Still looking for a holiday stocking stuffer? A pair of recently released CDs by the Lawrence University Wind Ensemble and Lawrence faculty jazz percussionist Dane Richeson will fit neatly into just about any size stocking.
Performed under the direction of conductor Andrew Mast, the 16-track Wind Ensemble disc features seven pieces performed between 2005 and 2010. It includes six world premieres from Lawrence commissions as well as the first-ever digital recording of Vincent Persichetti’s “Turn Not Thy Face.”
“This disc represents a culmination of several passions of mine – the creation and performance of new music written by amazing friends and colleagues who have all given wonderful gifts of repertoire to the wind ensemble world,” said Mast. “This disc enables me to share and celebrate these treasures. Additionally, the inclusion of Persichetti’s “Turn Not Thy Face,” represents the first digital recording of this work by one of my favorite composers. I truly believe there is something for everybody on these two discs and I am incredibly honored that so many people were involved with them, including students from several years of the Wind Ensemble.”
Richeson’s “Maxim Confit” features many of his friends both inside and out of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. The nine-track jazz disc blends Richeson’s infectious drum work with the musical chops of pianist Bill Carrothers and saxophonist Jose Encarnacion, both colleagues at Lawrence, along with an array of all-star artists outside the campus, including saxophonist David Liebman, guitarist Vic Juris, and fellow percussionists Jamey Haddad (drums), Joe Locke (vibraphone/marimba), and Michael Spiro (bata/congas).
“It was great fun collaborating with so many great friends and colleagues in the music business on this project, some of whom I’ve worked with for years and some of whom I worked with for the first time,” said Richeson. “I’m really proud of this work. It’s raw jazz seasoned with a dash of world percussion from cultures I have been fortunate to live in. The tracks are quite different from each other, which keeps the listener wondering what to expect next.”
Both CDs — as well as several other Lawrence-affiliated recordings — are available at Lawrence Apparel and Gifts in the Warch Campus Center . They can be ordered online as well as purchased in person.
About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.
