Liszt Academy Wind Ensemble Presented by Liszt Academy

Anyone under the impression that a concert wind orchestra simply brings the world of a street brass band into the concert hall couldn’t be further from the truth. This type of ensemble is effectively a full-scale symphonic apparatus, where the strings are replaced by a rich and varied palette of woodwind and brass instruments. Featuring numerous instruments rarely heard elsewhere, the collective is defined by a unique sonic character, at once metallically brilliant and silkily soft.

A wind orchestra also boasts an unparalleled dynamic range, which the transcriptions in this programme exploit to the fullest. Following the crystal-clear architecture of Bach’s Fugue in G minor, the audience will experience the vivid visions of Camillo De Nardis and Franz Liszt’s symphonic poem Hunnenschlacht (Battle of the Huns), the latter’s elemental power and drama finding a thrilling new dimension in this wind adaptation.

After the interval, we are privileged to witness the world premiere of Gyula Bánkövi’s latest work. The evening is brought to a triumphant close with excerpts from Bernstein’s suite from the musical theater work Mass and Shostakovich’s infectious, bittersweetly playful Jazz Suite.