Category: Performances

New Voices: Jenni Brandon

In “On Holt Avenue”, each of the four movements presents a small vignette from Jenni’s memories of daily life in her apartment in a particular Los Angeles neighborhood.

New Voices: Daniel Baldwin

In Baldwin’s “Landscapes”, the music delves into the life story of the artist, evoking the symbolism of the imagery while translating it into the unique timbres of the quartet.

New Voices: Laura Hood

Laura composed “First Flight” to honor her friend Rebecca Lessard, founder of Wings of Wonder, a raptor rehabilitation center and sanctuary based in Empire, MI.

Conferring with the Sun

This post was written in preparation for our May 2017 concert, Music Speaks In our 2017 spring concert, Manitou Winds explores the meandering, mystical path connecting music and words. Words were created to communicate. Whether spoken or written, we need words to translate, convey,… Continue Reading “Conferring with the Sun”

Winter Songs & Carols: Our 2017 Concert Program

Thank you to everyone who came to hear Manitou Winds’ 2017 Winter Songs & Carols program. Each year, we put together a unique collection of songs in various styles performed on many different instruments to inspire you to embrace the entire season of winter.… Continue Reading “Winter Songs & Carols: Our 2017 Concert Program”

Sojourn of Spring: The Art of Collaboration

Manitou Winds will be joined onstage, this spring, by special guest soloist Thomas Bara, organ, to present two exciting works for organ and winds.

O’Carolan Reimagined

When I began studying lever harp in 2010, one of the volumes of harp music I purchased was a collection of tunes by O’Carolan*. Exploring the tunes while also teaching myself to play the harp, I eventually read more and more about the composer,… Continue Reading “O’Carolan Reimagined”

The Old Ash Tree

One of my fondest memories of moving to our home in Northern Michigan was waking up on that first morning, looking out the window, and seeing the old ash tree at the edge of the front lawn. It was majestic and stately, easily setting… Continue Reading “The Old Ash Tree”

Found Objects

Do inanimate objects have a narrative, a story to tell from their perspective? Can ordinary objects be viewed as works of art? Artists have explored this concept throughout history in one form or another, but composer Jenni Brandon (b. 1977) may be the first… Continue Reading “Found Objects”

Spinning Tales from Seven Bagatelles

This post was written in preparation for our May 2019 concert, Found Objects. What is a bagatelle? Is it a fancy pasta shape traditionally served in a light bĂ©arnaise sauce? A hearty Italian bread served alongside a cheeseboard? Actually, it’s neither of those things,… Continue Reading “Spinning Tales from Seven Bagatelles”