Sousa meets Zappa in band concert

Dr. Robert Gifford believes in upholding traditions. Three John Philip Sousa marches will be played in Thursday's Olde-Tyme Band concert by the Southeast Symphonic Wind Ensemble. But at the last concert Gifford conducted he also employed percussion instruments that came from junkyards.

In addition to marches and the Gershwin classic "Rhapsody in Blue," Thursday night's audience will hear "Dog Breath Variations," a composition by the late rock iconoclast Frank Zappa. The 38-member wind ensemble will expand its instrumentation to include electronic keyboards, electric bass, electric guitar, a drum machine, cowbells and wood blocks.

"There are all kinds of interesting colors," Gifford said.

Zappa wrote music for wind groups and recorded a number of albums with Pierre Boulez and the London Symphony Orchestra. After hearing a recording of "Dog Breath Variations" recorded by an ensemble at the University of North Texas, Gifford sought and received permission from Zappa's widow to perform the work here.

The odd title is in character for Zappa, who died of cancer in 1993 at age 52. His children are named Dweezil, Moon Unit, Ahmet Rodan and Diva.

"If he names his kids that, it's no wonder what he does when it comes to tunes," Gifford said.

'Definitely American'

Traditionalists will have much to choose from Thursday. The Sousa marches include "Fairest of the Fair," "Manhattan Beach" and "The Freelance March." "I still like to program marches," Gifford said. "I think it's important historically and important for the students to learn the style.

"It's also very definitely American and gives the audience something to go home whistling."

In addition the ensemble will perform a Spanish march called "Amparito Roca."

Also on the program is "The Pre-Goodman Rag," a ragtime work composer Malcolm Arnold dedicated to Benny Goodman. It was written in early 1970s and premiered by Goodman.

"Ragtime was the early form of jazz," says soloist Dr. Michael Dean, an assistant professor of clarinet and saxophone at Southeast. "This was the music that came before Benny Goodman."

Dean recently gave a recital at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall.

Pianist Tyson Wunderlich, a senior from Altenburg, Mo., will perform "Rhapsody in Blue" backed by the ensemble. The original version for jazz band orchestrated for Gershwin by Paul Whiteman will be played. It includes a banjo part and a celeste part to be replicated on a synthesizer.

Wunderlich won the Southeast Concerto and Aria Competition in 2000 and 2002. A conducting student of Gifford's, he has been accepted into the wind conducting degree program at the New England Conservatory of Music.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Want to go?

Who: Southeast Symphonic Wind Ensemble

What: Olde-Tyme Band Concert

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday

Where: Academic Auditorium

Admission: $6 general, $5 for faculty, staff and senior citizens, $4 for students.

Parking will be available in lots 18 and TCD across from the University Center. Handicapped parking is available with street-level elevator access. For more information, phone the Department of Music at 651-2141.