CSUSB Chamber WindsOn Wednesday, March 16, 2011, at 7:30pm, the performing ensemble Chamber Winds
at California State University-San Bernardino, under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Boeckman, will perform Empirical Rag for wind octet, by Brian Fennelly. This inventive work (oboes, clarinets, horns, bassoons, plus opt. contrabassoon) was originally written for the Empire Brass Quintet, and it's title refers to the ensemble's name and to the nature of the piece, which brings a contrapuntal motivic approach to the ragtime idiom. There are at least ten other versions of this work for various instrument combinations, including full orchestra (recorded on New World Records). The octet version was composed for Steve Richman, who premiered it with the Harmonie Ensemble in New York.
