Baylor's Wind Ensemble to Perform on April 15

The Baylor University Wind Ensemble will present its final spring concert of 1997 at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in Jones Concert Hall of the Glennis McCrary Music Building. The performance will be led by Michael Haithcock, professor of conducting and director of bands.
The opening work, William Schuman's "George Washington Bridge," will be performed under the direction of graduate student Julie Cromar. Dating from 1951, it was described by the composer as his "impression for band" of one of New York City's most spectacular landmarks. "Ever since my student days," he said, "this bridge has had for me an almost human personality."
Robert Russell Bennett's "Suite of Old American Dances" was written in 1948 for famed bandmaster Edwin Franko Goldman. It contains five movements: "Western One-Step," "Wallflower Waltz," "Rag," "Scottische," and "Cake Walk."
The first of Leonard Bernstein's three symphonies is entitled "Jeremiah." Its scherzo movement, "Profanation," depicts the destruction and chaos brought on by the pagan corruption within the priesthood and the people of ancient Jerusalem. The Wind Ensemble will perform it in a transcription by Frank Bencriscutto, former director of bands at the University of Minnesota.
Dana Wilson's "Dance of the New World" was composed in 1993 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first voyage to the Americas by Columbus. In Wilson's words, "I wanted to capture in the piece the spirit of awakening and burgeoning that resulted from his journey. Because of where in the Western Hemisphere he landed, I decided to employ aspects of Latin American music to represent the many cultural syntheses that have since evolved."
The program will conclude with Vittorio Giannini's "Variations and Fugue," which were written in 1966, shortly before the composer's death. Both the variations and fugue are constructed upon the same descending 10-note theme.
This concert by the Wind Ensemble is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Baylor School of Music at 755-3991.