Adam Kehl, director of Elon University’s wind ensemble Phoenix Winds, has long had a dream of collaborating with the dance program. Not many musicians get the opportunity to accompany dancers, and not many dancers get the needed experience of performing with live musicians.
In the fall, Kehl met with Jen Guy Metcalf, assistant professor of dance, and they decided to collaborate on some pieces for the spring wind ensemble concert.
In the performance, titled “A Little Song and Dance,” dancers will accompany Phoenix Winds for two pieces: “Swan Lake” and “Variations of a Shaker Melody.”
Beginning in February, Kehl practiced with only the ensemble to work out exact tempos, transitions and other musical elements before incorporating dance.
“‘Swan Lake’ is very classical, while ‘Variations of a Shaker Melody’ utilizes much more modern dance,” said freshman Minnie Lane, who will dance in the performance.
Lane has found herself more immersed in the art of dancing than usual.
“Having live musicians helps with the movement a lot because we have more liberty with timing,” Lane said. “It’s really been great getting to collaborate with Phoenix Winds because having live musicians makes connecting to the music so much easier and more fun.”
Both dance and music students have been practicing together to smoothly blend both media.
“[This performance] also gives the musicians and the dancers an opportunity to perform some of the best and most iconic music and choreography ever written,” Kehl said. “I think it has been a really exciting, unique artistic experience for both groups.”
By incorporating two aspects of artistic expression, “A Little Song and Dance” attracts a crowd that appreciates both.
“I think one of the greatest side effects of this collaboration is that it will expose our audiences to a new artistic experience,” Kehl said. “It will give people in the audience who are coming to primarily see the dance performance a chance to hear a wind ensemble concert, and it will give our normal wind ensemble audience an opportunity to see live ballet and modern dance.”
In addition to the dance showcase, Phoenix Winds will also perform the expanded collection of Pulitzer Prize winner William Bolcom’s Cabaret Songs for mezzo-soprano and chamber winds, which will feature Hallie Hogan, associate professor of music.
“They are a set of five fun cabaret, jazz, burlesque-inspired songs from one of the most significant American composers alive today,” Kehl said. “It should be a wonderfully entertaining program that has something for everybody.”
To appeal to all preferences, Phoenix Winds performs a wide variety of music ranging from the classic and traditional to the modern.
Kehl believes concert wind ensembles are some of the most cutting-edge ensembles in the world of classical music today.
“Creative and diverse programming is a hallmark of the modern wind ensemble and something we strive to provide our students here at Elon with,” he said.
Phoenix Winds meets to practice one a week for two hours throughout the semester. With the small time commitment, the ensemble hopes students will be able to participate in other musical ensembles or artistic activities and experiences. There is no audition to join Phoenix Winds, but there is a part placement audition at the first rehearsal.
They are currently accepting new members for the fall semester.
“We believe that the more art we can share with the world, the better the world will be, and this was a great opportunity to pursue that goal,” Kehl said.
“A Little Song and Dance” will take place at 7:30 p.m. May 12 in McCrary Theatre.