2008 Woodie Awards
Concert Band takes on Zeus, 'West Side Story'
Mike Devine
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: The Inside
Northeastern's Concert Band presented works ranging from Handel to Gershwin at its 2008 spring concert Saturday afternoon.
The concert, which was held at the Fenway Center, featured world-renowned euphonium player Adam Frey and two divisions of the Concert Band, the wind ensemble and the symphonic band.
The concert began promptly at 3 p.m. with Northeastern professor and music director Allen Feinstein taking the stage and guiding the wind ensemble through its opening piece, G.F. Handel's "The Rejoicing." The three-minute piece had a joyous and royal sound.
Following the resounding opening, Feinstein welcomed everyone to the concert and introduced Frey.
"We are fortunate to have Adam Frey playing with us today," he said. "His visit with us has been fantastic."
Frey first accompanied the ensemble on "Concerto for Euphonium and Symphonic Band," which Feinstein wrote.
While introducing the concerto, which tells the story of Greek god Zeus and a solar eclipse, Feinstein said his son, Daniel, gave him inspiration for the piece. The then-three-year-old was swinging on a hammock and repeatedly saying "swimming in the mountain," which Feinstein later found out was actually the opening line from a Greek poem by Archilochus, he said.
"The first movement is about Zeus, the second is about the eclipse and the third is where we see what's possible and impossible for our soloists," he said.
The near 20-minute piece concluded with a grand finale and incorporated call and response between Frey's euphonium and different sections of the ensemble.
The ensemble also performed a medley of dance music from the musical "West Side Story," which incorporated more percussion than the previous pieces.
Following a brief intermission, the symphonic band took the stage and immediately began playing "On the Double," a rousing, carnival-like piece. After, Feinstein introduced band president Dayna Bradstreet, who he called a "phenomenal president."
The concert, which was held at the Fenway Center, featured world-renowned euphonium player Adam Frey and two divisions of the Concert Band, the wind ensemble and the symphonic band.
The concert began promptly at 3 p.m. with Northeastern professor and music director Allen Feinstein taking the stage and guiding the wind ensemble through its opening piece, G.F. Handel's "The Rejoicing." The three-minute piece had a joyous and royal sound.
Following the resounding opening, Feinstein welcomed everyone to the concert and introduced Frey.
"We are fortunate to have Adam Frey playing with us today," he said. "His visit with us has been fantastic."
Frey first accompanied the ensemble on "Concerto for Euphonium and Symphonic Band," which Feinstein wrote.
While introducing the concerto, which tells the story of Greek god Zeus and a solar eclipse, Feinstein said his son, Daniel, gave him inspiration for the piece. The then-three-year-old was swinging on a hammock and repeatedly saying "swimming in the mountain," which Feinstein later found out was actually the opening line from a Greek poem by Archilochus, he said.
"The first movement is about Zeus, the second is about the eclipse and the third is where we see what's possible and impossible for our soloists," he said.
The near 20-minute piece concluded with a grand finale and incorporated call and response between Frey's euphonium and different sections of the ensemble.
The ensemble also performed a medley of dance music from the musical "West Side Story," which incorporated more percussion than the previous pieces.
Following a brief intermission, the symphonic band took the stage and immediately began playing "On the Double," a rousing, carnival-like piece. After, Feinstein introduced band president Dayna Bradstreet, who he called a "phenomenal president."
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