World premiere at wind ensemble, choir concert

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Music Department presents the world premiere of the Good Friday-inspired composition "The Ascension" performed by the university's Wind Ensemble, Chorale, and Masters Singers Friday, March 2. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Frances Bedford Concert Hall of the new Rita Tallent Picken Regional Center for the Arts and Humanities.

With music by UW-Parkside Professor James Crowley and lyrics by Senior English Lecturer Patrick McGuire, "The Ascension" fulfills the two educators' long-standing wish to collaborate. Crowley selected a portion of a longer poem McGuire penned.

"He gave me an extended poem, and I found this section, which is kind of a self-contained, shorter poem called 'The Ascension,'" Crowley said. "And I thought, with hardly any adjustment, this would work as a choral piece."

McGuire said the words were inspired by the Catholic ritual of the Holy Rosary.

"The Holy Rosary are prayers and meditations on the life of Jesus," McGuire stated. "So, this is the ascension of Jesus, which is what Good Friday is about."          

Crowley and McGuire's composition will be played for the first time by the UW-Parkside Wind Ensemble and sung by the university's Chorale and Master Singers. The vocalists were prepared for this performance by UW-Parkside Music Professor Dr. James B. Kinchen Jr. The Wind Ensemble rehearsed under Professor Mark Eichner who serves as conductor for this performance.

 Crowley said he wrote one brief soprano solo and a solo for a bass voice into "The Ascension."

The program also features performances of Gustav Holst's "Turn Back, O Man,"

"English Dances" by Malcolm Arnold, Aram Khachaturian's "Dances from the Gayneh Ballet," and the Pascual Perez Chovi composition "Pepita Greus."              

 Admission to this world premiere event is $8 for adults and $6 for senior and students. The campus is located at 900 Wood Rd. in Kenosha. For more information about the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Music Department, visit www.uwp.edu keyword Music or call 262-595-2404.

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Story Status: Archived
Publish date: 2/24/2012

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