The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

GIA WindWorks represents a new relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications. Thanks to GIA’s generous support and commitment to wind music, it has been possible for the ensemble to continue to produce recordings of the highest quality. While the first 34 releases of the Cincinnati Wind Symphony and the North Texas Wind Symphony remain with the Klavier label, this expanded alliance consolidates all of the current projects under one publishing roof. These diverse offerings now include WindWorks, the Composer’s Collection, the Teaching Music through Performance in Band recordings, and Master Conductors, the DVD series. This growth in the catalog creates exciting possibilities and allows our artistic output to stay focused on the continued mission: to provide first-class recordings that accentuate the comprehensiveness, depth, and value of the medium and its repertoire.

The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

The GIA Composer's Collection seeks to bring together into one place the master works by some of the most respected Wind Symphony composers of all time. Stunningly performed by the North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon, this series also includes extensive liner notes about the composers and their contributions to the Wind Band.

The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

Includes work(s) by various composers.

An excellent companion to the recent Schwantner release from Hyperion is this compendium of the composer’s music for wind symphony: four original works (composed between 1977 and 2004) plus a transcription of his sensational and justly popular Percussion Concerto. Not surprisingly, my general comments about Schwantner’s work in the review of the Hyperion release apply here as well, so I will refrain from repeating myself. The chief difference, however, is that while the orchestral repertoire, which sustains itself through an immortal canon of “masterpieces,” strenuously resists new entrants, the wind-ensemble repertoire, younger and more flexible, welcomes newcomers readily. Hence, most of the pieces featured here have already developed widespread reputations through frequent performances.

The earliest work is . . . and the mountains rising nowhere. By the time this review appears, the piece will be 30 years old. It represented an important turning point in Schwantner’s creative development as he emerged from the academic world of serial composition into his own more poetic and evocative musical language. Its premiere by the Eastman Wind Ensemble at a conference of the College Band Directors National Association in 1977 reportedly made a stunning impact on the many band conductors in attendance, and gave birth to a new approach in composing for winds and percussion, one that left the neo-Classicism of much of the mid-20th-century band repertoire far behind. James Popejoy’s program notes for this GIA release state, “This work in particular has had a profound effect on the wind ensemble movement since its premiere and is generally considered as one of the most important and pivotal compositions for winds and percussion of the last thirty years.” . . . and the mountains rising nowhere is scored for amplified piano, 50 percussion instruments, orchestral winds and brass, and tuned glass crystals. The players are expected to sing and whistle as well. So strikingly original is Schwantner’s treatment of the ensemble that one is not immediately aware of the absence of strings, or that one is listening to a band. The performance here is extraordinary and breathtaking. The amplified piano plays a strong role in the work, as it does in each of the four compositions for wind ensemble. The brilliant Polish-born pianist Adam Wodnicki is credited as soloist in mountains. It is not clear from the notes whether he fills this role in the other pieces as well.

. . . and the mountains rising nowhere is so accessible that its impact is immediate, so it’s no surprise that it spawned so many similar works in its wake. Of course, some of these similar works came from the pen of Schwantner himself. From a Dark Millennium (1980), written for the Mid-America Conference Band Directors Association, is one such, and it almost outdoes its predecessor with regard to fantastic sonic imagery. This work also exists in a reduced scoring for chamber ensemble, with the title Sanctuary.

Schwantner’s next wind ensemble effort was In evening’s stillness . . .. Composed in 1996 on commission from the Illinois College Band Directors Association, it is very much like the two preceding pieces in overall concept, although, to its credit, it remains fresh and effective. In fact, Schwantner envisions that the three pieces could be performed as a single work in three sections.

The most recent piece presented here is Recoil, composed in 2004 for the University of Connecticut Wind Ensemble. It calls for a somewhat larger ensemble than the previous works, and is also a more active, exciting piece, with lots of rhythmic energy. All four of these works are immediate in their impact and vivid in their imagery, calling to mind visions ranging from ancient rituals of mysterious sorcerers to futuristic landscapes of other worlds.

The remaining work is the transcription for band of Schwantner’s 1994 Percussion Concerto, which he had dedicated to the memory of Stephen Albert, the gifted composer who died in a car accident in 1992 at the age of 51. The work was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic on behalf of its principal percussionist Christopher Lamb, who gave the first performance, under the direction of Leonard Slatkin. The Concerto was recorded in 1998 by the celebrated percussionist Evelyn Glennie, with Slatkin leading the National Symphony Orchestra (reviewed in Fanfare 21:6) in a stupendous performance. It has since been performed numerous times throughout the world. In 1997, Andrew Boysen, Jr. transcribed the work for wind symphony, under Schwantner’s supervision, making it available for performance by the many highly proficient college wind ensembles. Like Recoil, just described, and A Sudden Rainbow (on the Hyperion disc), the Percussion Concerto displays the sense of direction and forward momentum often missing from Schwantner’s music, with the result that these three are among his most effective and fully satisfying compositions. The Concerto’s tremendously exciting first movement seems to show the influence of Steve Reich in its use of irregularly accented ostinato patterns. The elegiac second movement is the emotional core of the work—intensely evocative, conjuring an atmosphere of dark mystery, against which a soft, heartbeat-like motif grows gradually to a tremendous climax. The third movement returns to the rapid, rhythmically aggressive manner of the first movement, with a lengthy, partly improvised, cadenza. The transcription for band is highly effective on its own terms, giving no indication of anything “missing,” although I must admit to a preference for the orchestral version, when the two are placed in direct comparison. But the key factor here may not be the transcription, but, rather, the performance: although soloist Christopher Deane, a member of the percussion faculty of the University of North Texas, does an excellent job on the whole, he takes a curiously slow tempo in the finale, making that movement alone four minutes longer than in the Glennie performance, with the result that the finale seems a bit of a letdown. However, that is really the only criticism I have about any of the performances on this two-CD set. Throughout the set, the North Texas Wind Symphony plays brilliantly, and the sound quality of the recording is breathtaking.

As I stated in my review of the Hyperion release, enthusiasts of Schwantner’s music will definitely enjoy this recording, which may be ordered from www.archivmusic.com. However, some prospective purchasers may balk at being asked to pay $24 for a set that lasts only 83 minutes.

FANFARE: Walter Simmons

The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

On this release, The North Texas Wind Symphony, led by Eugene Migliaro Corporon, presents works for wind band that are percussion-heavy. Mark Ford's piece 'Stubernic Fantasy' opens the album, with Ford performing as one of three marimba soloists. It is followed by Daniel McCarthey's Chamber Symphony No. 1, Keiko Abe's Prism Rhapsody II, and Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto, all of which also feature Ford as a soloist. The creation of the WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications. GIA's generous support and ongoing dedication to wind music has made it possible for the ensemble to continue producing recordings of the highest quality that are a testament to the perseverance and work ethic of everyone involved. These exceptional albums identify and preserve the standard repertoire and globally encourage composers to contribute to the ever-growing legacy of great music that has the power of universality. Internationally acknowledged as one of the premier ensembles of it's kind, the North Texas Wind Symphony is selected from the most outstanding musicians attending the College of Music.

Since the inception of the projects, composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards. These exceptional videos and compact discs identify and preserve the standard repertoire and globally encourage composers to contribute to the ever-growing legacy of great music that has the power of universality. The breadth and variety of the releases highlights the fact that the wind symphony, in its many forms throughout hundreds of years of music history, has been and continues to be a significant original medium for serious aesthetic expression. The projects have yielded more than 100 albums that showcase the creative energy of thousands of world-renowned composers and gifted musicians. Winds magazine offers the following regarding the body of work: “This series has immense historic value in documenting the best of the repertoire...as well as providing much sheer listening (and viewing) pleasure for the level of artistry in the performances. The acoustic quality of the recording is state-of-the- art... All of the works are superbly realized and worthy of exploration...these discs represent the standards to which all must aspire.” This release contains the works of Mackey, Dooley, Nagao, Schoenberg, Feld, Corigliano, and Daugherty.

Featuring music from today’s most prominent wind band composers- John Williams, Gernot Wolfgang, Bruce Broughton, John Mackey, and Michael Daugherty, this new album features the internationally acknowledged and respected North Texas Wind Symphony. The creation of the WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications. GIA’s generous support and ongoing dedication to wind music has made it possible for the ensemble to continue producing recordings of the highest quality that are a testament to the perseverance and work ethic of everyone involved. While the first 34 releases in the series, initiated in 1989, remain with the Klavier lable, this broadened alliance with GIA affords the opportunity to consolidate all of the current projects under one publishing roof. Partnering in this way creates exciting possibilities that allow the imaginative output to stay focused on the ongoing mission: to provide first-class recordings that accentuate the comprehensiveness, depth, and value of the wind symphony medium and its music. “This series has immense historic value in documenting the best of the repertoire… as well as providing much sheer listening (and viewing) pleasure for the level of artistry in the performances. The acoustic quality of the recording is state-of-the-art… All of the works are superbly realized and worthy of exploration… these discs represent the standards to which all must aspire.” (Winds magazine)

The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

Includes work(s) by various composers.

Includes work(s) for band by Percy Aldridge Grainger. Ensemble: North Texas University Wind Ensemble. Conductor: Eugene Migliaro Corporon.

This captivating collection of liturgical music in varied styles highlights the scriptural themes of love, discipleship, healing, reconciliation, and praise. The best-selling title track, "To You Who Bow," shows us an alternative path for humanity. "Turn Around," a literal translation of the word "metanoia," announces the choice offered by Christ and echoes the Gospel call to repent and believe. "God Is Love, based on 1 Corinthians 13, expresses the concept that God's love is the connective life and energy that binds us all together. Each song in this collection invites us to follow the way of Jesus shaping a world of peace and justice. Rory Cooney has been the director of liturgy and music ministries at St. Anne Catholic Community in Barrington, Illinois, since 1994. His published compositions span a career of songwriting that began nearly 35 years ago, and continues to the present, as he tries to write to the needs of the church and the communities in which he serves. Early compositions were published by Composers' Forum for Catholic Worship and Resource Publications in the 1970's, and his works are represented in Gather and RitualSong, as well as other publications.

Includes work(s) by Gustav Holst. Ensemble: North Texas University Wind Ensemble. Conductor: Eugene Migliaro Corporon.

Includes work(s) by Vincent Persichetti. Ensembles: North Texas University Wind Ensemble, Cincinnati College-Conservatory Wind Symphony. Conductor: Eugene Migliaro Corporon.

Paul Tate is back with his first solo liturgical music collection in over a decade, and the results are spectacular. This collection features songs of hope and encouragement that you will find useful for funeral celebrations, the sacrament of reconciliation, All Saints'/Souls' Day, graduation celebrations, and more. You'll find Paul's signature piano style and vocal arrangements, plus beautiful obbligato parts played by flute, recorder, saxophone, violin, and cello. Three energetic bonus tracks from Paul's recent independent releases are now available through GIA Publications, Inc., "Child of God," "I Will Call upon the Name of the Lord," and "Christ Reigns" round out this recording. Complete your Paul Tate collection and order this tremendous collection today!

The GIA Composer's Collection seeks to bring together into one place the master works by some of the most respected Wind Symphony composers of all time. Stunningly performed by the North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon, this series also includes extensive liner notes about the composers and their contributions to the Wind Band. Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) is perhaps the first American-born composer to achieve worldwide fame and recognition, but as Ned Rorem pointed out: "His books and lectures have re-shaped the way America listens, and his mastery of keyboard and podium has defined the notion of American performance." This stellar recording of Bernstein’s great works features Eugene Migliaro Corporon directing the North Texas Wind Symphony, giving exceptional life to this wonderful music, including Overture to Candide and JFK Fanfare. This recording is spectacular on every level—a showcase of great music recorded by one of the great wind symphonies of our time.

GIA Wind Works series represents GIA Publications and Eugene Migliaro Corporon's commitment to recording the very best in wind music! These audiophile quality recordings of these diverse offerings provide the very best models for these important works for bands. This collaboration creates exciting possibilities and allows their artistic output to stay focused on the continued mission: to provide first-class recordings that accentuate the comprehensiveness, depth, and value of the medium and it's repertoire.

GIA Wind Works series represents GIA Publications and Eugene Migliaro Corporon's commitment to recording the very best in wind music! These audiophile quality recordings of these diverse offerings provide the very best models for these important works for bands. This collaboration creates exciting possibilities and allows their artistic output to stay focused on the continued mission: to provide first-class recordings that accentuate the comprehensiveness, depth, and value of the medium and it's repertoire.

The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

The creation of the GIA WindWorks label represents an expanded relationship between the North Texas Wind Symphony and GIA Publications, Inc. Composers, conductors, music critics, and connoisseurs worldwide have praised the recordings conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon for their innovation, excellence, and professional standards.

Born from David’s great love and passion for youth ministry and inspired by the mission of Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul where he has been campus minister for the past three years, God Is Everywhere celebrates the life of faith and the intentional connection to peace and justicethat the Christian Brothers and Sisters of Saint Joseph instill in their young students. The mass setting, Mass of Christ, Our Hope, and additional songs, hymns, and ritual songs center around themes of unity, acceptance, love of God, and love of neighbor. In addition to David’s compositions, this recording and printed collection include an original setting of Psalm 27, “I Believe I Shall See,” by Ellen Larson, a member of Cretin-Derham Hall’s graduating class of 2014. While the music in this collection was originally created for this school community, God Is Everywhere is more than a resource for youth—it is a collection for all generations of faith and is intended for all believers, because God is for everyone, everywhere!

Pilgrim Wisdom on the Way by Tony Alonso / Chris de Silva / Liam Lawton 2014 This collection of music was inspired by the journeys of pilgrims throughout history who left their places of safety to seek God's presence more deeply along the way. -Tony Alonso, Chris de Silva, and Liam Lawton Following up on their moving collaboration on Castle of the Soul, Tony Alonso, Chris de Silva, and Liam Lawton have once again joined their unique gifts to create Pilgrim: Wisdom on the Way. This stirring collection of songs is filled with images of faithful pilgrims that will resonate deep within the soul. Inspired by the Camino de Santiago, "Along This Holy Way" is a fervent prayer for God's gentle blessing on the way. "I Will Lift My Eyes" is an impassioned declaration inspired by the psalms and the writings of Thomas Merton that conveys an unwavering certainty that God walks the path beside us. The title track is an expressive song of reassurance in the One who guides our steps in ways of peace. Whether you are a road-weary traveler on this journey or you are contemplating that first step, the contents of Pilgrim will be a sure companion on the journey, offering you encouragement, hope, and strength along the way.