Williams Ensembles

Celebrating Latin American musics—their contemporary expressions, heritage, and legacy as a bridge between peoples.

Symphonic Winds; Percussion, Jazz, and Brass Ensembles; Opus Zero and Zambezi Marimba Bands.

The Williams College Department of Music presents this festival dedicated to Latin Cultures and to the late Steven Dennis Bodner who was very actively making the festival possible as a way to support Latin Music. The festival starts on Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. with the Momenta Quartet at ’62 Center and continues with a variety of music on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, concluding with a concert at 8 p.m. in Chapin Hall on the same day. These free events are open to the public. This is a celebration of Latin American music–its contemporary expressions, heritage, and legacy as bridges between peoples.

The very exciting Momenta Quartet provides the first Puente Sonoro on Friday night in the ’62 Center. The depth and breadth of the performance is an experience that stands for itself. All of the details of that concert and master classes are being released separately.

Those with an interest in chamber music also get their due. On Saturday evening Williams Chamber Players members Ronald Feldman, Doris Stevenson, and Joana Genova will present selected movements of the Piazzola trio, Four Seasons. Violist Noah Fields ’11, and guests Martha Mooke and Duo Iberoamerica (cellist Ana Ruth Bermudez and pianist Antonio Fermin) will also take the stage in the more intimate Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall to perform music by Modesta Bor, Alberto Ginastera, Aldemaro Romero, Tania León, Marcos Balter, Astor PIazzolla, and Williams faculty member Ileana Perez Velazquez.

The Saturday evening portion of the festival then moves to the spacious and elegant Chapin Hall. The larger student ensembles present more works of great contemporary Latin American composers. This not only provides an opportunity to experience modern music inspired by Latin America: this is a chance to hear the popular ensembles Zambezi Marimba Band and Williams Jazz, Percussion, and Brass Ensembles all in one venue. These ensembles present music by Armando Bayolo, Alberto Ginastera, Alexandre Lunsqui, Allem Carvajal, guest composer Tania León, and faculty member Andy Jaffe. Of special poignancy are the performances by the Symphonic Winds and Opus Zero Band, two groups central to the mission of presenting living music to a greater public. These ensembles embody the musical vision and are the flagship ensembles of the late Steven Dennis Bodner.

This idea of the festival came about when the immigration laws created such an uproar in Arizona. Faculty member Ileana Perez-Velazquez expressed her dismay to Steven and together they birthed the idea of a festival celebrating Latin Heritage. The festival is dedicated to Mr. Bodner, a musician and colleague whose contribution was central to the presentation of many festivals such as this. His recent and untimely passing was and continues to be an unspeakable loss to the students, faculty, and staff at Williams. The service for Steven is Saturday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. in Thompson Memorial Chapel.