Midwest 2008

Found clips from the 2008 Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago on YouTube last night. Once again, a lovely mix of pretty okay groups with some astounding ones. Astounding mostly referring to the Ensemble Liberte Wind Orchestra, what I have gathered to be a community band consisting of both professional and amateur musicians from the Kawaguchi section of Tokyo, Japan. I believe they also have some middle school students (??) in their ranks. They are remarkable by all means. Imagine if all community ensembles could sound like this! There were a number of other good orchestras and bands from the U.S. as well, most notably the Roxbury HS Wind Symphony from Roxbury, NJ and also the Lockport Township HS Wind Symphony from Lockport, Illinois, and the Westlake HS Symphony Orchestra from Austin, Texas.

A few selections:
Westlake HS Symphony Orchestra playing Dvorak's "Carneval Overture, op. 2"


Only real criticism is that lead trumpet needs to learn about this thing called balance.

Lockport Township HS Wind Symphony performing Sir Malcolm Arnold's "Tam O'Shanter Overture"

Trumpets are a little harsh for my taste, but love the low winds and those trombones.

Roxbury HS Wind Symphony:
Frank Ticheli's "Symphony no. 2: III. Apollo Unleashed"


Bruce Yorko's "Danza no. 2"

It's nice to see a band from the east coast in one of these festivals.

And finally, the Ensemble Liberte Wind Orchestra's entire program:
Toshio Mashima's "La danse du Phenix-impression de Kyoto"



Yo Goto's "Journey of Exploration"


James Barnes' "Second Symphony, op. 44: III. Finale-Allegro energico"


So goooooooooooooooooooooooood.