Podcast Episode 3: IYWO and Dr. Glenn Price
The International Youth Wind Orchestra is a fixture of the biennial conference, featuring some of the best young players in the world. Dr. Glenn Price is currently in charge of the artistic direction of the ensemble and he shares his thoughts on the repertoire he and Gerhard Markson will be conducting, the evolution of the group over the past number of years and the strength of this year's group.
Opening Ceremony and Irish Youth Wind Ensemble Concert
The WASBE 2007 Opening Ceremony and Reception was held Sunday, July 8th in the INEC Foyer from 2:00–3:00 p.m. Deborah Gibbs of World Projects (sponsor of the reception) greeted the delegates and guests and Conference chairperson Fergus O'Carroll also presented opening remarks. WASBE Presdent Bert Aalders then officially opened the Conference.
The performing ensemble for the ceremony was the Band of An Garde Siochara (National Police Force) of Dublin under the direction of Patrick Kenney. Among other works performed was a special Fanfare composed for the occasion by Garder Brendan Breslin.
The Irish Youth Wind Ensemble performed a truly remarkable concert this afternoon. Founded in 1985 by James Cavanagh and Col. Fred O’Callaghan, the group was certainly up to task in the performance of some very difficult music.
The concert opened with A. J. Potter’s Finnegan’s Wake, a brief symphonic poem from 1957 based upon the James Joyce epic.
The Trumpet Concerto of Kamillo Lendway followed. It is a three movement work. The first movement is in 6 contrasting sections; the second is labelled Intermezzo Lirico while the third is a Rondo in Modo Classico. Trumpet Soloist Mark O’Keefe, a native of Cork County, performed magnificently over the course of this concerto.
Kenneth Hesketh’s Vranjanka, a 2005 composition commissioned by Timothy and Hillary Reynish as part of the ongoing series of works in memory of their son William, ended the first half. Based on a Serbia folk tune, the work, largely in 7/8, offered many rhythmic challenges.
John Kinsella’s Prelude and Toccata, composed for symphonic orchestral winds, opened up the second half of the program. The woodwinds were doubled for this performance of this brilliant work.
Timothy Reynish conducted Stephen McNeff’s Image in Stone, a four-movement work for soprano and wind ensemble that is somewhat reminiscent of Richard Strauss’ Four Last Songs. A very moving work in four movements, it is another of the series of excellence works commissioned by Timothy and Hillary Reynish in memory of their son William. Soprano soloist Nora King sang beautifully.
The very successful concert ended with the rather bombastic Samurai by Nigel Clarke.
©2007 WASBE