Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor
Western’s wind and percussions ensembles and the Chemeketa wind ensemble paired up to perform a substantial concert on Thursday, Nov. 29.
Chemeketa’s ensemble, directed by J. J. Meyer, opened the performance. They played five pieces, all of which sounded impressively full despite the small size of the band. Songs played included “American Folk Rhapsody No. 2” by Clare Grundman, “Cajun Folk Songs 2” composed by Frank Ticheli, “Foundry” created by John Mackey, and “Down in the Valley” by Pierre La Plante.
Following Chemeketa’s performance was a set of performances by Western’s percussion ensemble. Two pairs of musicians played two movements each composed by Mark Mellits as part of a multi-movement project. Percussionists were Bailey Schafer, Noah Adams, Evan Saab, and Elijah Thompson.
Western’s wind ensemble was next in the line-up, directed by Dr. Ike Nail. Playing seven pieces, Western’s ensemble was slightly bigger than Chemeketa’s, but not by much; they still showed a great amount of musicianship and displayed a rich sound. Two songs, “Carnival of Venice” and “Reverie,” featured Keith Karns, a trumpet player and arranger. Karns is also the new Director of Jazz Studies at Western.
The final performance of the night combined both ensembles, finally filling all the stage seats and creating a truly large, triumphant, traditional-sounding group. “El Capitan, March” by John Philip Sousa was the closing song.
Both ensembles avoided the trend of playing holiday pieces, tempting being that it is that time of year. Despite the regular amount of missed notes and hiccups that any ensemble knows too well, the concert had a lively pace and there was rarely a lull in the action. Western’s wind ensemble exhibited a collegiate level of musicianship, as did Chemeketa’s even though their numbers were noticeably smaller. Coming together at the end gave the concert a sense of closure and the characteristically full sound of a classic American ensemble.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton
