Illinois,
USA -
NIU
(Northern
Illinois
University)
Steelband
continues
to
remain
at the
forefront
of steel
ensemble
performances
as they
added a
new
twist to
their
annual
Spring
Concert
for
2011.
This
year
the Miami
University
(Ohio)
Steelband,
under
the
direction
of Dr.
Chris
Tanner
was also
featured.
The two
orchestras
gave a
very
varied
repertoire,
both
singly
and as a
combined
band,
that
covered
both
Caribbean
and
popular
style
music at
the
venue,
the Boutell
Memorial
Concert
Hall in
NIU’s
Music
building.
Northern
Illinois
Steelband
(NIU) at
their
Spring
2011
concert
The
Miami
University
(Ohio)
Steel
Band was
founded
in 1994
with a
complement
of ten
players
and six
instruments.
Under
the
leadership
of
founder
and
director
Chris
Tanner,
the
program
has
grown to
encompass
two
separate
ensembles
with a
combined
enrollment
of over
sixty
members,
and
twenty-five
university-owned
instruments.
The
ensemble
is one
of the
most
active
in the
Cincinnati
area,
performing
over
twenty
times
annually
in
settings
ranging
from
school
outreach
programs
to guest
appearances
with the
Cincinnati
Symphony
Orchestra.
The goal
of the
Miami
University
Steel
Band is
to
present
excellent
performances
of
quality
literature
in the
steel
band
idiom,
with a
special
emphasis
on
original
music by
contemporary
composers.
Miami
University
(Ohio)
Steelband
at
NIU’s
Spring
2011
concert
The
orchestras
opened the
show
performing
together
Len
“Boogsie”
Sharpe’s
Ashley
(composed
by
Sharpe
for his
daughter)
as
arranged
by Liam
Teague,
and
followed
up with
Miami
University
performing
Lord
Kitchener’s
“Flag
Woman”
and a
Jason
Koontz
piece
called
Sophia.
Al
Jarreau’s
We’re In
This
Love
Together as
arranged
by
NIU
Steelband
co-director Clifford
Alexis,
(also
builder
and
tuner
for the
orchestra),
was well
executed.
Cornelius
Johnson,
tenor,
performs
accompanied
by
the
NIU
Steelband
In the
second
half of
the show
the
audience
was able
to
experience
the full
versatility
of the
family
of Steelpan
instruments
as the
NIU
orchestra accompanied
Cornelius
Johnson,
tenor,
for both
E
Lucevan
le
Stelle
from
“Tosca”
and
Nessun
Dorma
from “Turandot”
with Al
O’Connor
as
guest
conductor.
It was
the turn
next of
the
popular
Dr.
Ronnie
Wooten
to take
on the
role of
guest
conductor
as he
guided
the
orchestra
through
Danse
Bacchanale.
NIU
completed
their
second
and
final
set for
the
evening
with an
NIU
standard
-
Colours
Again
(written
by M.
Loquan,
J.
Feveck
and K.
Boodoosingh)
as
arranged
by the
orchestra’s
co-director
Liam
Teague. Mia Gormandy
who
delivered
her very
successful
graduate
steelpan
recital
the
previous
evening,
was on
stage in
the
front
line
line-up
alongside
Teague.
Mia
Gormandy
alongside
Liam
Teague
Dr. Chris Tanner, director of the Miami University (Ohio) Steelband
Chris
Tanner
and the
Miami
University
(Ohio)
Steelband
rejoined
NIU on
stage
for a
joint
funky
rendition
of Earth,
Wind &
Fire’s
Let’s
Groove
Tonight.
Then, in
closing,
Teague
noted
that
steelband
shows
such as
the NIU
pringg
concert
generally
roused
the
audience
at the
end with an
upbeat
and
stimulating
rendition
of
choice.
But
given
the
disturbing
and
ongoing trend of
unrest
around
the
world,
Teague
shared
that a
discussion
between
him and
Clifford
Alexis
led to a
decision
instead to leave
all
involved,
both
players
and
audience,
with the
thoughtful
and
poignant
John
Lennon
classic,
Imagine.
NIU
Steelband
and the
Miami
University
(Ohio)
Steelband
at
NIU’s
Spring
2011
concert
NIU
hosts
two
major
steelband
concerts
annually
and the
dates
are
already
set for
the next
two.
The Fall
2011
concert
is
carded
for
November
20, and
the 2012
Spring
concert
for
April
22.