The Gustavus Wind Orchestra with Conductor James Patrick Miller at Nobel Conference 2015
The Gustavus and Vasa Wind Orchestras will open a busy weekend in the Department of Music at Gustavus on Saturday, November 14 with a joint fall concert in Jussi Björling Recital Hall. The Autumn Winds performance by the two ensembles will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 14 and brings long-time wind orchestra conductor Douglas Nimmo back to the Björling stage as guest conductor. Conductors Karrin Meffert-Nelson and James Patrick Miller will lead the concert which is free and open to the public.
The Vasa Wind Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Karrin Meffert-Nelson, will open Saturday’s concert with Aquarium by Johan de Meij and two works by Percy Grainger, Walking Tune and Country Gardens. It will conclude its half of the performance with Gustav Holst’s four-movement Second Suite in F.
Conductor James Patrick Miller will bring the Gustavus Wind Orchestra to the stage with a performance of Gunther Schuller’s Nature’s Way, presented “in memoriam” to the renowned composer who died earlier this year. Karrin Meffert-Nelson will return to the stage in the role of guest clarinetist with the Gustavus Wind Orchestra to perform the world premiere of Winding Up/Winding down — Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble by Michael Gandolfi. This work was commissioned by the Gustavus Wind Orchestra and Saturday’s performance is the first time it will be performed. The next work on the program, Hats Off to Thee by John Zdechlik, will bring long-time conductor of the Gustavus Wind Orchestra Douglas Nimmo back to the Björling stage for the first time since his retirement in 2014. Dr. Miller and the wind orchestra will conclude the Autumn Winds concert with the Finale from Symphony No. 4 by David Maslanka.
Saturday’s concert by the wind orchestras at Gustavus will begin at 1:30 p.m. in Björling Recital Hall and will feature Douglas Nimmo as guest conductor and Karrin Meffert-Nelson as guest clarinet on the world premiere of Michael Gandolfi’s newest work. The performance is open to the public and tickets are not required.