The troops are coming - strike up the band!

 

Friday 26 May 2006

 

The Australian Army will be entering Newcastle on Saturday 3 June 2006 for a friendly engagement with the University of Newcastle Wind Orchestra.

 

The Wind Orchestra will join forces with the Australian Army Band (Sydney) to present a spectacular evening of music.

 

Ian Cook, Director of the Wind Orchestra, says the highlight of the program will be Alfred Reed's Symphony No 4.

"First commissioned as the test piece for the 1993 Kerkrade World Music Contest in The Netherlands, this piece has become a major work of the modern wind band repertoire," says Ian.

 

"An unusual feature of this performance is the inclusion of six cellists. The cello is not normally a wind band instrument however Reed has used the tone colour of the cello to add a further dimension to the sonority of the Wind Orchestra."

 

Soloist Erica Hayes, who is in her final year of the Bachelor of Music Program at the University, will perform the Variations for Oboe and Band by Rimsky Korsakov. Radu Boros, the second soloist, is a member of the Australian Army Band and will feature in the Horn Concerto No 1 by Richard Strauss.

 

The Wind Orchestra will also play Klezmer Classics by Johan de Meij.

 

"Built around many Klezmer tunes played at Jewish weddings, this latter piece has a strong and entertaining rhythmical character which proved very popular on the Wind Orchestra’s recent tour to China," says Ian.

 

Major Andrea Davey will conduct the Australian Army Band (Sydney).

 

The concert will take place in the Concert Hall of The Conservatorium at 8pm on Saturday 3 June 2006.
Tickets are $15 adults, $10 concession and $5 child and will be available at the door.

 

For interviews: Ian Cook on (02) 4921 8936.

For further information: Barry Nancarrow on (02) 4921 8905.