Purdue Symphonic Band warms up for Carnegie Hall

The joint concert, highlighted by a performance of 2006 Purdue Concerto winner Todd McCready playing euphonium with the orchestra, is slated for 2:30 p.m. at the Long Center, 111 N. Sixth St. Admission is free.

"Our Carnegie Hall debut program is an exciting collection of old and new band works," said Jay S. Gephart, director of the Symphonic Band.

It opens with a piece by Samuel Hazo entitled "Exultate." Edward Kocher, dean of Duquesne University's School of Music, originally commissioned the work for ceremonies honoring the university's incoming president.

"Hazo says 'Exultate' was written to be music for a celebration. The Purdue Symphonic Band performing in Carnegie Hall is a celebration indeed," Gephart said.

Among the other works on the program are "Awayday" by Adam Gorb, "Spoon River" by Percy Grainger, "Fantasia on Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair" by Mark Camphouse and "Pantomine" by Phillip Sparke. "Pantomime," which showcases the talents of Purdue faculty member Bill Kisinger, was composed for euphonium with brass band accompaniment and has become a favorite with euphonium soloists all around the world.

"Bill's fiery technique and beautiful lyricism will capture the character of the piece with great skill," Gephart said.

The Symphonic Band and Kisinger perform at Carnegie Hall at 8 p.m. March 27. Band members leave on March 23 for their New York City adventure that includes a dinner cruise around the Statue of Liberty, a Broadway show and a tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Sharing the bill with the Symphonic Band on the March 5 concert, the Purdue Symphony Orchestra will present Rossini's overture from "The Barber of Seville," Prokofieff's "Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2" and the finale from Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4 in F minor."

Todd McCready, a senior in the School of Science from Indianapolis, earned the soloist spotlight by winning the 2006 Purdue Concerto Competition by playing a Launy Grondahl concerto, originally written for trombone and orchestra, on euphonium.

"Todd is possibly the most natural musician I have worked with at Purdue," Gephart said. "He has wonderful technique and tone, but his playing encompasses much more than that. Todd is intuitive, expressive, reflective and powerful."

McCready responded positively to the challenge of preparing Grondahl's early 20th century work for competition.

"It's a really neat emotional piece. The second of the three movements is slow and sweet with a lot of high playing that's pretty," he said. "I like working toward something harder than what I can already do. That's when I grow the most."

For information on this and other Purdue University Bands events, call (765) 496-6785 or go online.

Writer: Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director, (765) 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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