The West Virginia University Wind Symphony will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre at the Creative Arts Center.

The concert will feature pianist and music faculty member James Miltenberger, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, and conductors Nicole Gross and Christopher J. Nichter.

The program, directed by WVU Director of Bands John Hendricks, III , will includeOverture for Winds, Op. 24by Felix Mendelssohn,The Solitary Dancerby Warren Benson,Armenian Dances (Part I)by Alfred Reed,And the Mountains Rising Nowhereby Joseph Schwantner, andBlues for a Killed Katby Jack End.

Overture for Winds, Op. 24was composed by Mendelssohn in 1824, when the composer was only fifteen years old, during a stay at the fashionable seaside resort of Doberan on the shores of the Baltic. The original score was lost, but recopied by Mendelssohn in 1826 for 11 winds. In 1938 it was rescored for 23 winds and percussion and later expanded to a full symphonic band version.

BensonsThe Solitary Danceris considered a masterpiece in its use of sensitivity for wind and percussion colors. Just prior to writing this work, Benson had composed a ballet and had worked for several months with the young dancers.

There just wasnt any work that was fast and exciting and quiet,Benson once said of the piece.Like when a group of people get together and whisper, there is a lot of intensity and excitement, but it never gets loud. There are a lot of situations in life like that�€just quiet moments.

The Armenian Dancesby Alfred Reed are built upon five Armenian folk songs which were first notated, researched and later arranged by Gomidas, the founder of Armenian classical music for solo voice with piano accompaniment, or unaccompanied chorus. The songs include:Apricot Tree,Partridges Song,Hoy, Nazan Eem,a lively, lyric love song depicting a young man singing the praises of his beloved;Alagyaz(the name of a mountain in Armenia), a beloved Armenian folk song; andGo, Go,a humorous, light-textured tune.

And the Mountains Rising Nowhereby Schwantner came out of the composers experience of writing for professional chamber groups. The work was dedicated to Carol Adler and to the performers of the premiere, the Eastman Wind Ensemble, conducted by Donald Hunsberger.

For tickets to the Wind Symphony concert, contact the Mountainlair or CAC Box Office at 304-293-SHOW.

For more information, contact the College of Creative Arts, 304-293-4841, ext. 3108.