The Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble, the community concert band based in Chestertown, will present its annual free December holiday concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
The audience is invited to have refreshments with the band in the parish hall following the concert. Emmanuel is at the corner of Cross and High streets in Chestertown. The church is handicapped-accessible, via the ramp and automatic doors on the courthouse-green side of the building.
The program, titled “Make a Joyful Noise!” will include numerous familiar Christmas carols, music in celebration of Hanukkah, and the ever popular “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson.
In the town where composer John Prescott lives, the annual Christmas parade features bands from all the area high schools. At one point during the parade, the route circles around the town square, and if you stand in the right place, it is possible to hear the music played by more than one band simultaneously. Imagine, then, a town square in which three bands, playing “Good King Wenceslas,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” can be heard, first individually and later in harmonious combination with one another, and you will have the piece titled “Christmas on the Town Square.”
“Overture to a Winter Celebration,” arranged by James Stephenson, includes two old French carols as well as “Good King Wenceslas,” of Finnish, Czech, and English origin. Larry Clark and Rae Moses have created a modern version of several carols in “Bells of Joy.” Another combination of bell-related carols is “Ring the Bells on Christmas Day,” by Ed Huckeby. Angel carols are featured in “And the Herald Angels Sang,” set by James Swearingen, and in “Christmas Declaration,” by Robert W. Smith.
In recognition of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish observance also known as the Festival of Lights, which this year begins on the evening of Dec. 6 and ends on Dec. 14, the band will play a medley of five traditional tunes in “A Celebration of Hanukkah,” arranged by Howard Rowe.
After “Happy Holiday,” written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 film “Holiday Inn” and popularized by Bing Crosby and, later, Andy Williams, the program will conclude with “Sleigh Ride,” by Leroy Anderson. Anderson believed that musical ideas came to his mind because he was constantly on the alert for them. “Fiddle Faddle,” for example, was composed after hearing Paganini’s “Perpetual Motion.” Memories of sleigh-ride sounds from his New England boyhood suggested the musical themes in this work. As in “Typewriter” and “Sandpaper Ballet,” sounds from the real world are used in “Sleigh Ride.” As important as the nostalgic bell sounds, however, are Anderson’s excellent melodies and scoring.
Directed by Dr. Keith Wharton, the Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble is an all-ages community concert band. It was formed in 2001 to offer area wind and percussion musicians the 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.
Rehearsals for the next concert, on March 20, will begin on Jan. 4. For further information, call 410-778-2829. The ensemble is supported by community donations and a grant from the Kent County Arts Council.
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