Gary Mortenson, Reporter

After opening remarks by ITG President – Stephen Chenette, Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – Gregg Kvistad, and Director of the Lamont School of Music – Joseph Docksey, a much anticipated opening concert featuring Summit Brass kicked off the 2004 ITG Conference. The program featured great artistry and variety opening with powerful chords and unison playing in the world premiere of Summit Fanfare conducted by composer Anthony Plog. The fanfare provided the perfect vehicle to capture the audience’s attention.

David Hickman, Tony Plog Bob Tucci

Two works on the program featured thoughtful arrangements of works by well-known composers of the twentieth-century. These included the Spanish influenced Alborada del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel (transcribed by Michael Allen), and the dark power and dissonance of Dimitri Shostakovich’s Four Preludes, Op. 34 (transcribed by Brian Buerkle). Both pieces featured flawless execution and appropriate attention to style and emotion.

Several compositions highlighted the ensemble’s ability to play beautiful phrases at sensitive dynamic levels. These included Ave Maria by Franz Biebl (transcribed by Jonathan Ring) featuring Brian Bowman on euphonium, and O Magnum Mysterium, adapted from the original work for voices by composer Morton Lauridsen…both works were conducted by Arthur Krehbiel.

The two highlights of the program were extended compositions featuring members of the ensemble as soloists.

Gail Williams, horn, Jens Lindeman, David Hickman, Allen Vizzuti, Allan Dean, Milton Stevens, conductor

Concerto for Trumpet, Brass Ensemble, and Percussion, conducted by composer Anthony Plog featured the artistry of David Hickman. A two-part opening movement featured an extended solo from Hickman that eventually gave way to a technically challenging Allegro moderato that was rhythmically active, powerful, and energetic. Throughout the remaining

movements Plog crafted a work that made great demands on the soloist and ensemble alike. The work provided a number of intervallic, rhythmic, technical, and phrasing demands that Hickman negotiated with great taste and fortitude. The collaborative effort between the fine writing of Plog, the solo work of Hickman, and the secure accompaniment of Summit Brass made for a real treat for the large crowd.

Allen Vizzutti has long established himself as a trumpet player of dazzling technical and musical brilliance, but the larger musical world is growing increasingly aware of his skill as a composer. Prism: Chards of Color for Brass and Percussion featured five soloists from Summit Brass as conducted by Milton Stevens. Soloists represented each section of the ensemble and progressed in order of appearance from low to high as follows. Daniel Parantoni (tuba) was first and was assigned the color “Green.” This brief movement was wonderfully wistful and sensitive in mood. Larry Zalkind (trombone) performed with great control on lyrical lines that gave way to some dazzling technique in “Indigo.” Continuing the theme of virtuoso technique, Brian Bowman (euphonium) delighted the audience with his playing in “Yellow.” One of the longer movements, “Blue,” featured Gail Williams (horn) who performed the angular lines with tremendous resonance and musicality. The fifth and final movement “Red” featured the amazing talents of composer/trumpeter Allen Vizzutti whose technical control of the instrument provided the perfect ending to a fine piece. The ensemble received a well-deserved standing ovation and returned to perform the jazz standard It Don’t Mean a Thing as an encore. Many thanks to Summit Brass for a memorable start to the 2004 Conference!

Green – Daniel Perantoni, Tuba
Indigo – Larry Zalkind, Trombone
Yellow – Brian Bowman, Euphonium
Blue – Gail Williams, Horn
Red – Allen Vizzutti, Trumpet