The entirety of the Wind Ensemble’s final concert of the season will be David Maslanka’s monumental Symphony No. 9. In four movements, with a duration of about 75 minutes, the symphony opens with a reading of the poem Secrets by W. S. Merwin, which is paralleled in the fourth movement by a reading of the composer’s own Whale Story. Maslanka describes the symphony as “a large collection of instrumental songs which create a continuously moving tapestry of thoughts and images relating to the nature of memory, the life giving creative force of water, and compassion, forgiveness, and rest. The flow of the entire Symphony is toward the Chorale melody O Sacred Head Now Wounded at the end of the fourth movement.” The performance of this symphony is the culmination of the ensemble’s artistic and personal development which began in late August, 2016.

The Wind Ensemble is the university’s premiere concert band. Its select mission is to provide instrumentalists of advanced technical proficiency a pre-professional ensemble experience. With an emphasis on 20th century American compositions, the Wind Ensemble’s repertoire reflects the most recent technical and textural innovations, as well as the rich tradition of wind and percussion music extending back to the Renaissance.

The objectives of the Wind Ensemble are to rehearse and perform repertoire of the highest caliber, encompassing the broadest possible spectrum of styles; to develop a high degree of refinement and independence in students’ ability to communicate musically in both chamber and larger ensemble settings; and to provide, through the study of the masterworks of the wind band repertoire, an anthology of styles, performance practices and techniques that will serve as the foundation for students’ ability to realize their professional musical aspirations.

Tickets: General Admission $5; Students/Seniors $3
Live webcast: Visit music.unl.edu the night of the performance for the direct link.