Gunter Theatre Program Highlights Greenville Symphony's Wind Players

Greenville, SC

In any orchestral concert, the string musicians are usually the stars of the show. Physically and musically, they’re front and center, often enjoying the lion’s share of the melodies. But the May 5 program at Greenville Symphony’s Gunter Theatre turns the spotlight on the wind players.

“With the Wind”

“With the Wind” features the orchestra’s woodwind and brass musicians — and some percussion as well — in works by Igor Stravinsky, Richard Strauss, Kurt Weill and others. Occupying the podium is Les Hicken, a specialist in leading wind ensembles, having served 26 years as the director of the Furman University bands and 19 years as the conductor of the Lakeside Concert Band. Hicken was also the longtime conductor of the Carolina Youth Symphony.

The program, to be performed at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on May 5, features a world premiere for clarinet soloist and wind ensemble by the young composer and clarinetist Erik Franklin. Hicken wanted to collaborate with Franklin, a Furman grad, and the latter offered to write an entirely new work for the concerts. The result is Franklin’s “The Old Road,” inspired by an old, decommissioned road near his parent’s house in Elgin, South Carolina.

Featured Works

Among the other works on the program is Stravinsky’s spirited and somber “Symphonies of Wind Instruments.” “It’s one of those monumental works in the canon for wind instruments,” Hicken said. Weill’s “Little Threepenny Music” adds a guitar, banjo, and accordion to the wind ensemble on stage for lively instrumental excerpts from the German-born American composer’s “The Threepenny Opera,” including the well-known tune “Mack the Knife.”

The concert opens with Richard Strauss’ Serenade in E Flat, a lyrical work the German composer wrote when he was just 17 years old. The Greenville Journal’s Paul Hyde will join conductor Les Hicken for an onstage Q&A about the program an hour before the concerts.