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Concert: Allen Vizzutti, Trumpet Gary Mortenson, Reporter
soloist Staff Sargeant Amy Nagel (works by Charles Gounod and an encore by Foster). The band ended their portion of the first half with The President’s Trio by Frank Bencriscutto featuring the trumpet section. The enlarged trumpet section for this concert included three members of an Air Force band in San Antonio and one former member. The band played with power and enthusiasm. The first half concluded with Rising Sun composed and performed by Allen Vizzutti. This work was originally written for Vizzutti’s close friend Vincent DiMartino who introduced Vizzutti as a close friend and valued colleague. DiMartino premiered this work in Japan with a high school band from California. The work made many references to Eastern music. The first movement (performed on piccolo) was beautiful in its technical work and tonal clarity. Vizzutti’s legendary
After intermission the audience was treated to a jazz set featuring the big band jazz component of the “Band of Flight.” The set featured musical compositions and arrangements by Duke Ellington, Ken Miller, Commander Sierichs, Staff Sergeant Phil Whittall, and senior Airman Kevin Bleau. The set also featured music arranged and composed by Allen Vizzutti. Throughout the jazz portion of the program one was struck by Vizzutti’s seemingly limitless versatility. Earlier in the day he asserted that all musical endeavors begin and end with one’s concept of tonal center. It is his application of this concept within his own playing that gives his music a signature that is unmistakable. One is heartened to know that along with an exhaustive performance schedule Vizzutti is spending a good deal of time working as an educator. Students love his humor, respect his analytical abilities, and above all appreciate his musical integrity. What a fitting end to a magnificent conference. |
Trumpet Prelude
(click here for review) Lamar Trumpet Ensemble Trumpets of Jubal.......................................... Darrell Holt Coursing Toward Mariachi..................... Maurice B. Rissman
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technique was glimpsed in a short cadenza toward the conclusion of the movement. The second movement followed immediately. Softer, slower and more lyrical in nature, he performed this movement on flugelhorn. The concluding movement (performed on B-flat trumpet) featured driving trumpet lines given forward direction through the use of multiple tonguing techniques. A long cadenza left the audience convinced that this exceptional soloist can quite simply do some things that are not possible. His cadenza unfolds in the form of a conversation. This conversation at times resembled a bee-hive that had been disrupted! The conversation included work in all registers, at all dynamic levels, and in a variety of emotions. In short, he managed to compress an hours worth of musical ideas into a few short minutes. The band, under the leadership of Major Alan C. Sierichs, did a commendable job of accompanying Vizzutti throughout Rising Sun.
