EAU CLAIRE — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Symphony Band will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, in Gantner Concert Hall of the Haas Fine Arts Center.
          The band will open with “March with Trumpets” by William Bergsma. “This is the only piece Bergsma ever wrote for concert band, and, unfortunately, it is seldom performed,” said Rodney Hudson, associate professor of music and theatre arts and director of the band. “It has different timbres and rhythmic structure in relationship to the traditional concert march.”
          The first half of the program will include three more works, including “Greensleeves” by Alfred Reed and W. Francis McBeth’s “Kaddish,” which is a Jewish prayer for the dead.
          “‘Kaddish’ has a constant pulsating rhythm going on throughout the work that the audience will hear in the bass drum and timpani parts,” Hudson said. “This represents the heartbeat of the human being.”
          During the second half of the concert, the Symphony Band will perform the Sonata for Marimba by Peter Tanner. Senior David Kile, Eau Claire, will be the guest soloist for this piece.
          “It’s nice to have guest soloists for variety,” said Hudson, explaining that Kile is not a member of the Symphony Band. “It’s also nice to feature different instrumentalists, and the marimba is not an instrument commonly featured with band accompaniment.”
          Before closing the show with “Old Home Days” by Charles Ives, the band will perform “Variations of a Shaker Melody” by Aaron Copland in honor of the anniversary of his 100th birthday.
          “Copland is one of the most notable American composers,” Hudson said. “His music strongly portrays the essence of America.”
          Tickets, available at the University Service Center, (715) 836-3727, are $4.75 for adults; $3.75 for those age 62 and older, children 17 and younger, and faculty or staff with a university ID; or $1.25 for students with a university ID.
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Updated: Nov. 24, 2000