This Sunday, September 14, The University of Minnesota Wind Quintet will perform September Skies, a concert of works by Minneapolis composer Lisa Ragsdale. Lisa has composed works for mixed chorus as well as a variety of solo and chamber ensemble works for winds and brass, with a special emphasis on woodwinds. Sunday’s concert includes four premiere performances and the reprise of “In a Dark Time,” her second wind quintet. Lisa shares the inspiration behind these new works below.
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Woodwind Quintet No. 2 "In a Dark Time" (2006)
The second wind quintet, In a Dark Time, was the second attempt at composing a second wind quintet. The first attempt was so bad I shed no tears when I destroyed it. This work was composed in 2006, as in November 2005 I was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Sonata for Bassoon & Piano (2010)
The Sonata for Bassoon & Piano was the third in a series of two-movement works for all five instruments of the wind quintet. The last two to compose are works for oboe and piano and French horn and piano.
Two Songs for Solo Oboe (2013): Inquiringly and Sailing
Two Songs for Solo Oboe are the last two of a set of Four Songs which started out as a set for an oboist in another city who backed out of the project after I had composed the first work. I have met many oboists locally and figured somebody would like new music.
Woodwind Quintet No. 3 "Winter Music" (2006)
Winter Music was composed during the 2010-11 winter when we received over 80 inches of snow. Some days I would just sit and watch it snow, other days I wrote a lot of music! The work was also composed to compliment Samuel Barber'sSummer Music and Jennifer Higdon's Autumn Music, both wind quintets.
Two Works for Solo Clarinet (2014): Heat and Water
Heat and Water were composed in just over two months from mid-January 2014 to mid-March 2014. These are intentional musical rants regarding climate change as I am a environmental enthusiast / fanatic.
University of Minnesota Wind Quintet
September Skies: Music of Lisa Ragsdale
Sept. 14, 2014
2 p.m.
Studio Z, 275 East Fourth Street, Suite 200
St. Paul
$10
Tickets and information
The University of Minnesota Wind Quintet presents music by Lisa Ragsdale, featuring world premiere performances ofWinter Music (Woodwind Quintet No. 3), Sonata for bassoon & piano, Heat and Water for solo clarinet, and Inquiringly andSailing for solo oboe. The program also includes Ragsdale’s Woodwind Quintet No. 2 "In a Dark Time."
All works will be performed by the University of Minnesota School of Music Woodwind Quintet (Haley Camer, flute; Camille Galles, oboe; Esther Baumgartner, clarinet; Aaron Goler, bassoon; Sandor Miko, horn) with John Jensen, piano.
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