Williams Symphonic Winds and Student Symphony

Jacob Walls ’11 and Dan Kohane ’12, directors of Student Symphony
Jacob Walls and Chaz Lee ’11, conductors of Symphonic Winds

The Williams College Department of Music presents a joint concert of the Student Symphony and Symphonic Winds under the leadership of Jacob Walls ’11, Dan Kohane ’12, and Chaz Lee ’11 on Saturday, May 7 at 8 p.m. in Chapin Hall. This free event is open to the public.

Never satisfied to simply rehash old musical conversations, these ensembles mix classics and moderns, including original compositions by student composers. Managed, conducted, and performed by students, the hallmarks of both groups are exuberance and originality.

Upholding a tradition of challenging programming, the Student Symphony and Symphonic Winds present a concert titled, Music for Strings, Percussion, Band, and the Brave. More than just another student orchestra, the ensemble burnishes its reputation as an instrument of musical innovation. The concert features an interesting juxtaposition of pieces: the Piano Concerto in G Minor by Rob Pasternak ’11, the first movement of Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, the sextet from Don Giovanni, and Andriessen’s Hymne on the memory of Darius Milhaud. Clarinetist Akemi Ueda ’11 leads an important work of the Polish composer, Witold Lutoslawski. Dance Preludes for clarinet and chamber orchestra (1954) is a significant contribution to the repertoire of the clarinet and this performance presents a rare opportunity to enjoy the work of this prolific composer.

Just as the Student Symphony stands out amongst its peers, the Symphonic Winds is by no means just a wind band. Known for its flexibility and originality, the group is a cutting edge musical endeavor. The ensemble is especially known for championing the work of 20th century composers. This concert presents a work of the fascinating and much heralded American composer, Warren Benson, whose jazz-inflected Dawn’s Early Light offers a chance for the audience to consider the work of a man who started out by teaching himself composition, and retired as a professor of composition at Eastman School of Music after a rich life in music and over 150 compositions to his credit. The Symphonic Winds also premiere a new composition by Laone Thekiso ’12 for string quartet and wind ensemble.

The Symphonic Winds component is conducted by Jacob Walls ’11 and Chaz Lee ’11, two students who take up the baton of late director Steven Dennis Bodner, whose groundbreaking leadership put the group on the map, and in whose name the group continues a tradition of bold programming.

The Williams College Student Symphony is a 50-member orchestra conducted and administered by students, Jacob Walls ’11 and Dan Kohane ’12 with sponsorship by the Department of Music. The Student Symphony performs two to three times per year.

Past repertoire has included traditional orchestral works such as Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite, Brahms’ Tragic Overture, and Smetana’s Moldau. The orchestra has also performed 20th century American music by Ives, Copland, and Barber. In addition, award-winning composer Donald Erb visited the Symphony to supervise a rehearsal of Treasure in the Snow, a work of his which was then presented in a spring concert. The Symphony also performs works by student composers, including Celestial Episode by Judd Greenstein ’01 and Gesture I by Andrea Mazzariello ’00.

The Williams Symphonic Winds is a 60-member ensemble dedicated to performing the most significant music written for large wind ensemble. The late director, Steven Dennis Bodner worked tirelessly to develop the ensembles’ identity as leading proponents of the performance of new music at Williams College. The ensembles have commissioned and premiered a number of works by contemporary composers, including Williams faculty and alumni. Recognized as one of the premier wind ensembles in New England, the Symphonic Winds performed at the 2006 College Band Directors National Association Eastern Division Conference. The ensemble has been noted both for its adventurous and creative programming and for the quality of their performance, described as “astounding” by the Berkshire Advocate and “amazingly good” by composer Louis Andriessen.

Event Program