Check this out!

Maybe I should say, check out this quilt!

First a reminder that the Milwaukee Festival Brass will present Italia on Sunday March 7 at 3 PM in the Schwan Concert Hall on the campus of Wisconsin Lutheran College. Don't miss their performance of Pines of Rome. It will be something special.

But you also have a chance to win something special. The MFB is holding a raffle for this wonderful quilt. I love the motif: covered with eighth notes! Really something unique. The Brass will be selling tickets for $1 each or 6 tickets for $5. And you can get your raffle tickets at the concert.

So, be sure to attend the Milwaukee Festival Brass concert on March 7, not only for the great music - Pines of Rome - but to get your raffle tickets for this unique quilt! (If I win, I'm not giving it as a gift...I'm keeping it for myself!)

Reminder: Young Artists Competition

Just a reminder that the applications for the Young Artist Competition held by the Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra are due this Friday, February 26th. The first place finisher receives $500 and an opportunity to perform with the orchestra. The second place finisher receives $250 and an opportunity to perform with the orchestra. The auditions will be held on Sunday March 7 at Alverno College. Applicants can be no older than 25 on the day of the audition.

If you know a talented high school or college musician, here is a wonderful opportunity. You can get all the details, and an application, from the MFSO web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm

Concert Preview: Knightwind Ensemble, March 21

First a reminder: this is your last chance to get your tickets for the Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra Dinner Concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings of Valentines Weekend, at the Silver Spring Country Club. Take your special someone to a nice dinner and a concert, and help the MFSO at the same time. All of the details are on the MFSO web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm


Mark your calendars for Sunday March 21st at 3 PM. The Knightwind Ensemble will present Transitions at 3 PM in the Schwan Concert Hall on the campus of Wisconsin Lutheran College. The concert will be directed by Associate Conductor Don Glassel. As some of you know, the previous director, John Steinke, stepped down as Music Director of the Ensemble after 32 years. The search for a new Music Director is underway, and this concert is indeed a transition from one music director to the next.

Mr. Glassel has chosen a number of new works for the Ensemble to perform, as well as some standards of the wind band repertoire. The new pieces include two from composers that Knightwind Ensemble concert goers will recognize: Timothy Mahr and Thomas Doss.

The Mahr composition is Mountain Prayers. He wrote it in honor of the retirement of Dr. Derald DeYoung of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Knightwind concert goers might remember that Dr. Mahr wrote Imprints, a work commissioned by the Knightwind Ensemble in 1989. Dr. Mahr's music is very approachable and always enjoyable.

The new piece by Austrian composer Thomas Doss is Magic Overture. In the words of the composer: "the piece was written as an anniversary present for the Burgermusik Gotzis in Austria. The magic of music and landscape in the Austrian Vortarlberg area spread throughout the little village." It's a wonderful little piece that I'm sure you will enjoy!

The program also includes the Symphony For Band by Vincent Persichetti, one of the really big pieces for wind band; the Giles Farnaby Suite of Gordon Jacob; and the first movement from Johan de Meij's Symphony Number One: The Lord of the Rings, which is a musical description of Gandalf the Wizard. A lot of great music for a Sunday afternoon!

For ticket information, please see the Knightwind Ensemble web site: http://www.knightwind.org/. Note that if you print the page with the concert announcement, you'll get $1 off the cost of the adult tickets in your group. And stop by to say Hi, as I will be selling the tickets!

Concert Preview: Milwaukee Festival Brass, March 7

Be sure to attend the Milwaukee Festival Brass concert on Sunday March 7 at 3 PM in the Schwan Concert Hall on the campus of Wisconsin Lutheran College. The March concert for the MFB always salutes the different ethnic groups in the Milwaukee area. This year, the concert features music of Italia.

A concert of Italian favorites must have a Rossini overture. Dr. Patricia Backhaus, the MFB Music Director, has chosen The Italian Girl in Algiers, always a favorite. Music by Puccini features Euphonium soloist Dave Mayer, in Nessun Dorma. And the feature work is a wonderful, and very difficult, brass band arrangement of The Pines of Rome, by Respighi. Wow! I wonder if the members will have any lip left after that one!

Tickets are $12 for adults and $9 for Seniors and Students. Group rates are available. For more concert information, see the web site: http://www.mfbrass.org/. The concert is sponsored in part by our friends at the Foundation for Heart Science, Ltd., www.heartscience.org.

And one more thing to mention: the MFB will be partnering with the Hunger Task Force to fight hunger in the Milwaukee area. If you bring 2 or more non-perishable food items, you'll receive a discounted admission to the concert. A discount for helping others...it doesn't get much better than that!

Young Artist Competition - Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra

The Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra will hold their annual Young Artist Competition on the afternoon of Sunday March 7th at Alverno College. Young Artists, no older than 25 on March 7th, may apply. The winner will receive $500 and an opportunity to perform with the Orchestra. The second place finisher will receive $250 and an opportunity to perform as well.

All the details of the competition, as well as the application, at at the Orchestra's web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm.

And don't forget to pace your reservation for the Menomonee Falls Symphony Dinner and Concert at the Silver Spring Country Club on the 12th and 13th. See the web site above for details and reservation information.

Upcoming Concert: Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra

Our one Community Orchestra has a special concert coming up with two performances: Friday February 12 and Saturday February 13, both at 6:30 PM. The concerts will be held at the Silver Spring Country Club and will include dinner. This is the big fund raising event for the orchestra, but also a good time and wonderful music, just in time for Valentine's Day.

The theme of the concert this year, in keeping with Valentine's Day, is Romance: Mars and Venus. The program will include musical portrayals of romantic encounters between the sexes. I also have it on good authority that the concert will also include a preview of their classical concert coming up in May, which will include the New World Symphony of Antonon Dvorak.

Tickets are $40. The brochure with all the details and the ticket form are at the Orchestra's web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm. Reservations are due by February 8th.

Not only is it a wonderful evening at a great price, you are also supporting the one Community Orchestra in our area. And that is wonderful in itself.

Waukesha Area Symphonic Band Concerto Competition

The Waukesha Area Symphonic Band is now taking applications for their annual Concerto Competition. It is open to all 9th through 12th graders in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee, Dodge and Jefferson Counties.

This year WASB is opening the audition to all instrument groups, so if your high school student plays a string instrument, he or she can audition as well (providing the solo work has an arrangement for Band). The winner will receive $500 and be invited to perform a selection with the Band at their concert on Friday April 30th. The Honorable Mention winner will be invited to perform with the Band at the concert on a selected piece.

The auditions will be held on Saturday February 20th in the Shattuck Music Center on the campus of Carroll University in Waukesha. The deadline for applications is Friday Jauary 22, 2010. The entry fee is $15. Questions should be emailed to nancyherro@sbcglobal.net. And see the WASB web site for more details: www.wasband.org.