Emotion, spirituality and humanity come together in the variety of religion-based songs that will be performed by the Phoenix Winds, Elon University’s wind ensemble at their fall concert 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 in McCrary Theatre.
The concert is titled “Give Us This Day” and comes from a song performed in the concert that has become a favorite of many band members. The song, which has been performed by Whitney Houston, captures the essence of freedom and finding ones way when they are lost.
Adam Kehl, lecturer in music and director of bands, is directing the performance. But some pieces have been difficult for the students to master because they only rehearse once a week.
“Dr. Kehl is clearly trying to push us as an ensemble to be better than we currently are, which is a really nice change from previous bands that I’ve played in,” said junior bassoon player Joe Makowitz. “Some of our pieces, such as ‘Give Us This Day’ and ‘Exhilaration’ and ‘Cry,’ were a pretty big struggle when we first got them, but everyone picked up their parts really well and the finished product is going to be remarkable.”
Apart from the musically talented couple, the group will also be premiering a song that has only been played once before, written by Kevin Walczyk. Walczyk was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2011 for music compositions. The song, titled “Winter Recercar,” is a favorite for the students who are excited to be among the first in the world to perform it.
Kehl believes that the concert will be a spiritual experience for the audience, rather than a religious one, even though the title song is based on the Lord’s Prayer. There is Buddhist inspired music and others coming straight from English Christmas carols.
“I am extremely excited about the way the theme of the concert ties together all of the pieces,” said senior clarinet player Lindsay Luhn. “It is centered around a number of pieces that tie together many of the emotions, spirituality and humanity that people share and face in their daily lives.”
Professors and professionals will be joining the students on stage as well. Lynn Beck, instructor of music and French hornist, and her husband, John Beck, professor of percussion studies at the North Carolina School of the Arts, will assist the group for a special composition.
“It is an incredible piece,” John Beck said about their award-winning song. “Lynn has some things on horn that are some effects and playing techniques that are incredibly high level and don’t really exist in pieces outside of this.”
The Phoenix Winds is a musical group that brings the Elon and local community together.
“The student community within the group is very tight, and we also enjoy a strong relationship with Elon and Burlington community members that play with us,” said junior Jessica Mohr, who plays both the alto and tenor saxophone. “If we weren’t able to foster such a strong relationship with each other and with the community, then Phoenix Winds wouldn’t be what it is. The music would still happen, but the character would be completely different.”
Everyone — not just music majors — is eligible to join this community, given they have the talent.
Kehl said in the previous years he has worked with the ensemble, the majority of the group — sometimes over 60 percent — are students who are not music majors, but still want to enjoy a musical experience while studying at Elon.