Wednesday, 5/21/97 Wind ensemble to give spring concert
Performance will include pieces conducted by graduate students
By Kathleen Rhames Daily Bruin Staff The winds will sweep
through Schoenberg tonight. In a gale of blustery tones and
descriptive melodies, the UCLA Wind Ensemble is looking forward to
another successful season with its annual spring concert. Conducted
by Thomas Lee, this year’s performance will also feature three
graduate students conducting pieces by Igor Stravinsky and Michael
Colgrass. It’s an exciting night for these students, who will put
their knowledge to the test in front of a live ensemble. "You get
so much experience as a grad student at UCLA," says graduate
student Michael Cody. "It’s unlike any other program in the
country. I’m only a first-year and I’m conducting in the main
ensemble – that is practically unheard of in just about every other
program." Cody will conduct a piece by Stravinsky titled
"Symphonies of Wind Instruments," which pays musical tribute to the
work of French composer Claude Debussy. Cody debuted the piece two
weeks ago in a smaller preconcert setting and it was received so
well that Lee asked him to join the main ensemble. Tonight he will
join fellow graduate students Tony Spano and Peter Morris as they
conduct three out of five pieces being performed in the concert.
But as excited as he may be for tonight’s performance, Cody admits
that the art of conducting is harder than it looks. "It’s a very
special thing because it requires a thorough, complete
musicianship," he says. "You need to know every instrument – how
they work, how they sound together, even if you don’t play them
all. You have to be able to listen. Especially with the piece I’m
doing, it’s a physical activity as well. I’m constantly moving my
arms and my body." Conducting a wind ensemble such as this one is
far different from conducting an orchestra. There is a distinction,
not only in the instruments used but in the sound created. In an
orchestra there might be 2 or 3 clarinets, but there are 6 in the
wind ensemble. This concentration elicits a pure sound separate
from the blended tones of an orchestra. Wind instruments were the
composers’ choice at the start of the 20th century and began a wave
of popular works created just for a wind ensemble. Fourth-year
graduate student and conductor Spano goes as far as to call the
wind ensemble a "new" instrument. "The orchestra has been around
for 200 years, and composers have started looking for something
new. Art in the 20th century has been all about that. The wind
ensemble has provided not only a new sound but the opportunity for
these composers to get their works played." Spano will conduct a
contemporary piece by Michael Colgrass titled "Urban Requiem." It
features a saxophone section that is similar to the soloist of a
concerto except that there are four saxophones playing in front of
the ensemble instead of one. Spano applauds the individuality with
which Colgrass wrote his piece. Eclectic and modern, "Urban
Requiem" was commissioned by the University of Miami and musically
documents city life there. Spano explains that to research the
piece, Colgrass stayed in Miami for a time to become acquainted
with the style of living. "The piece has a lot of Latin and jazz
influences and travels through such a broad range of experiences
and moods," Spano says. "There are sections that are calm and
lyrical and there are those that are disturbing, raucous and loud."
Spano also reveals the sense of humor in Colgrass’ piece. When
writing "Urban Requiem," Colgrass tried to mock 20th-century
composers in their search for new sounds. Implementing his own new
sounds, he composed random avant garde noises that give the piece a
humorous effect. Spano calls these noises "loud, individual
splats." For Cody, the chance to study and conduct under the
tutelage of Thomas Lee is the highlight of the show. An alumnus of
UCLA, Cody studied the trumpet as an undergraduate but has wanted
to conduct since 13. Having the opportunity to return to UCLA and
work with Lee is a dream come true. "We premiere pieces at almost
every single concert, and not a lot of college orchestras do that,"
Cody says. "I not only get exposure to the great wind and
percussion works of the century but I get to study with someone
that I really respect." So, what are the secrets to good
conducting? These guys have the answers. "Rehearsing. We do a lot
of rehearsing," Cody says. "In rehearsal we can focus on each piece
of the puzzle and put it all back together again in time for the
performance. It’s all about communication. While I’m conducting I
can’t talk. I have to communicate all non-verbally. But that’s the
art of it, the beauty of it, the challenge of it." CONCERT: The
UCLA Wind Ensemble presents its annual spring concert May 21 at 8
p.m. in Schoenberg Hall. Admission is free. For more information,
call 825-6540. Previous Daily Bruin stories: Bands join to perform
musical medley