THE SHENANDOAH CONSERVATORY
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,
under the direction of Jan Wagner, wowed the audience at the Music Center at
Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, during its Feb. 4 world premiere performance
of the newly revised, complete “Blues Symphony” by legendary jazz trumpeter,
music educator and Grammy Award-winning musician Wynton Marsalis.
The performance, presented by Washington Performing Arts, was a result of a
months-long residency in which Marsalis worked with the 79-piece orchestra
to bring life and “swing” to the piece.
“The musicians — all Shenandoah undergraduates — were terrific,”
noted a review of the performance by The Washington Post. “Trombone
soloist Nathan Davis did some of the evening’s best work. In the fifth
movement’s high point, he and violist Erin Reilly traded improvised
blues choruses. Clarinetist Jacob Moyer was also superlative, as was
trumpeter Nathaniel Hussell, whose parts required him to pull hard at
the harmonic edges.”
The group also received a glowing review from Marsalis himself.
“The Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra played my
music with such passion and zeal . . . I can’t sleep,” said Marsalis.
“Music is always so much deeper than notes. And a group of
musicians dealing with the pressure of performance showcases
a confluence of aspirations put to the test of execution....Well,
tonight, our young people overdelivered.”
During his residency, Marsalis also sat down with
Shenandoah Conservatory Dean Michael Stepniak,
Ed.D., to be interviewed as part of the conservatory’s
American Icons series.
Marsalis also led a Big Band Jazz Clinic at Shenandoah
— working exclusively with the National Jazz
Workshop All-Star Jazz Orchestra and the
Shenandoah Conservatory Jazz Ensemble — and
took some time to work with students from the
West African Drumming Ensemble at John Kerr
Elementary School in Winchester, Virginia.
Photos: Jason López, Scott Spriggs and Washington
Performing Arts
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