NEWBERRY, S.C.- The Newberry College Symphonic Band will present its annual Spring Concert on Tuesday, April 17th at 8:00 p.m. in Eleazer Arena on the Newberry College campus. The band has assembled a fascinating and appealing number of pieces that have already thrilled the performers and promise to do the same for our audiences.
A special start to the concert will be Karl L. Kings Barnum and Baileys Favorite, a fast-paced and loud circus march that may be the best of its genre. The band will then completely switch gears and play Eric Whitacres majestic and flowing, October, the composers tribute to his favorite month. To keep the audience enthralled, the band will follow with another change of pace in the famous exotic ballet entitled: Danse Bacchanale from Camille Saint-Saens opera, Samson and Dalila. Next they will present the springtime classic, Hounds of Spring by Alfred Reed, and the program will conclude with two of the most exciting band compositions of the last fifty years, the Noah Trilogy. The Noah Trilogy deals with the biblical story of Noah from Genesis chapters 6 and 7. This selection is extremely programmatic and depicts such issues as Gods wrath with sinners and ultimately, the Flood itself, as portrayed by the band members. Noah was written by Russ Newbury, a fellow Montanan and close personal friend of the band director, Mr. Bill Long. Russ wrote this piece on commission from the Montana State University Wind Ensemble. The final piece is one of the finest examples of the power and majesty of the modern wind band. It is Alfred Reeds Armenian Dances, Part I. This piece is a medley of favorite Armenian folk songs, and it brings a unique and distinctive Middle-Eastern flavor which we rarely hear in the band medium.This concert is under the direction of Bill Long, Director of Bands at Newberry College. It is part of the colleges Fine Arts and Lectures Series of events and it is free and open to the public.