Ensemble to present varied classical repertoire

Tonight you’re invited to take a tour of the many
different sides of contemporary classical music: from the pomp and
circumstance of a trumpeting fanfare to the festive mariachi music
of a Mexican village to the surreal world of minimalism. Your
vehicle and guide: the UCLA Wind Ensemble.

“It’s definitely going to be an eclectic
concert,” said fourth-year clarinet student Paul Miller.
“It’s significant because that’s the direction
classical music is going.”

This evening’s concert, beginning at 8 p.m. in Schoenberg
Hall, features guest conductor Gordon Henderson, currently stepping
in for Dr. Thomas Lee while he is on sabbatical. Its design
showcases an array of 20th century classical styles, and even
allows the ensemble to step outside of traditional wind pieces with
several works originally designed for a full orchestra.

The evening’s program begins with Jack Stamp’s
“Gavorkna Fanfare,” a furious, energetic piece that was
specifically written to highlight the talents of the woodwinds.
This lighter instrument family, containing such instruments as the
flute and oboe, are typically overshadowed in loud fanfare pieces
by the more forceful brass section.

Another work on the program, “The Canyon” by Philip
Glass, testifies to the presence of the avant garde in modern
music. The 16-minute piece is a product of the minimalist movement,
as a single chord ebbs and flows with very little variation.

“It is repetitive,” said third-year tuba student Ben
Stapp. “But it’s meant to put the audience in a
trance-like state. It’s really interesting to listen
to.”

Other musical stops will include Donald Granthan’s
“Don’t You See?,” which contains many loud and
soft contrasting passages, and the melodies of a Mexican village
with H. Owen Reed’s “La Fiesta Mexicana.” This
classic wind ensemble piece opens with spiritual melodies designed
to portray the piety of a Sunday Mass. The following movement takes
on a brighter and more festive tone, using mariachi-like trumpets
to depict a jubilant outdoor festival.

Samuel Barber’s “Medea’s Meditation and Dance
of Vengeance” consists of an introspective first movement
followed by a violent and rhythmic conclusion.

“Barber moves you in a lot of emotional directions “¦
and the second half is just freaking cool,” says Miller, who
is especially looking forward to this piece.

The concert will end with a fusion of style, with folk meeting
classical. Jamomir Weinberger’s “Polka and Fugue”
is a jubilant, march-like variation on a classical fugue.

Graduate conductor Victor Aguilar, who is conducting “La
Fiesta Mexicana” and “Don’t You See?” for
the concert, has spent the last two quarters working with the wind
ensemble. He admires the group for their energy and their
talent.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm within the students
“¦ and you can see that as they’re playing,” he
said.

Aguilar said he also enjoys working with the ensemble because of
their ability to pick up music quickly.

“Sometimes I’m up there and I don’t know what
to say,” he laughed. “They get it right the first
time.”

Their innate talent, he explains, allows for the conductor to
work on the stylistic aspects of a piece, creating a unique
tonality and mood.

“(A piece) might line up rhythmically, technically and in
tune, but there are little things that make it more
authentic,” he said.

The UCLA Wind Ensemble will perform today at 8 p.m. in
Schoenberg Hall. Admission is free.