Thursday, April 5th, 2012 at 7:30 PM
The Ware Center, Millersville University Lancaster, 42 North Prince St,
Lancaster, PA 17603
The Ware Center presents a performance by IMANI WINDS, North America’s premier wind quintet that has established itself as one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the United States, on April 5th at 7:30 PM.
Since 1997, the Grammy nominated quintet has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, genre-blurring collaborations, and inspirational outreach programs. With two member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions.
IMANI WINDS’ extensive touring schedule has brought them to most of this country’s major concert venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Disney Hall and Kimmel Center. The group is frequently engaged by chamber music series in Boston, San Francisco, Portland, Philadelphia and New York, and have also played virtually every major university performing arts series including those in Amherst, Ann Arbor, Austin, Seattle, Stanford, Urbana and countless others. Festivals include Chamber Music Northwest, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society, Virginia Arts Festival, Bravo! Colorado and Ravinia Festival. The current season features several international tours for IMANI WINDS, with debut appearances in France, China, and Brazil.
The wide range of programs offered by IMANI WINDS demonstrates their mission to expand the repertoire and diversify new music sources. From Mendelssohn, Jean Françaix, György Ligeti, and Luciano Berio, to Astor Piazzolla, Elliott Carter, John Harbison and Mohammed Fairouz; and to the unexpected ranks of Paquito D’Rivera and Wayne Shorter, IMANI WINDS actively seek to engage new music and new voices into the modern classical idiom. Imani members Valerie Coleman and Jeff Scott both regularly contribute compositions and arrangements to the ensemble’s expanding repertoire, bringing new sounds and textures to the traditional instrumentation.
Through commissions and performance the quintet regularly collaborates with artists ranging from Yo-Yo Ma to Wayne Shorter. Shorter’s Terra Incognita – his first-ever composition for another ensemble – was premiered by IMANI WINDS. The group went on to perform extensively with Shorter at major European festivals such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, and in North America at venues such as Carnegie and Disney halls. The group’s Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center residency culminated in a recital in New York’s Alice Tully Hall with renowned clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Paquito D’Rivera. The ensemble has also worked with luminaries such as bandoneonist Daniel Binelli, the Brubeck brothers, clarinetist David Shifrin, and pianists Gilbert Kalish and Shai Wosner. Their ambitious project, “Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot!” brought chanteuse René Marie with them to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and St. Louis, receiving wide acclaim and glowing reviews.
Their excellence and influences have been recognized with numerous awards including the 2007 ASCAP Award, 2002 CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, as well as the CMA/WQXR Award for their debut and self-released CD Umoja. At the 2001 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, IMANI WINDS was selected as the first-ever Educational Residency Ensemble, in recognition of their tremendous musical abilities and innovative programming. (Bio credit: www.imaniwinds.com)
IMANI WINDS will be performing at the Ware Center, 42 North Prince Street, Lancaster on April 5th at 7:30 PM.
This event is open to the public. Tickets are $15 per person, students with ID admitted FREE. Tickets may be reserved in advance by calling 717-871-2308 or 717-872-3811. They may also be purchased at the Ware Center, Monday through Friday 9 AM to 4 PM or one hour prior to the performance or on the web at www.muticketsonline.com.
