On Sunday, March 14, the Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble, with a concert theme of “Cityscapes,” will take its audience on a musical tour of various cities. The program will begin at 4 p.m. at Christ U.M. Church, 401 High St., Chestertown. Admission is free. Directed by Keith Wharton since its founding in 2001, the ensemble is a community concert band based in Chestertown.
Not surprisingly, vibrant and diverse New York City, long the cultural capital of the United States, has been the topic or setting for much music over the years. Opening the program, contemporary composer Gary Gilroy’s “Heart of the City” is alive with the spirit and sounds of New York, evoking busy (and sometimes noisy) street life as well as more laid-back nightlife, represented by a middle bluesy section.
Jack Bullock’s “Salute to New York City” is a medley of well-known 20th-century tunes that showcases the city as the entertainment capital of the musical stage: “Give My regards to Broadway,” “Forty-Second Street,” “The Sidewalks of New York (East Side, West Side),” and two with the title “New York, New York.”
The band will also play a medley of tunes from “West Side Story,” a latter-day Romeo and Juliet story that is set in mid-1950s New York. With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreography by Jerome Robbins, the work is known for its extraordinary dance sequences, melodic characterization and continuity, excellent orchestration, and cohesive plot. The musical opened on Broadway in 1957 and was adapted for film in 1961.
Sometimes called the Second City, Chicago was honored by Fred Fisher in his 1922 song about his adopted town, “Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town). Very popular in the 1920s, it was revived by Frank Sinatra in the 1957 movie “The Joker Is Wild,” and then recorded by numerous other singers as well.
“Nightflight: Scenes of a City from Above,” with its three sections (Street Carnival, A Heavenly View, and Fireworks Galore!) resulted from what contemporary composer James Swearingen saw from a plane as it left Miami, Florida.
On the other side of the pond, the city of Paris is evoked by Andrew Watkin’s 1997 piece “City of Lights,” which seems at least partly inspired by the 19th-century music of Jacques Offenbach.
One of the highlights of the program will be “Flight of Fancy,” a lively 2005 piece written by Timothy Johnson for solo flute and band, in which the composer invites listeners’ imaginations to take flight and soar. Aaron Richmond of Port Republic, a Calvert High School senior and student of Keith Wharton for four years at the Summer Center for the Arts held at Washington College, will be the soloist. Besides participating in school ensembles, Aaron has been selected for all-county and regional bands and for participation in solo and ensemble festivals at the county, regional, and state levels, where he earned high scores. He has also been in talent shows at his school and at a camp hosted by the National Federation of the Blind.
The program will conclude with a familiar, well-written march, “Queen City,” that a little-known composer (W. H. Boorn) wrote in the early 20th century to honor the city of Cincinnati.
The Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble offers area wind and percussion musicians an opportunity to continue or return to the pleasures of playing quality music in a large ensemble. New members are always welcome, without audition or fee. For further information, call 410-778-2829 or 410-810-1834. The ensemble is supported by grants from the Kent County Arts Council and community donations.
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