Gary Brandes, director of bands at UMSL, serves as conductor for the University Symphonic Band.
Fall semester performances by the University Symphonic Band at the University of Missouri–St. Louis will center on the work of Alfred Reed, one of the most prolific composers in the United States during the 20th century. Three of Reed’s compositions will be performed by the band at their concert at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall at UMSL’s Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center.
Reed (1921-2005) composed more than 200 published works over his long career as a composer, arranger, conductor and editor. The New York native worked as a staff composer and arranger for NBC. He later wrote and arranged music for radio, television, record albums and films for ABC.
Led by Gary Brandes, director of bands at UMSL, the University Symphonic Band will perform Reed’s “A Festival Prelude,” “American Dances, Part 1” and “The Hounds of Spring.” They will also perform “Summer Unending” by Jacob Narverud, “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss for Brass Choir” by David Holsinger, “Pastime” by Jack Stamp and “The Chimes of Liberty” by Edwin Franko Goldman.
Three more Reed compositions will be performed at an additional University Symphonic Band concert on Dec. 1.
University Symphonic Band concerts are free and open to the public. They are sponsored by the Department of Music at UMSL. The Touhill is on the North Campus at UMSL, One University Blvd. in St. Louis County (63121).
More information:
http://www.umsl.edu/~umslmusic/bios/brandes.html
http://www.touhill.org/
