Washington Symphonic Brass Concert May 12, 16 & 23

I received the following enthusiastic announcement:

To all Fans of the Washington Symphonic Brass:

The final program for the WSB 2003-2004 concert season, called "Wind and Song," is a blockbuster! Phil Snedecor has created a spectacular transcription of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" for full brass ensemble and 4 percussionists. The impact of this music is amplified vividly, when played by the professionals in the WSB. You absolutely MUST hear this rousing, earthy music!


The first half of the concert explodes with Phil's arrangement of the Chick Corea/Al Jarreau classic "Spain" with horn solos by Marty Hackleman and trumpet "scat singing" by Phil himself.

Hear the sumptuous setting of "O Magnum Mysterium" by California composer Morton Lauridsen; "Che Gelida Manina" from La Boheme of Puccini excellently played by Marty Hackleman, principal horn of both the WSB and the National Symphony Orchestra; and two movements (the Benedictus and the Gloria) from Missa Brevis by Washington's own Joseph McIntyre.

Eric Ewazen wrote his romantically inspired "Symphony in Brass" in 1992, the year before the Washington Symphonic Brass was founded. Amazingly enough, this is the first time that the WSB has included this brass epic in our repertoire. Eric's piece will be performed to round out the first half of our program.

As normal, in May we will perform the program three times. Choose the most convenient location and date for you.

PLEASE HELP OUR ENSEMBLE BY SPREADING THE WORD. FORWARD THIS ANNOUNCMENT TO MANY OTHERS.

Wednesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m.; St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Annapolis, MD (Church Circle near the State House) Arrive early. Attend a pre-concert reception on the lawn. Get a choice seat inside.

Sunday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m.; Saint Luke Catholic Church, McLean, VA (1/4 mile inside the Beltway on Rt. 193, the Georgetown Pike)

Sunday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m.; National Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC (On Nebraska Avenue NW, between Tenley Circle and American University)

Tickets can be purchased at the door or by contacting the WSB Administrator Margot Young at myoung9191@aol.com or by phone 703-243-1127. Adult tickets are a reasonable $20.00. Student tickets are only $10.00.

Milt Stevens, Principal Trombonist National Symphony Orchestra Conductor, Washington Symphonic Brass Artist in Residence, University of Maryland Adjunct Professor, Catholic University miltstevens@cox.net 703-256-6683 703-256-5442 (fax) 3500 Farm Hill Drive Falls Church, VA 22044-1237

www.miltstevens.com www.wsbrass.com

It's too bad that they're playing Carmina Burana in a dedicated church sanctuary. I'm not sure I'm ready to defend this concern, but I definitely have an emotional safeguard against performing or rehearsing blatantly secular music in a sanctuary. Comments?