American Anthems: Music of Celebration, Faith, Struggle, and Hope
Works by Copland, Bremer, Sousa, Milburn, Schuman, and Thomas
The UCLA Wind Ensemble returns to Schoenberg Hall for its first performance in 21 months with an exploration of American wind music that looks back to the past and forward to the future. The concert includes works by the dean of twentieth-century American composers, Aaron Copland, and America’s march king, John Philip Sousa (on his 167th birthday), as well as Santa Monica native Carolyn Bremer (1957–2018) and UCLA alumnus and faculty member Dwayne Milburn. The title of the program comes from Bremer’s Early Light, a joyful homage to baseball that briefly quotes “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and Omar Thomas’s powerful Of Our New Day Begun, written to honor those lost in 2015 at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and based musically on “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” This music of celebration, faith, struggle, and hope reflects the continuing journey to fulfill the founding promise of our nation.
PROGRAM
AARON COPLAND: Fanfare for the Common Man
CAROLYN BREMER: Early Light
Doris Doyon, doctoral assistant conductor
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA: The Liberty Bell
DWAYNE MILBURN: American Hymnsong Suite
Michael James, doctoral assistant conductor
OMAR THOMAS: Of Our New Day Begun
This event is made possible by the David and Irmgard Dobrow Fund. Classical music was a passion of the Dobrows, who established a generous endowment at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music to make programs like this possible. We are proud to celebrate this program as part of the 2021 - 22 Dobrow Series.