by Dr. Leslie Hicken at Furman University , on behalf of South Carolina’s CBDNA members who contribute to the state’s Collegiate Honor Band.  Hazo notes that after being contacted by Dr. Hicken he was listening to Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and he realized that at the time he was unaware of any composition that had the in-your-face style of the Big Phat Band for Wind Symphony.  This style might be just what he was looking for, despite having not yet written a jazz composition.  He looked to pay tribute to George Gershwin and Gordon Goodwin, so he chose to base the composition on sevens as Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” prominently used the seventh interval.  The connection to the number seven can easily be seen by the number of notes in a phrase, but also in the underlying chordal progressions and time signature.  What Hazo did not notice until completing his composition was that George Gershwin and Gordon Goodwin share the same initials that also happen to be the 7th letter of the alphabet.


Combined Calendar (As of March 23, 2007 for Spring 2008)
For the updates and the entire calendar visit the online calendar

April  2008:
Sun, 6
2pm
Harmony-Zelienople Community Band
Seneca Valley Intermediate High School, Harmony
Sun, 20
3pm
West Hills Symphonic Band Robert Morris University
Mon, 21
7:30pm
South Hills Community Concert Band Friendship Village
Sat, 26
8pm
Westmoreland Symphonic Winds Cecilian Hall,  Seton Hill University
Sat, 26

Kiski Valley Community Band Casino Theater, Vandergrift

May  2008:
Sat, 3
2:30pm
Three Rivers Community Band Festival
Upper St. Clair High School Theatre
Sat, 3
7pm
Allegheny Brass Band First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sharpsburg
Sat, 3
8pm Butler County Symphony Orchestra Butler Area Intermediate High School Auditorium
Sat, 3
8pm
Washington Symphony Orchestra Trinity High School, Washington
Sun, 4
3pm
North Suburban Symphonic Band Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center
Sat, 10
7:30pm
Edgewood Symphony Orchestra East Allegheny High School, North Versailles
Sat, 10
7:30pm
Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra Upper St Clair High School Theatre
Sat, 10

South Hills Community Concert Band Brentwood Presbyterian Church
Mon,12
7pm
East Winds Symphonic Band w/ Woodland Hills Ensembles Woodland Hills High School
Sat, 17
7pm
North Pittsburgh Philharmonic North Hills. Jr. High Auditorium
Wed, 21
7:30pm
Community Band South w/ Upper St. Clair Bands Upper St. Clair High School Theatre
Sat, 24
3:45pm
Allegheny Brass Band Connellsville Geranium Festival

June  2008:
Mon, 9
7:30pm
South Hills Community Concert Band
Devonshire of Mt Lebanon
Thu, 12
7:30pm The Musicians Concert Band
Slippery Rock University's Miller Auditorium.
Sun, 15
3pm
Scottdale Concert Band Idlewild Park, Ligonier, PA
Sun, 15
7pm
Blairsville Community Concert Band On the Diamond at Ligonier
Mon, 23
7:30pm South Hills Community Concert Band Paramount Asst Living
Mon, 23

West Hills Symphonic Band
Hopewell
Thu, 26
7:30pm The Musicians Concert Band Slippery Rock University's Miller Auditorium.
Fri, 27

West Hills Symphonic Band Oakdale
Sun, 29
6pm
Community Band South Wallace Presbyterian Church
Sun, 29
7pm
Scottdale Concert Band On the Diamond at Ligonier
Mon, 30
7:30pm South Hills Community Concert Band Hamilton Presbyterian Church



Contacting Us:

Southwestern Pennsylvania Band Partners is dedicated to helping community music groups in the southwestern Pennsylvania Region. 
Please visit us online at the address below to learn more or become involved.
    http://swpabandpartners.pghfree.net

Regional Bands with web sites (for updated list visit the links page)

Aeolian Winds http://www.aeolianwinds.com/
Allegheny Brass Band http://www.alleghenybrassband.com/
Armstrong Concert Band http://www.geocities.com/armconband
Blairsville Community Concert Band http://www.bccband.com/
Butler County Symphony
http://www.butlersymphony.org/
Community Band South http://cbs.pghfree.net/
East Winds Symphonic Band http://www.ewsb.org/
Edgewood Symphony http://www.edgewoodsymphony.org
Harmony-Zelienople Community Band http://www.hzcb.org
Harrisville Community Band http://www.harrisvilleband.com/
Jeannette Community Band http://www.jcbweb.com/
Kiski Valley Community Band http://www.kvcb.net
Kittanning Firemen's Band http://www.kfband.com/
Musicians Concert Band http://www.tmcband.com/default.htm
North Pittsburgh Philharmonic http://www.northpghphilharmonic.org/
North Suburban Symphonic Band http://www.nssband.org/
Ohio Valley Community Band http://www.geocities.com/ovcband
Pine Creek Community Band http://www.pinecreekband.com/
Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra http://www.artsnet.org/pco/
Scottdale Concert Band http://www.scottdaleband.com/
Somerset County Community Band
http://www.somersetcounty.com/band
Washington Symphonic Orchestra http://www.washsym.org/
West Hills Symphonic Band http://www.whsb.org/
Westmoreland Symphonic Winds http://www.wswinds.org/


Contributing to the newsletter
Everyone is welcome to contribute an article to the newsletter.  The topic is up to you—something you think your fellow musicians would be interested in. Just email your article to:
newsletter@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net

For additions to the web site email:
info@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net

In the next newsletter
In our next newsletter due out in early April you will find:


Editors
Sarah McElfresh,  East Winds Symphonic Band
Scott McElfresh, East Winds Symphonic Band
Kathy Wikowski, Allegheny Brass Band,  North Suburban Symphonic Band

March 28, 2008