The Wesleyan Wind Ensemble (WesWinds) will offer a commencement to reading week on Tuesday, Dec. 9 with its Winter Solstice Concert. Conductor Peter Hadley will direct the 40-member group in its first non-collaborative event.
“We’ve shared programs with the Wesleyan Orchestra, collaborated with the First Governor’s Footguard Band and the Southern Connecticut State University band,” Hadley said. “But WesWinds has now matured to the point that we can offer an exciting program with just us.”
“Every semester the band gets better and better,” said tenor saxophonist Nick Blondin ’04. “This will be our best concert yet.”
According to Hadley, the group will perform two world premiers of compositions by ensemble members.
“We’re doing a new piece… called ‘Autumn’s Fire’ which the band really enjoys,”
Hadley said. “We’re also going to be playing a piece that I’ve written for them called ‘Kaleidoscope’.”
“Autumn’s Fire” is an original work by 17-year old Eli Fieldsteel, a senior at Middletown High School and the son of Professor of Mathematics Adam Fieldsteel.
“[‘Autumn’s Fire’ is] very energetic,” Fieldsteel said. “As I wrote it, I tried to capture the vivid colors and windy days of autumn in powerful, punchy melodies.”
Fieldsteel has been a member of WesWinds for five semesters, and “Autumn’s Fire” is not only the fourth piece his has written, but also the fourth composition to be performed by the WesWinds ensemble.
“[Eli’s piece is] a really fun, upbeat number that is hard enough to present some challenge, but easy enough so that the group sounds good as a whole,” said clarinetist Alex Rich ’05.
In addition to Hadley’s and Fieldsteel’s original works, the program will include “Fortress,” by American composer Frank Tichelli; “Boléro” and “Pavane pour une enfante défunte” (“Pavane for a Dead Princess”), both by the French-born Maurice Ravel; and “Handel in the Strand” by Percy Grainger.
“I have an affinity for Grainger because he was born and raised in Australia and ended up living his adult life in the U.S., just like me,” Hadley said. “I picked [this and] the other pieces to compliment what [Eli and I] had done.”
WesWinds was formed in the fall of 2000, and in the seven semesters since then it has flourished.
“Since my first year [in WesWinds] we’ve gotten a lot more players, and we just keep improving,” said Kristin Kyrka ’04, who plays both flute and piccolo. “Also exciting is the fact that we now have seven flutes. You can really never have too many flutes.”
The ensemble is comprised of 29 Wesleyan undergraduates, one student from Trinity College, eight local high school students and two other community members.
“As always, I am excited about the upcoming performance” Blondin said. “The strong crew of returning members, including Dan Fox ’05, John Psotka ’05 and Rich, will be backed up by other veterans including Kristin Kyrka ’04, Ben Somberg ’05 and Dave Kadden ’05.”
Rich said his anticipation is not the result of pressure or anxiety.
“I played in orchestra freshman year and there is definitely less pressure coming into this performance than [orchestral performances],” he said.
He attributes this in part to Hadley’s attitude toward conducting and performing.
“Peter is a very jovial guy who wants to have a good time while making music,” Rich said.
In addition to the general enthusiasm of the band, Fieldsteel expressed personal reasons for his eagerness.
“I can’t wait to have my fourth piece performed,” Fieldsteel said. “It’s a complete thrill to play challenging music with a college ensemble, and to have my own works performed.”
The WesWinds Winter Solstice Concert will be in Crowell Concert Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. Admission is free.
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