UCLA Wind Ensemble: American Anthems

American Anthems: Music of Celebration, Faith, Struggle, and Hope
Works by Copland, Bremer, Sousa, Milburn, Schuman, and Thomas

Schoenberg Hall Auditorium 

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