Winnipeg Wind Ensemble explores city sounds and rural charm in 'Town and Country' concert
The Winnipeg Wind Ensemble is inviting audiences to journey from bustling boulevards to serene backroads at its upcoming concert, Town and Country, taking place Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Cross.
The program brings together the vibrant energy of Leonard Bernstein’s New York with the pastoral beauty of Aaron Copland’s Americana, all interpreted through the dynamic power of a wind ensemble. For Artistic Director Ginny Helmer, the concert’s title and theme came together almost by accident.
“Originally I wasn’t thinking about that at all. I was just thinking I wanted to play Down a Country Lane by Copland because it’s beautiful, and I know the ensemble will do a gorgeous job of it. And then we’ve been wanting to play The Pines of Rome for a long time—and Rome’s a city—so, town and country.”
Big city brass
The concert opens in New York with Three dance episodes from Bernstein’s On the Town, a Broadway classic filled with energy, humour, and lyrical depth.
“Bernstein’s a big fan of juxtaposing rhythms and hemiola, and that can be pretty confusing when you’re first reading it,” said Helmer. “Just trying to keep everything moving and keep the excitement going has been something that’s been really fun to work on.”
From jazzy syncopations to sweeping melodies, the work offers a rich palette. “There’s a great trombone solo in the first movement and then you hear a little bit of New York, New York in the last movement… it’s idiomatically very Bernstein,” Helmer said.
A country lane, a timeless message
Copland’s Down a Country Lane adds a gentle counterpoint. Originally a piano piece, the music draws on themes from a lesser-known documentary called The Cummington Story, about war refugees settling into a small American town.
“It deals with the issue of people who live in a small town and have their own ways of doing things and are not necessarily very welcoming to these strangers,” explained Helmer. “But you know, people are people, and they find commonality. And I think Copland really saw it as a metaphor for making friends of good neighbours—and how timely is that right now?”
The grandeur of Rome—by winds
A highlight of the program is Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a lush, evocative work that Helmer describes as “wicked difficult”—particularly for clarinets, who inherit parts originally written for violins.
“It’s actually not an arrangement, it’s a transcription, so it’s very faithful to the orchestral version,” she explained. “The wind ensemble brings a certain sound that really works for a lot of these movements… there’s a power to that that I think is wonderful.”
Though the original score calls for a recorded nightingale, the ensemble is opting for a more hands-on approach. “We actually are producing the Nightingale effects with some percussion instruments. They’re little whistles and pipes—and it sounds beautiful.”
Young performers take the stage
Adding to the community spirit of the performance are special guests: bassoon soloist Katherine Huang, a student at Fort Richmond Collegiate, and the 80-piece band from John Henderson Middle School, led by director Laura Zinn.
Huang will perform James Barnes’ Concertino for Bassoon, a charming three-movement work that showcases the instrument’s lyrical and playful sides.
“She’s a very keen, very strong player,” said Helmer. “It’s about the right length—about ten minutes—and it’s just a delightful piece of music.”
Having student performers share the stage is an important part of the ensemble’s mission.
“It’s inspiring for them,” Helmer said. “We’re hoping to keep band programs going strong in the city because it’s just so good for kids. And this is just a way of them being able to see—and for their parents to see—what the next step is, what the possibilities are, and what a great genre it is.”
Wrapping up with a Canadian flourish
The concert ends with Vive la Canadienne, a stirring patriotic piece that Helmer chose partly to balance the program’s American-heavy repertoire.
“I really just wanted to balance it out with an iconic Canadian piece,” she said. “I remember hearing this by the Royal 22nd Regiment in Quebec City when I was about five or six years old—it was quite an emotional experience.”
With everything from Broadway glitz to Roman grandeur and heartfelt Canadiana, Town and Country promises an unforgettable musical ride.
“We have a harp joining us, also a student at Fort Richmond,” Helmer added. “We have an organist—Charmaine Bacon—so the rafters will ring. It’s just going to be a thrilling experience for all of us.”
The Winnipeg Wind Ensemble’s concert Town and Country promises a rich sonic journey from the bustling streets of New York to the quiet charm of a country lane. With music by Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Respighi’s Pines of Rome, plus a feature performance by bassoon soloist Katherine Huang and a guest appearance by students from John Henderson Junior High, the program offers a dynamic blend of musical storytelling and community collaboration.
The concert takes place this Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Cross, 560 Arlington Street. Tickets and more information are available at winnipegwindensemble.ca.