Water Water Everywhere: Winnipeg Wind Ensemble presents their final concert of the season

This Sunday, April 30th at 3:00pm at the Lutheran Church of the Cross, the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble will be presenting their final concert of the 2022-23 season. Called “Water Water Everywhere,” this concert will explore the many facets of water and how it is interpreted through some of some of the greatest wind band literature; performed by Manitoba’s premier Wind Ensemble.

The centre piece of the concert is American composer Robert Russell Bennet’s piece “Down to the Sea in Ships.” Written for the 1953 documentary television series “Victory at Sea,” this piece deals with the magic of the sea, the beauty of ships, and the fascination for the men who sail them.

Other music on the program will include wonderful transcriptions for band. Handel’s Water music will be heard, as well as Debussy’s piece “The Engulfed Cathedral.” which was originally written for the piano. Ginny Helmer, conductor of the Wind Ensemble describes the piece this way, “It’s a tricky transcription…it really demands a lot of us in terms of tone color and balance. There is a huge dynamic contrast from the opening bars that are very still and very quiet, to the climax which is very full. It’s a good arrangement, and has lots of challenges for the band.”

The Winnipeg Wind Ensemble will be also performing Florence Price’s piece “The Old Boatman.” Originally written for piano, and arranged for band by Dana Paul Perna, this piece has a very definite American folk song flavour. As Helmer explains, “The Old Boatman was something I really wanted to do because more and more we need to recognize underrepresented group and composers, and I love the piece and I love the music of Florence Price.”

One of the highlights of this final concert is that the ensemble will be featuring the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble’s Student Soloist Competition winner flutist Yutong Xin. A student at Fort Richmond Collegiate and flute student of renowned Winnipeg flute teacher Laurel Ridd, she will be performing Franz Doppler’s very virtuosic “Fantaisie Pastoral Hongroise.”

Other music on the program will include works by the outstanding Dutch composer Johann de Meij, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Andreas Makris.

The Winnipeg Wind Ensemble’s Concert “Water Water Everywhere” takes place This Sunday, April 30th at 3:00pm at the Lutheran Church of the Cross. For more details visit the Winnipeg Wind ensemble’s website.