CCM Wind Ensemble finishes fall concert series with triumphant joint concert

The CCM Wind Ensemble proudly presents the final performance of its Fall 2022 Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Patricia Corbett Theater. Tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office.

In a celebration of composers from across the globe, the CCM Wind Ensemble, under the direction of CCM Assistant Professor Thomas Gamboa, is joined by the CCM Youth Wind Ensemble (CYWE) Symphonic Winds for this concert, which is titled The Places You’ll Go. A nod to Dr. Suess’ inspiring book Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Gamboa says he hopes this semester’s final concert will inspire audiences and students to continue moving forward, exploring new places and experiences.

CYWE Symphonic Winds opens the program with Douglas Akey's A Praetorius Prelude, Percy Grainger's Ye Banks and Braes O’Bonnie Doon and Richard E. Hildreth's arrangement of Frederick Ellsworth Bigelow's Our Director March. The journey continues with the CCM Wind Ensemble's portion of the program, which includes Yasuhide Ito's Festal Scenes, Ottorino Respighi's Huntingtower Ballad, Carlos Chávez's Mañanas Mexicanas, Camille Saint-Saëns' Occident et Orient, Norman Dello Joio's Scenes from “The Louvre” and Heitor Villa Lobos's Bachianas Brasileras No. 4.

Based on four folk-tunes from northern Japan, Ito’s Festal Scenes will open the wind ensemble’s portion of the concert. Ito wrote this exultant work in 1986 after receiving inspiration in a letter from a friend which said “life is a festival, indeed.” One of Ito’s most popular works, Festal Scenes calls for two Japanese percussion instruments to be added to the standard wind ensemble instrumentation: the Nebuta-deiko, a type of bass drum, and the Tebiragane, an antique cymbal.

This concert also features Chávez's Mañanas Mexicanas (1967, arr. 1974). Widely recognized as one of Mexico’s most prolific composers, conductors and ethnomusicologists, Chávez’s music is truly masterful. Drawing on his personal heritage and years of extensive research, Chávez based Mañanas Mexicanas on cultural traditions of Mexico. Chávez spoke of his work, saying "The most important result was that it gave the young composers of Mexico a living comprehension of the musical traditions of their own country. It will never be necessary for them now, from a lack of background of their own, to imitate European musical forms and formulae. The elements of this music, which finds response in their own feelings, will assist them in creating their own idiom, giving it color and vitality, rhythmic vigor, and harmonic variety."

A similarly prolific composer, Villa-Lobos is also remembered in The Places You’ll Go. Comprised of nine works written between 1930 and 1945, his Bachianas Brasileiras was transcribed for wind ensemble by Alfred Reed in 1964. Throughout this work, Villa-Lobos explores complex folk traditions from his native Brazil, and compares and combines them with the baroque practices of Bach. The resulting fusion is a passionate display of unity and jubilant celebration of identity.

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15

Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Tickets are $19.50; student and group discounts available. Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online.

Learn about additional ticket options for current CCM students.

CCM is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. For detailed driving directions, visit ccm.uc.edu/directions.

Parking is available in UC's CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. 

CCM OnStage patrons can add pre-paid parking to their checkout carts when purchasing tickets. Pre-paid parking is date/performance specific. CCM Garage parking rates for a performance or special event is usually available for $10-15. Learn more about parking at UC's CCM Garage.

For additional information on parking at UC, please visit uc.edu/about/parking.

A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio. All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, visit ccm.uc.edu/onstage.  

Featured image at the top: Students perform in one of CCM's wind ensembles.