Morris Symphonic Winds

09/24/2023

We are retiring this page! UMN Morris Symphonic Winds can now be followed on UMN Morris Music Facebook and Instagram. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551245446949
Thank you!

University

04/17/2023

The "Minnesota Wind Collective" is a combined performance between UMN Morris Symphonic Winds and St Cloud State University Wind Ensemble of an exciting program of music to herald spring. Guest saxophone soloist Dr. Preston Duncan will join the ensemble for Iturralde's lively Pequena Czarda.

Simon Tillier, conductor
Catharine Bushman, conductor
Preston Duncan, saxophone

Sunday, April 23, 2023
5pm
Ritsche Auditorium, Stewart Hall
St Cloud State University
720 4th Ave S,
St Cloud, MN 56301

Admission Free

04/17/2023

Atmosphères
Dr. Simon Tillier with the UMN Morris Chamber Orchestra perform Bartok, Britten, Strauss, Faure, and Gregson-Williams

Atmosphere. Color. Imagination.

The UMN Morris Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Dr. Simon Tillier, explores atmosphere in music with a program of classical and popular pieces from different times and places. Hungarian, child-inspired music contrasts with the much loved Chronicles of Narnia, while a Viennese polka is set beside Elizabethan courtly dance. This performance will embrace your senses and awaken your imagination.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023
7:30pm
University of Minnesota Morris
HFA Recital Hall

Admission Free - donations welcome.

03/03/2023

Visit the Symphonic Winds table in the Student Center today for your ticket to this Sunday's concert and pick up some free candy as well! (available until 3:20pm today).

The ensemble is looking forward to performing this weekend, so show us some love and share our concert online and with your friends!

In case you cannot make it in person the concert will be video webcast live at https://z.umn.edu/Musical-Mavericks-Live-Stream

MUSICAL MAVERICKS
Sunday, March 5, 2023
3-4 pm
HFA Recital Hall
Tickets: Adults $5, Seniors $3, Students / Children $1
Tickets are available at the door

03/02/2023

Symphonic Winds Players warming up before rehearsal, in preparation for their concert this coming Sunday. The performance closes with Adam Gorb's witty "Eine Kleine Yiddish Ragmusik," - with nods to ragtime, Jewish klezmer, and not just a little reference to Mozart! Join us for this exciting performance.

02/21/2023

MUSICALLY MAVERICK

A performance by UMN Morris Symphonic Winds of free-spirited and trendsetting music by composers Gustav Holst - Percy Grainger - Adam Gorb - Samuel Ward - Nathan Daughtrey

Simon Tillier, conductor
Ava Anderson, mezzo-soprano

Sunday, March 5, 2023
University of Minnesota Morris
HFA Recital Hall
Tickets: $5 Adults, $3 Seniors, $1 Students & Children

Refreshments will be served following the performance

04/24/2022

Join Symphonic Winds and Concert Choir this afternoon at 3 pm in Alexandria for our East meets West concert!

This concert will not be live-streamed so this is your last chance to hear Symphonic Winds this semester! Hope to see you in Alexandria!

04/01/2022

Several members of Symphonic Winds are performing in the chamber concert this weekend! Check out selections from our Brass Quintet, Clarinet Quartet, as well as vocal performances from Tonal Eclipse and the University Choir! Join us at 3:00pm this Sunday in the Recital Hall, or watch live with the link below.
https://youtu.be/9aJKrCQEuG4

UMM Chamber Ensemble Tonal Eclipse, the Brass Quintet, and the Clarinet Quartet, join the University Choir to perform a varied program.Program: https://drive...

02/16/2022

UMN Morris Symphonic Winds players are hard at work preparing for our first concert of the semester! We're preparing a program sure to delight and inspire, featuring guest artists on voice, harp, and narration. See the attached program for details!

Image Description: First photo is in the Humanities Fine Arts Building in a rehearsal space. At the front of the room is a conductor. The room is filled with seated wind players including flutes, clarinets, french horns, trumpets and percussion instruments.
Second photo is a poster advertising the concert. In the center it reads "Peace Dancer: A program of wind music to delight and inspire. Music by J.S. Bach, Jodie Blackshaw, Eric Witacre, and Malcolm Arnold" The top of the poster reads "UMN Morris Symphonic Winds. Simon Tillier, Conductor; Ana Miller, Soprano; Athena Kildegaard, Narrator. The bottom of the poster reads: "Sunday, March 6, 2022. 3 pm. UMN Morris HFA Recital Hall. Tickets: Adult - $5, Senior - $3, Students and Children - Free"

04/30/2021

Guess what? That foghorn in the distance is sounding closer and closer...

This week marks the conclusion of Symphonic Winds' YouTube output for the Spring Semester. There are two remarkable performances to share this week, recorded recently with guest faculty and alumni taking part. Both performances will premiere on YouTube today at 7pm.

Make sure to find both links below!

The music is inspiring and entertaining - in fact one is a U.S. premiere performance by composer Martin Ellerby. Listen out for the unique foghorn sounds from a hybrid instrument inspired by contrabass clarinet student Adrienne Kanihan and created by adjunct faculty Mike Odello.

Sinfonia Aqua - Martin Ellerby (U.S. premiere performance)
Six Water Divertimenti In Memoriam for Reciter, Woodwind Ensemble, Foghorn and Bells
UMN Morris Symphonic Winds
Simon Tillier, conductor
Athena Kildegaard, reciter
https://youtu.be/fD8LwlEjmKk

Cavern - Joel Matthys*
Steppin Out, from "Struth!" - Chris Hazell
UMN Morris Symphonic Winds
Simon Tillier, conductor
Ann DuHamel, piano*
Rebecca Heyn, piano*
https://youtu.be/8C_Og8eNao8

Thank you to all the faculty and staff that have contributed to Symphonic Winds this semester and to you for watching and supporting our performances.

Cavern - Joel MatthysSteppin' Out, from Struth! - Chris HazellUMN Morris Symphonic WindsSimon Tillier, conductorAnn DuHamel, pianoRebecca Heyn, piano

04/16/2021

Make sure to stay tuned to our future recordings and keep an eye out for our stand in foghorn!! 📢

04/16/2021

This week's video features the brass and percussion players of Symphonic Winds performing Baroque music by French composer Jean-Joseph Mouret and a 3-movement work by UMM student Robin Whirlwind Soldier.

UMN Morris Brass & Percussion Ensemble
4 Pieces for Brass - Jean-Joseph Mouret
A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That - Robin Whirlwind Soldier (student)
Friday, April 16 at 7pm
https://youtu.be/5XNvGanOmGs

4 Pieces for Brass - Jean-Joseph MouretA Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That - Robin Whirlwind Soldier (student)UMN Brass & Percussion Ensemble

04/10/2021

This week players from Symphonic Winds give the first performance of Threnody (2021 version) by Christopher Marshall.

The composer writes, "The word ‘threnody’ comes from the Greek, meaning ‘song of mourning.’ The music memorializes the loss of so many, and the pain experienced by countless others during the years of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020-21. Threnody uses a 12-tone theme in a triadic-tonal context." It is an expressive, melodic work that carries an emotional impact.

Threnody (2021) - Christopher Marshall
Friday, April 9, 2021 | 7pm
UMN Woodwind & Percussion Ensemble
University of Minnesota Morris Commission - Premiere Performance
https://youtu.be/Y44uemFXn58

Thank you to all those that watch and support our performances!

Threnody (2021 version) - Christopher MarshallUMN Woodwind and Percussion Ensemble

03/19/2021

This week the saxophone ensemble of Symphonic Winds performs the well-known Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, from J. S. Bach's cantata "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben," BWV 147 ("Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life"). The video can be viewed at the link above.

J. S. Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
UMN Morris Saxophone Ensemble
Friday, March 19, 7pm
https://youtu.be/Y6uHlVI06Gg

Thank you again to all those that continue to watch and support our performances.

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - J. S. BachUMN Morris Saxophone Ensemble

03/12/2021

This week a select group of Symphonic Winds wind, brass and percussion players are performing a recent work by composer/conductor Giovanni Santos, based at la Sierra University, California. "Aphelion" is the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid or comet at which it is furthest from the sun. The work is inspired by diverse composers and musicians such as Coltrane, Holst and Piazzola.

Giovanni Santos - Aphelion (2020)
Friday, March 12, 7pm
https://youtu.be/OLdlrjwy4Cw

Thank you to all those that watch and support our performances!

Aphelion (2020) - Giovanni SantosUMN Morris Symphonic WindsSimon Tillier, conductorRebecca Heyn, piano

03/05/2021

As part of our regular musical offerings this semester, this week Symphonic Winds players are performing two well-known pieces arranged for brass ensemble.

George Frideric Handel - "Hallelujah Chorus" from the Messiah
Traditional - Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Friday, March 5, 2021 | 7pm
https://youtu.be/_MCfF1v-YuY

Thank you to all those that watch and support our performances.

George Frideric Handel - "Hallelujah Chorus" from the MessiahTraditional - Just a Closer Walk with TheeUMN Morris Brass EnsembleSimon Tillier, conductor

02/26/2021

As part of our regular musical offerings this semester, this week Symphonic Winds is streaming a delightfully melodic piece by Philip Sparke. Philip Sparke (b. 1951) is a British composer noted for his brass band and concert band music. This overture was commissioned by the Berkshire Young Musicians Trust, an educational organisation based in the south of England.

Overture for Woodwinds - Philip Sparke
Starting Friday, February 26 | 7pm CST
https://youtu.be/tJANVCjkTPQ

We hope that you continue to enjoy these series of musical offerings!

Philip Sparke - Overture for WoodwindsUMN Morris Woodwind EnsembleSimon Tillier, conductor

02/19/2021

As part of our regular musical offerings this semester Symphonic Winds is streaming two short pieces for brass from seventeenth century composers tonight at 7pm. Next week players from the ensemble will perform Overture for Woodwinds by Philip Sparke.

TRUMPET TUNE & AYRE - Henry Purcell
FANFARE RONDEAU - Jean-Joseph Mouret
Starting Friday, February 19 | 7pm CST
https://youtu.be/x5Zzegy_Qoc

We hope that you continue to enjoy these series of musical offerings!

Henry Purcell - Trumpet Tune and AyreJean-Joseph Mauret - Fanfare RondeauUMN Morris Brass EnsembleSimon Tillier, conductor