Like the childhood toy that emits illusions of changing patterns and colors, the Wind Symphony Orchestra's "Kaleidoscope Dances" promises an equally dimensional performance for concertgoers tonight.

Director of bands and professor of music William Wakefield will be conducting the performance with guest conductor John D. Pasquale in the Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall.

Wakefield said the program is titled "Kaleidoscopic Dances" because of the transitional movement of the pieces and the marching, waltzing and two-stepping nature of the melodies.

"There are little pattern changes -- the music will start to lift, then move in reverse. It moves like a kaleidoscope," Wakefield said.

Alyssa Kruse, University College freshman, said she enjoys all the pieces for how they emphasize the unique abilities of the instruments. Kruse plays bassoon and performs a solo during the second movement of the piece titled "Four Scottish Dances."

"[My solo] expresses the lyrical and technical abilities of the bassoon," Kruse said.

Kruse's bassoon solo in the song was written to imitate the manner of a drunken person. Wakefield said the song, written by Malcolm Arnold, was made to visualize the atmosphere of a Scottish pub.

The piece will also offer a plucking of strings. Music performance sophomore Katie Wood, who will perform with the harp, said she enjoys this experience because she usually doesn't get the opportunity to perform with woodwind instruments.

"Four Scottish Dances" will be preceded by three pieces: "William Byrd Suite" by Gordon Jacob, the third movement of "Sinfonietta" by Ingolf Dahl and "Pepita Greus" by Pascual Chovi.

Wakefield said what is interesting about "William Byrd Suite" is that the piece was composed in the style of music from the 1500s, but was written in 1923 in celebration of the English composer. The music was written to imitate the virginal (an instrument similar to a harpsichord) with a modern woodwind orchestra.

"It stretches and pulls the textures and dynamics," Wakefield said.

The woodwind instruments mimic the keyboard-like plucked instrument with soft sounds and very few dynamics.

The performance will conclude with "Rhosymedre" by Ralph Williams and "Shepherd's Hey" by Percy Grainger.

Wakefield said the evening may defy the typical idea of an instrumental concert -- without compositions by the likes of Beethoven or Chopin. The chosen compositions, though, are musical arrangements and pieces based on the previous works by historical composers.

"The music is like a doll or a glass menagerie," Wakefield said. "It's hand-shaped with more articulation."

Like the precise carving of a wooden doll, the pieces have dimensions, textures and unique dynamics. Wakefield said the pieces will take the audience to a world of emotions and places.

"Pepita" will help the audience to imagine the indigenous bull fights of Spain; "Rhosymedre" will shower the visions of folk-like dances.

Michael Mann, graduate student and principal instrumentalist in the trumpet section, said the pieces are challenging and the performance could very well leave the audience surprised.
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