Wind Ensemble In Concert On Tuesday, April 12

The Limestone College Wind Ensemble will present “Howard Hanson: A Tribute” on Tuesday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Fullerton Auditorium.

Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

The concert will mark the 35th anniversary of the passing of Howard Hanson (seen in a photo that accompanies this article). His legacy on the American music scene is tremendous, and Limestone’s Wind Ensemble will pay tribute to his impact specifically on the wind band genre. Hanson composed only a few works unequivocally for band and his first, composed in 1954 titled “Chorale and Alleluia,” is still his most known and performed within the band profession.

Hanson had another impact on the wind band genre, and that was as an educator of composers while holding the position of Director of the Eastman School of Music for 40 years. During that time, Hanson taught many composers who would go on to have major influences on the growth of the wind band repertoire. At the concert on April 12, the Limestone Wind Ensemble will perform works by three of Hanson’s former students, Ron Nelson, H. Owen Reed, and W. Francis McBeth.

Hanson was among the first twentieth century American composers to achieve widespread prominence. In contrast to the angular Stravinskian and Americana-influenced sounds that dominated American concert music prior to World War II, Hanson wrote in an unabashedly Romantic idiom influenced by his Nordic roots. Of particular importance to the composer was the music of Sibelius; however, he also acknowledged the influence of composers such as Palestrina and Bach.

The concert will be conducted by Dr. Patrick Carney, the Director of the Wind Ensemble. He also serves as Director of Bands/Associate Professor of Music Education at Limestone. He is also the Director of the Limestone Marching Saints and various chamber ensembles.

The program will include “Centennial March,” the third movement from “La Fiesta Mexicana,” “Aspen Jubilee,” the third movement from “Symphony No.2,” “Night Song,” and “Chorale and Alleluia.”