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The Lowcountry Wind Symphony has performed a wide variety of music since our first concert in October 2014. Read about some highlights below. In November 2018 we continued our tradition of presenting outstanding patriotic music with 'Saluting America's Veterans IV'. The program included traditional favorites, a sampling of music commemorating the end of WWI, and a very special musical presentation. We commissioned a work by legendary American composer Stephen Melillo entitled 'Midway'. The band presented the World Premier of this work at this concert. Our February 2019 concert, Mystery and Mythology explored mythological characters and some of the triumphant or tragic mysteries of life through the music of Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, Gustav Holst, Stephen Melillo and others. The program included songs such as: Triumphal March from Aida, Symphony #1: Lord of the Rings-Gandolph, Jupiter, Fate of the Gods, Winged Stallion, and more. We traveled around the globe and through history when we joined forces with the Mary Green Chorale for our April 2019 concert, European Treasures, with masterpieces such as ‘Finlandia’ by Jean Sibelius and 'Gustav Holst’s ‘2nd Suite in F' for Military Band’, both arranged for Band and Chorale. Richard Wagner’s ‘Rienzi Overture’ and Julius Fucik’s ‘Florentiner March’ were also on the program, along with some smaller ensemble pieces. The program ended with Tchaikovsky’s popular ‘1812 Overture’ for full band and chorale. The Mary Green Chorale performed the choral sections as Tchaikovsky composed them – in Russian.   Cecilia Wright, a Senior at Beaufort High School, was presented with a $1000 check at the Lowcountry Wind Symphony’s recent Spring Concert, ‘European Treasures’ at Sea Island Presbyterian Church. This gift, given by the LWS Board and Hamner Music Company, honors Miss Wright’s two-year commitment to the French Horn section of LWS, and will go toward her college expenses as she begins a degree program in Music Education at Western Carolina University in September.
Cecilia is a musician with a diverse background. In addition to her skills as a French horn player, she served as pianist for the Beaufort High School musicals for the past three years. Her accomplishments are both academic and musical. She is an honor student, being selected for both the French National Honor Society and the National Honor Society at Beaufort High School. She plays in the Honor Band at BHS and served as Brass Section Captain of the Marching Band, and Concertmaster of the Honor Band. Her activities outside school include volunteering at a local homeless shelter and working at a local business. Since January, Cecilia has studied music theory and harmony, and begun to explore conducting with LWS Music Director Donald F. Jemella. She made her debut on the podium, directing ‘American Flourish’ at the Lowcountry Youth Wind Symphony’s Concert on May 19th at Church of the Palms in Bluffton. She is also studying oboe and performed one piece on that instrument at the concert. One of the missions of the Lowcountry Wind Symphony is to support and encourage young musicians. LWS is finalizing plans for a Music Scholarship program that will allow Beaufort County district music students who are accepted at a school of music for their academic studies to apply for financial consideration. Talented high school students and adults are welcome to join LWS, depending on the instrumentation needs of the percussion, brass or wind sections. For more information about LWS, or the Lowcountry Youth Wind Symphony, please contact Donald F. Jemella at (917) 439-0244 or Bobbi Logan at (843) 705-3289. article by: Chris Raskind; photo credit: Anita Leming |
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