The Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble’s “Only in America” concert highlights the success of American icons such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leroy Anderson, and Clare Grundman. The concert also will pay musical homage to those willing to take a stand for what they believe and the values they hold dear. This free concert is at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Cross and High streets, on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at 4 p.m. The program will feature Jodi Bortz as flute soloist and trio trumpeters Ray Diedrichs, Joe Diamond, and Chris Harrison. It will conclude with a salute to our armed forces.
Highlights from “The Sound of Music” by Rodgers and Hammerstein incorporates favorite melodies from the final musical written by the legendary composer and lyricist duo.
“Third Army March” by Gregorio A. Diaz has a fascinating history. Diaz wrote this work in 1945 and dedicated it “to Lt. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. and the gallant officers and men of the Third U.S. Army.” But over time it disappeared from the Army repertoire until, 67 years later in June 2012, a former member of The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” visited Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina and discovered the march’s score in a display case. He mounted a campaign to restore the historic work, and the Army Concert Band recorded it for the first time in November 2013.
“Smokey Mountain Rhapsody” by Ed Huckeby was composed in traditional fast-slow-fast form. This energetic work’s sections are tuneful and memorable.
“Variations and Theme for Solo Flute and Concert Band” by Anne McGinty has a solo flute part that displays a variety of styles from beautifully expressive lyric lines to spirited faster passages, all supported wonderfully by the full ensemble.
“Fidelity March” by Karl L. King has two strains of sprightly two-beats-per-measure music followed by an extended trio. To add interest, King wrote the trio in a different musical key.
“Bugler’s Holiday” by Leroy Anderson is, in all probability, the most famous trumpet trio ever written and is both a performer and audience favorite. It features bugle-call rhythms that are braided by the trio of trumpets into a bouncy homage to the bugle.
“The Blue and the Gray” by Clare Grundman offers settings of famous Civil War songs, including “Kingdom Coming,” “Marching Through Georgia,” “The Yellow Rose Of Texas,” “Battle Cry Of Freedom,” “Battle Hymn Of The Republic,” and others. The treatment of these well-known melodies effectively portrays the emotions of a divided nation.
“Armed Forces – The Pride of America!” is the definitive patriotic armed forces tribute. It features songs of all five branches of the Armed Forces and makes excellent use of parts of Sousa marches as interludes.
Directed by Dr. Keith Wharton, the Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble is an all-ages community concert band. It was formed to offer 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 partially supported by the Kent County Arts Council.
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