On Friday, November 18, the Gustavus Wind Orchestra from Gustavus Adolphus College will premiere a newly written work, commissioned by the College and based on the hymn tune, Beautiful Savior. The new work, Light of My Soul, was written by composer David Gillingham and commissioned for the ensemble’s 2006 Eastern European Concert Tour in January. The Vasa Wind Orchestra joins the GWO for Friday’s concert in Christ Chapel and opens the concert at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
Under the direction of Douglas Nimmo, the wind orchestra program at Gustavus has commissed a number of works including the Easter Symphony, a major three movement work by American composer David Holsinger. In 1994, the Gustavus Wind Orchestra toured throughout eastern Europe on its annual concert tour. One of the works on that program was Gillingham’s Heroes Lost and Fallen. Anticipating January’s return to eastern Europe, Nimmo contacted Gillingham with the idea of a composition based on the well-known hymn Beautiful Savior. The composer accepted the challenge and delivered Light of My Soul in September. The work will be premiered Friday and included on the January international tour program.
Friday’s concert opens with the Vasa Wind Orchestra under the direction of Douglas Nimmo. The Vasa’s program includes works by Joseph Curiale, Alfred Reed, Robert Spittal and concludes with James Curnow’s Rejouissance.
Following a short intermission, the Gustavus Wind Orchestra will perform works by Alfred Reed,
Steven Schmidt, Eric Whitacre and Peter Tchaikovsky, in addition to two works by David Gillingham. The ensemble will first present the premiere of Light of My Soul and follow with Prophecy of the Earth, accompanied by David Fienen, organist of Christ Chapel.
Friday’s concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Christ Chapel and is free and open to the public.