Julliard graduate to appear in Winchester tonight

By The Martinsburg Journal

WINCHESTER -- Hindemith's masterpiece "Symphonic Metamorphosis" comes to life under the baton of wind ensemble director Damon Talley in the finale to the Wind Ensemble season at 8 p.m. today.

Rising star composer John Mackey makes an appearance for performances of his works acclaimed works "Strange Humors," "Hymn to a Blue Hour" and "Concerto for Soprano Sax and Wind Ensemble," featuring faculty soloist Timothy Roberts. Guest conductor Steven Bolstadt, a faculty member at James Madison University, also joins the ensemble.

John Mackey, a graduate of The Julliard School and the Cleveland Institute of Music, has quickly become one of the most highly demanded composers for wind ensemble, modern dance and ballet, receiving numerous commissions from Parsons Dance Company. His compositions have been acclaimed by The New York Times as "electrifying: a terse, powerful explosion of transformative energy." Newsday lauds Mackey's work as having "a high-energy style and a sharp theatrical sense, as well as a funny streak simply sensational." Mackey's work has been performed internationally throughout Italy, Chile, Japan, China, Norway, Spain, Colombia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, England, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Shenandoah Conservatory Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform Symphonic Metamorphosis at 8 p.m. Saturday in Armstrong Concert Hall on the campus of Shenandoah University in Winchester. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for students and active military.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Shenandoah University Box Office at 665-4569 or visit www.conservatoryperforms.org. Group discounts are available for groups of 20 or more.