Calendar

Category All Art Classes Classical Music Concerts DANCE Etc Exhibits Families Farmers Markets Film Happenings Holiday Holiday Lectures Music (non-classical) Theater

Submit events

Tacoma Concert Band welcomes trumpet master Allen Vizzutti

By Matt Nagle

Tacoma Weekly
mattnagle@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: November 13, 2008

Tacoma Concert Band (TCB) has a first-rate performance lined up for its Nov. 21 concert at Pantages Theater. They’ve invited a special guest to join them, renowned trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizzutti. There’s a lot of music packed into this one-night-only event appropriately titled “And the Trumpet Shall Sound.” It includes 10 different pieces ranging from marches and beautiful folk songs, to contemporary band selections and pieces for soloist.

Vizzutti, who lives on Mercer Island and is an artist in residence at University of Washington, has a long list of accomplishments to his name, including playing with “Doc” Severinsen and the NBC Tonight Show Band, Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione and Woody Herman, to name a few. He has performed in every state and in 40 countries as both a classical and jazz artist.

While living in Los Angeles during the 1980s, Vizzutti performed on more than 100 motion picture soundtracks such as “Back to The Future” and “Star Trek” as well as countless television shows. His current activities encompass an impressive schedule of recitals, concerts, recordings and composing, and even providing the soundtrack for the “Medal of Honor” and “Halo II” video games.

“He’s truly what we call world class,” remarked TCB founder and music director Robert Musser. “We’re thrilled to have him.”

Vizzutti will give a free trumpet clinic open to all ages and musical abilities Nov. 19 in the rehearsal hall at Pantages Theater, 5 p.m. Those planning to attend can sign up at www.tacomaconcertband.org. “His presentation really applies to anyone who plays an instrument or makes music,” Musser said.  

The full evening of music for “And The Trumpet Shall Sound” kicks off with “March With Trumpets” by William Bergsma, a well-known composer of the mid-1900s who for a period of time was on the faculty at University of Washington. “This is perhaps the only piece he wrote for band, and it’s a really fine piece,” Musser said.

Following this will be a slow and beautiful Welsh hymn, “Rhosymedre” by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Then things spice up with a relatively new piece for band titled “Vientos y Tangos” (“Winds and Tangos”), a musical journey through a lot of different tango rhythms by contemporary American composer Michael Gandolfi. “This is a really exciting, demanding piece for an ensemble,” Musser commented.

Vizzutti then joins the band for a piece he composed, “Three Winter Scenes.” The band plays a circus-type march, “The Southerner,” next then Vizzutti will play a theme and variation on a familiar old Italian song called “Anapoly.”

Music by another contemporary American composer, Eric Whitacre, will follow, “Ghost Train” written from an old Southwest folk tale about a ghost train that comes to life at night and roars through forgotten canyons and towns. Musser said the music is descriptive and exciting. “This one has always been a big hit,” he said.

Vizzutti will take the stage again for two solo performances, “Ode for Trumpet” by Alfred Reed and “Carnival at Venice,” a traditional folk song arranged for trumpet.

The concert will end with a “Tribute to Irving Berlin” medley.

Tickets for “And The Trumpet Shall Sound” are $15-$30, available by calling (253) 591-5894, (800) 291-7593 or at www.broadwaycenter.org. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Story Tools

This Week's
Front Page