by Charles W. Pottol, The Daily Hampshire Gazette
Published 1/18/95
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Read notes for Chanties and Ballads (1995) for tuba and orchestra
Read notes for The Light of Three Mornings (1987) for chamber orchestra
... Composer Gwyneth Walker, whose composition, The Light of Three Mornings was performed this past spring by the Pioneer Valley Smphony in Greenfield, will be present to introduce the final movement, titled "Bonny Tuba", from her new work, Chanties and Ballads: Songs of the Sea for Tuba and Orchestra. She describes this movement as "a set of variations on a well-known melody," and adds that "the tuba mute will be a featured visual element in the movement."
Her new concerto will have its world premiere performance by the Millikin-Decatur Symphony in Illinois in February, with Mark Nelson as tuba soloist.
Very little has been composed for the tuba as a solo instrument, the most notable being Ralph Vaughan-Williams's Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra. Walker says that her concerto lies somewhere between the light-hearted music of "Tubby the Tuba", and Vaughan Williams-'s very serious, and very difficult, concerto. Maestro Smith says, "What a special opportunity to have a living, breathing composer on hand to introduce, explain and interact with our family audience."