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Wind Ensemble

The University of Wisconsin–La Crosse School of Visual & Performing Arts Music Department will present the UWL Wind Ensemble in “Requiem for a Valentine,” a concert that explores love, loss, memory, and renewal through powerful works for winds, voice, and narration. The performance will take place in Annett Recital Hall, Lowe Center for the Arts, and is free and open to the public.

The program opens with Othello (1976) by Alfred Reed, a five-movement concert work inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy. Featuring Dr. Rebekah Fowler, UWL Associate Professor of English, as narrator, the piece traces the emotional arc of the drama—from the grandeur of Venice to the intimacy and devastation of Desdemona’s death—combining vivid orchestration with spoken text to heighten its dramatic impact.

A centerpiece of the evening is the world premiere of I Can’t Repair Something I Don’t Know the Shape Of (2026) by Brooks Clarke. Structured as a three-movement memorial, the work confronts themes of grief, fragility, and moral reckoning, offering a deeply personal and contemporary meditation on remembrance. Its premiere underscores the Wind Ensemble’s ongoing commitment to championing new music and living composers.

The concert continues with Medusa (2024) by Jocelyn Hagen, featuring soprano Kathryn Moran, UWL Associate Teaching Professor of Musical Theatre and Voice. Hagen’s work reimagines the mythological figure of Medusa, giving voice to a character historically defined by others, and blending lyrical intensity with striking musical drama.

The program concludes with “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide (1956) by Leonard Bernstein. This hopeful and affirming finale serves as a benediction—an appeal for compassion, perseverance, and collective responsibility—bringing the evening’s themes to a resonant close.

“Requiem for a Valentine” offers audiences a concert experience that is both emotionally direct and intellectually engaging, uniting classic repertoire, contemporary voices, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The performance is free and open to the public. Community members are warmly invited to attend.

Program

Othello (1977) Alfred Reed (1921-2005)

I. Prelude (Venice)
II. Aubade (Cyprus)
III. Othello and Desdemona
IV. Entrance of the Court
V. The Death of Desdemona; Epilogue

I Can’t Repair Something I Don’t Know the Shape Of (2026) Brooks Clarke (b.1991)
***World Premiere***

Medusa (2024) Jocelyn Hagen (b.1980)
Kathryn Moran, soprano

Make Our Garden Grow (1956) Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
From Candide Suite, trans. C. Grundman

When

Past occurrences (1)

4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21

Where

Annett Recital Hall, 152 Lowe Center for the Arts

UWL campus map for building location and nearby parking lots.

If you go

Free, no registration needed

Contact

For questions about this event or to request disability accommodations , contact David Bashaw at 608.785.8409 or dbashaw@uwlax.edu.

Parking

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