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8/19/2008 10:21:30 PM - Following the successful Broadway musician’s strike of 2003, Local 802 initiated a campaign to celebrate demonstratively. Musical groups were to be seen in the middle of Times Square, on a concrete island called Duffy Square, playing for free, enjoying themselves for no reason.
Mike Christianson was approached by 802 commitee member Mike Ishii to lead a brass ensemble for this series.
MC aked “What size group?”
MI said, “We were thinking of maybe 8.”
MC replied, “I was thinking of 16 or 20.”
“Oh, that would be great!” replied MI.
“So bigger would be better?” queried MC.
“Yes!” replied MI.
………“Then how about a 45 piece wind ensemble?”
Thus, was the Gotham Wind Symphony born. Their first program, performed at the height of rush hour in the busiest part of NYC was;
Brookmeyer: Celebration Jig
Holst: 1st Suite in Eb
Handel: Overture to the Royal Fireworks Music
Sauter-Finegan: Doodletown Fifers
Bach/Holst: Fugue a la Gigue
Grainger: Irish Tune from County Derry
T. Jones: The Great One
Sousa: Black Horse Troop
Some of this music brought back fond memories of high school or college band for the players. And so, despite the 50-degree temperature, swirling winds, and general commotion, the musicians seemed to enjoy themselves, and issued their highest praise: “When’s the next gig?”.
Three months later, two of the married musicians from that debut gave birth to a daughter, Julia. She was born with a rare, dangerous condition; hemimegalencephaly. The GWS musicians readily agreed to record a benefit CD on Julia’s behalf. The resulting Music For Children is available on this site (you can hear the tracks on the GWS radio feature). The hardest part was keeping it a surprise to the parents, members of a very tight-knit musician’s community. The surprise occurred, and thus far the CD has raised $10,00 for Julia, who is doing remarkably well!
Following performances at New Jersey City University and LaGuardia High School, the GWS agreed to make their first meager earnings in recording their second CD, American Gotham. This project features all premier recordings of original works (2 commissioned for this recording) for large wind band written by composers who were/are profoundly influenced by their time in NYC. The composers/pieces are:
Thad Jones: Northwest Suite
Mike Holober: Road Trip
James Chirillo: Prelude to a Minor Insensitivity
Scott Robinson: Eventuations (with the LaGuardia HS Jazz band under the direction of Kevin Blancq)
The GWS has more commissions in the pipeline, plus many more “good old good ones” to re-introduce. Stay tuned. | | |
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 | Mike Christianson- Conductor GWS
mikechristianson@artistshare.com | | |
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