Family Weekend President's Concert Saturday- FREE
What: Family Weekend President's Concert, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton
When: Saturday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.
Who: The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir with special guests Wycliffe Gordon, Josh Rosenblum, and Joseph Boga
Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street
Admission: Free
wycliffegordon.com
rosenblummusic.com
josephboga.com
Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., with a special gift to mark his return to the campus community. On Friday, Sept. 21, The University's Concert Band and Concert Choir will perform the world premiere of composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum's "Don't Waste Love" at Father Pilarz's inauguration as The University's 27th president. The piece was specially commissioned for the event.
Then, on Saturday, Sept. 22, the band and choir will perform the piece again with Rosenblum conducting, and will also perform pieces featuring internationally acclaimed trombonist and composer Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon (H. '06) and trumpeter Joseph Boga at the Family Weekend President's Concert. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free, with seating on a f
"Our sense of community here on the University campus is one of the things that I think really makes us unique, and Wycliffe, Josh, and of course Joseph are certainly a long-standing part of that community," Boga said during a recent interview with The Times-Tribune.
Boga came up with the idea for the text for the piece for Father Pilarz's inauguration.
"We took one or two phrases from some of Father Pilarz's many inspirational speeches from the first time he was president, and then combine d them with some quotes from other Jesuit writings and poems," Boga said.
Father Pilarz's phrases proved a great source of inspiration to Rosenblum as he composed the music. In particular, the phrase "Don't waste love" provided the melodic framework for the piece, he told The Times-Tribune.
The 70-plus-member Concert Band and 50-plus-member Concert Choir consist mostly of students, with some faculty and staff members. Because there is no music major at the University, all members have been brought together by their mutual love of making music.
For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more on Gordon, visit wycliffegordon.com. For more on Rosenblum, visit rosenblummusic.com.
