Press Releases

FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT THE NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM

(NEW BEDFORD, MA) – A free summer music series of four concerts will be offered at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in partnership with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. With themes geared toward casual summer enjoyment for the entire family, the series consists of two evening programs and two afternoon programs. Ensembles of past and present members of the orchestra include: Triton Brass on Thursday, July 22 at 7:30 pm; NBSO Woodwind Quintet on Friday, July 30 at 3 pm; NBSO String Quartet on Thursday, August 19 at 7:30 pm; and NBSO wind and brass players on Friday, August 27, at 3 pm. Sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the concerts will showcase a wide range of popular and classical music.

Thursday, July 22, 7:30 pm: "Music for a Summer Eve"
Triton Brass, one of America's most exciting brass chamber ensembles, will perform all-American favorites, from toe-tapping Dixieland and Swing-era tunes to summertime classics by Leroy Anderson, John Philip Sousa and Leonard Bernstein.

Triton Brass has made its mark as an ensemble dedicated to the performance of new music at the highest level, as well as providing concerts accessible to communities and families. The group is winner of the Spedidam Award at the International Chamber Music Festival of Lyon, France, Silver medalists at the Fischoff Chamber Music Association, and Semi-Finalists of the Concert Artists Guild. Triton maintains residencies at Boston College and the Boston Conservatory and as brass faculty for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Triton has close connections with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra as its members are all current or past members of the NBSO.

Friday afternoon, July 30, 3:00 pm: "Down to the Sea In Ships"
The NBSO Woodwind Quintet will offer a musical celebration of all things nautical, presented in honor of Herman Melville's birthday. The program will include Malcolm Arnold's Three Shanties, George Chadwick's Three Sea Sketches, hornpipes (sailor's dances) from Water Music by George Frederic Handel, as well as music of Scott Joplin, a hot tango by Astor Piazzolla, and a medley of George M. Cohan's greatest hits.

In addition to their roles as Principal players in the NBSO, the members of the NBSO Woodwind Quintet also perform regularly with other important musical groups in the region and maintain active teaching careers.

Following this concert, a free lecture on Herman Melville will be offered by the Melville Society in the Museum Theater at 5:00 pm.

Thursday evening, August 19, 7:30 pm: "An Elegant Evening of American Music"
The NBSO String Quartet presents a unique and varied program of American music featuring influential works by important Americans which, when taken together, demonstrate the breadth and depth of the "American voice" in music in the 20th Century. Works include Samuel Barber's String Quartet No. 1, whose second movement has become immortalized as the Adagio for Strings, William Grant Still's (the dean of African-American composers) Danzas de Panamá, plus a Fantasy on great songs by Duke Ellington, and George Gershwin's magical Lullaby.

Friday afternoon, August 27, 3:00 pm: "Winds of Change: Four Centuries of Music for the Wind Band" In the 18th century the "Wind Band," consisting of pairs of wind instruments plus horns, was one of the most popular ensembles for entertainment at the soirees of the rich and famous. As a result, some of the most important composers in history have written masterpieces for such an ensemble.

The NBSO's outstanding wind and brass players will explore the glories of this rich repertoire with pieces from the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries. The Program will feature Mozart's delightful Serenade No. 11 for Winds in E-flat major K. 375, (which was written in honor of Saint Teresa of Ávila), Beethoven's important Wind Octet in Eb Major, op.103, and English composer Gordon Jacob's lyrical and entertaining Divertimento for Wind Octet - plus a few surprises!

SUMMER CONCERT PROGRAMS AT-A-GLANCE


Triton Brass: "Music for a Summer Eve" Concert American favorites from Dixieland & Swing; music of Leroy Anderson, John Philip Sousa and Leonard Bernstein.

Friday, July 30, 3:00 pm
NBSO Woodwind Quintet: "Down to the Sea In Ships" Concert
Arnold: Three Shanties
Chadwick: Three Sea Sketches
Handel: Water Music, excepts (sailors dances)
Joplin: Cascades Rag
Piazzolla: Tango
Cohan: Greatest Hits Medley

Thursday, August 19, 7:30 pm
NBSO String Quartet: "An Elegant Evening of American Music" Concert
Barber: String Quartet No. 1 (Adagio for Strings)
Still: Danzas de Panamá
Ellington: Fantasy
Gershwin: Lullaby

Friday afternoon, August 27, 3:00 pm
NBSO Wind & Brass Players: "Winds of Change: Four Centuries of Music for the Wind Band"
Mozart: Serenade No. 11 for Winds in E-flat major K. 375
Beethoven: Wind Octet in Eb Major, op.103,
Jacob: Divertimento for Wind Octet
Plus, musical surprises!

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world's most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales and whaling. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city's historic downtown and is open daily. For a complete calendar of events, visit the Whaling Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org. Join the Museum's online community at flickr.com, facebook.com, Twitter, and blog at www.whalingmuseumblog.org.