Summer of Conducting and Commissions from Brian Wilson!

June 16, 2019
Petaluma Community Band

Faculty member Brian S. Wilson was busy early in the summer guest conducting and with performances of his original compositons. 

Wilson’s original composition Danse Hellenica was performed in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park as part of the Golden Gate Park Band Festival.  Brian was guest conductor for the Petaluma Community Band which performed Wilson’s original composition entitled Danse Hellenica.

The composition was originally commissioned by the Analy High School Honor Band and is a musical homage to Wilson’s many years as Music Director for Classical Theatre Abroad which took place in Greece.  Wilson has conducted the work worldwide including performances in Italy and Russia, and in New York, Pennsylvania and California.

The Echo Chamber Orchestra performed Brian S. Wilson’s Symphony No. 2 – Modes of Transportation on June 16th in San Anselmo, CA at the First Presbyterian Church. Maestro Daniel Canosa conducted.

Professor Wilson said about his work: I composed my second symphony, Modes of Transportation, for the Camerata Chamber Orchestra of Long Island, NY, in 1993. It is not programmatic in the sense that there are specific extra-musical references. Rather, it is impressionistic. It is a celebration of movement through nature, how humankind has learned to move through the world like fish and birds and other of God’s creations. In “Buoyancy” (first movement), therefore, one can imagine water skiing, surfboards, kayaks, etc. “By Foot” (second movement) is about a walk and the marvels one encounters, such as sky, trees and flowers. “The Wheel” (third movement) is not about any specific wheel, but wagon wheels, automobile wheels, skateboard wheels. “By Wing” (final movement) does not refer to any specific wing, but to jet plane wings, or maybe even flying carpets. The listener may relate to these impressions or invent his or her own. The possibilities are limited only by one’s imagination.

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