STERLING — A rare collaboration between two outstanding ensembles anchors the Sterling College Symphonic Band’s spring concert, “Music of the Masters,” at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22 in Culbertson Auditorium. Under the direction of Larry Brownlee, the concert will unite the band with the Wichita Choral Society, conducted by Shawn Chastain, for a program of monumental works by Holst, Bernstein, and Rutter.
At the heart of the concert are works by three of the most influential composers in instrumental and choral music: Gustav Holst, Leonard Bernstein, and John Rutter. Together, the program spans bold orchestral color, sweeping choral writing, and some of the most recognizable music of the 20th century.
The concert opens with two movements from Holst’s iconic suite The Planets. The band begins with “Mars,” a movement instantly recognizable for its driving rhythms and distinctive use of 5/4 time. The program then turns to “Jupiter,” one of Holst’s most beloved movements, featuring a soaring chorale that prominently showcases the horn section.
The second half of the concert brings the Wichita Choral Society to the stage for two large-scale works combining band and choir. First is Rutter’s Gloria, featuring guest organist Alejandro Avila of Barton County Community College. A native of Paraguay, Avila has performed with orchestras throughout the Midwest and brings both virtuosity and stylistic depth to the performance.
The concert concludes with selections from Bernstein’s Suite from Mass, a work originally written for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and later featured during President John F. Kennedy’s memorial ceremonies in Washington, D.C.
While the complete work spans nearly two hours, the ensemble will present an approximately 20-minute suite capturing the power and theatrical intensity of the original.
The Bernstein selections will feature vocal soloists Katelyn Mattson-Levy and Sean Foster. Mattson-Levy, a graduate of Sterling High School, has performed with orchestras and opera companies across the country. Foster serves as Sterling College’s Choral Director and Chair of the Music Department. They will be joined by guest harpist Camden Hyder of Derby.
“This is the most ambitious and challenging concert we’ve produced at Sterling College,” said Brownlee. “Between the technical demands of the repertoire and the additional musical forces involved, it promises to be a truly impressive afternoon of music.”
Despite the scope of the program, Brownlee noted that the band and choir will have only one combined rehearsal prior to the performance. “That makes the collaboration even more exciting,” he said. “We’re looking forward to sharing these extraordinary works with our audience.”
The Sunday afternoon concert is free of charge and open to the public. The performance will also be livestreamed on the Sterling College Music Facebook page.
To learn more about Sterling College Symphonic Band and other arts programs, visitwww.sterling.edu/arts.
