NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Symphonic Band and the Wind Symphony at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center located on the SFA campus.
The Symphonic Band’s portion of the program celebrates Black History Month, according to Dr. Chris Kaatz, assistant director of bands at SFA and director of the Symphonic Band. “The opening piece is by young, contemporary African American composer Katahj Copley,” Kaatz said “The middle work is by Florence Price, the first female African American composer to gain notoriety in the Western art music canon. The group’s final piece, ‘A Movement for Rosa’ by Mark Camphouse, celebrates the life of the famed civil rights figure, Rosa Parks.”
Copley describes his work “Halcyon Hearts” as a piece about “the moment of peace when one finds their love or passion.” “Copley’s use of colorful harmonies, effervescent ostinatos and vibrant tempo create a lush, yet exciting work to open the concert,” Kaatz said.
Camphouse’s tone-poem “A Movement for Rosa” evokes the civil rights leader’s early life, struggles as an activist, and her hopes for a brighter future. This piece has become part of the wind ensemble’s standard repertoire due to “both its important extra-musical message and its exquisite craftsmanship,” according to Kaatz.
Wind Symphony, conducted by Dr. Dan Haddad, associate director of bands at SFA, will perform “Lasting Light” by Viet Cuong and Gustav Holst’s “First Suite in E-flat for Military Band,” among other works.
“Lasting Light” was inspired by a visit the composer took to the Grand Canyon with his family, according to Haddad. “Mr. Cuong wanted to write a work that would reflect the sunset over the canyon, followed by the lingering sunlight, then the hazy greyish blue light of dusk, and then the light of the stars.”
“First Suite in E-flat for Military Band” occupies “a legendary position” in the wind band repertory and can be seen, in retrospect, as one of the earliest examples of the modern wind band instrumentation still frequently performed today. “Its influence is so significant that several composers have made quotation or allusion to it as a source of inspiration to their own works,” Haddad said.
Admission to the concert is free. For more information about the SFA School of Music and its programs, call (936) 468-4602 or visit sfasu.edu/music.
Axe ’Em, Jacks!