USC Wind Ensemble Concert

USC's premier wind ensemble opens with the second movement of Symphony No. 8 by Ralph Vaughan Williams, the “Scherzo alla Marcia,” a witty take on the traditional march. A concerto for flute, “Ghosts and Gargoyles” by Henry Brant features Jennifer Parker-Harley as flute soloist along with eight flutists positioned throughout audience. Pianist Lynn Kompass and percussionists Allison Schweikert and Cory Fica are featured in “Concertino for Piano, Percussion and Winds” by USC composer Mandy Fang. The program concludes with Messiaen’s “Colors of the Celestial City,” featuring pianist Philip Bush. Messiaen was a synesthete, hearing colors in music. This work combines his association of colors as musical sounds with his fascination with birds and his deeply held faith to produce one of the great works of the later half of the 20th century.