Not one, not two but three of the university’s top bands will be on the very same stage tonight when the School of Music presents its Kaleidoscope of Bands concert.
Scheduled for 8 p.m. in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s Dekelboum Concert Hall, the program will feature the Community Band, UM Concert Band and the Mighty Sound of Maryland marching band. The show is slated to include a wide range of music – something associate director of bands L. Richmond Sparks thinks will make the concert a must-see performance.
“If you have ever played a musical instrument, you will not want to miss this program – it has something for everybody,” Sparks said. “People will be satisfied to hear holiday music, classical literature and strong upbeat rhythmic tunes they directly know from the marching band.”
Scheduled to perform first is the Community Band, which will be under the direction of John Wakefield. The group, which is comprised of about 85 alumni and community members, should get the audience into a festive mood by opening the show with holiday music.
“The Community Band is unique in that it brings back several [alumni] and other musicians from the community,” Sparks said. “They are unique for their love of the concert band idiom and have very special skills and talents.”
Following will be the Concert Band, the school’s premier group, according to Sparks. Consisting of about 65 members (half of whom half are music majors), the band is directed by Sparks and will perform more traditional concert material.
Michael Votta, who has been hired by the university to direct the new UM Wind Ensemble, will guest conduct for the Concert Band on a particularly difficult piece. Votta has served as music director of the North Carolina Wind Orchestra and worked previously at several colleges, including Duke University, Ithaca College and University of South Florida.
The program will close with the group best known for packing the stands and gracing the field in Byrd Stadium, the Mighty Sound of Maryland. Performing highlights from its halftime shows this year, the marching band is expected to be the most highly anticipated segment of the show, Sparks said.
“The Mighty Sound of Maryland is the hot ticket item,” Sparks said. “They bring not only a lot of popular music, but more importantly, they bring the spirit of our campus through the school’s songs and upbeat popular music.”
For the members of the marching band, the performance not only provides a unique opportunity to play alongside different ensembles, but also to capitalize on the Performing Arts Center’s facilities.
“We love the football games, but it is fun to do something different once in a while,” said sophomore mathematics major Mickey Salins, a member of the marching band. “It’s really impressive to see our size in one small area, and people are used to hearing us outside, so it’ll be nice to play inside with the amazing acoustics in there.”
The marching band has been busy of late, not only rehearsing for this performance but also preparing for the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Francisco. Audience members can expect the band to let loose during the performance and show off more than just their instrumental talents.
“It’s a good time for us to showcase our music, and it is fun to play for a different audience,” said senior biology major Rob Glotfelty, another member of the marching band. “Expect to hear everything – and expect to see some ‘Thriller’ dancing.”
The Kaleidoscope of Bands ’07 concert is tonight at 8 p.m. in the Dekelboum Concert Hall in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Admission is $7 for students and $25 for the public.
tfloyd1@umd.edu
