The two main student music groups at University of Wisconsin-Stout are set to present their winter concerts.
The power of love and human connections will be celebrated in music by the Symphonic Singers, Chamber Choir and Devil Tones. To Gather, Together, will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, at Our Savior鈥檚 Lutheran Church, 910 9th St. E.
The music reflects on the experience of isolation many people felt during the pandemic, said Associate Professor Jerry Hui, choral director.
鈥淭he program features a wide range of choral music: Renaissance madrigals, 19th century parlor songs, a Broadway musical number, funk and more,鈥 Hui said.
The student musicians of the Stout Symphonic Band will present a winter concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall under the direction of Professor Aaron M. Durst.
The concert will present music the students have been studying. As the group鈥檚 first performance since December 2019, Durst chose music that would be fun to perform and enjoyable to listen to without following any specific theme.
Tickets are sold out for both events.
Symphonic Band Winter Concert
There are 57 members in the concert band this fall. The concert will open with 鈥淭he Summoning鈥 by Roland Barrett, which begins with antiphonal soloists scattered across the performance area and the percussion section.
鈥淒eus Ex Machina鈥 by Randall Standridge includes digital effects and amplification for alto saxophone to bring a pop music sound to the concert.
Mexican composer Arturo M谩rquez originally wrote 鈥淒anzon No. 2鈥 for orchestra, but the work translates to band very effectively, presenting the dance melody to the audience first with the clarinet and growing in intensity throughout the work.
Two pieces that contrast these high energy works are Samuel Hazo鈥檚 鈥淧erthshire Majesty,鈥 which he describes as a Scottish ballad for wind band, and a transcription of Joseph Rheinberger鈥檚 choral work 鈥淎bendlied鈥 (Evening Song) by Shelley Hanson.
Two traditional marches will also be included: 鈥淢arch of the Belgian Paratroopers鈥 by Pierre Leemans and 鈥淔lorentiner March鈥 by Julius Fucik.
As a nod to the coming winter season, 鈥淪nowflakes Dancing鈥 by Andrew Boyson layers melodies in a minimalistic manner, creating a shifting texture similar to snow blowing about on the ground and in the air.
To close out the performance, the band will perform 鈥淪leigh Ride鈥 by Leroy Anderson, a traditional favorite for the holiday time of year.
Meg Erikson, a special education major from Lonsdale, Minn., who will be leaving the band this semester to student teach in the spring and then graduate, has enjoyed her time with the group.
鈥淭his band truly is like a family and has brought some of my absolute favorite people into my life,鈥 Erikson said. 鈥淭he ability to grow alongside these other musicians for the last nine semesters has really been a blast, and I'm a bit sad to see my time in the Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Project and Symphonic Band come to an end.鈥
Face masks are required for the indoor event.
黑料科 offers a minor in performing arts.
