People & Places
Saturday, November 15, 2025 – 7:30 PM @ King Center
From sweeping English landscapes to bustling city streets, the Colorado Wind Ensemble’s People & Places concert takes you on a journey across geography, memory, and identity—all through the power of live music.
Join us on Saturday, November 15 at the King Center for a night of vivid musical storytelling. This program celebrates the people who shape our world and the places that shape who we are.
About the Program
Each work on this program paints a portrait—of a city, a nation, a moment, or a community. It’s a concert that asks not just where we are, but who we are.
The Great Academy – Joshua Idio (Inclusive Repertoire Award Honorable Mention)
“The Great Academy is an overture piece composed in memory of my teaching experience in the Hoboken Public School District in Hoboken, NJ. The composition starts with a fanfare and a middle story-like section, with a main theme that imitates the vibrant and diverse environment of an urban school. And then the main theme returns in a more triumphant manner, closing with the powerful fanfare. My time in the Hoboken public schools as an instrumental music teacher taught me valuable lessons about the importance of building relationships and connecting with students and teachers with a willingness to power through struggles. I learned so much about myself as a teacher and the things that I need to work on. It was only fitting that I dedicated this piece to those lessons and to the kids and staff who taught me.” —Josua Idio, composer
A Somerset Rhapsody – Gustav Holst / arr. Grundman
Holst’s pastoral gem evokes the rolling hills and folk melodies of rural England with warmth and nostalgia. A Somerset Rhapsody was composed in 1906 and was dedicated to Cecil Sharp, the renowned collector of English folksong music. It is based on three tunes found among Sharp’s many collections: It’s a Rosebud in June, High Germany, and The Lover’s Farewell. A timeless tribute to place and tradition!
Three Washington Statues – Philip Sparke
A vivid musical tribute to three iconic figures honored in our nation’s capital, this piece captures the spirit and symbolism of Washington, D.C.’s landmarks. The music moves through three distinctive sections:
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- Lincoln Memorial – Majestic and reflective, this section contrasts the monument’s quiet power with the energy of millions who visit it.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial – A reverent and powerful tribute to a visionary leader, inspired by the strength and hope carved into the memorial itself.
- Duke Ellington ‘Encore’ – A lively, modern celebration of D.C.’s jazz legend, filled with rhythmic drive and dynamic energy.
Rich in character and full of American spirit, Three Washington Statues is a compelling journey through history, legacy, and sound.
Bamboo Shoots & City Streets – Benjamin Barker
“This piece is an exploration of the blend between tradition and urbanization, inspired by bamboo shoots I saw growing in the middle of the pavement while on a walk with a friend. I wondered what it would sound like to tell the story of the resilience and adaptability of these bamboo shoots as they continue to grow and adapt in an ever-urbanizing environment.
I explored this concept by blending genres of music that represent both tradition and urbanization. Tradition is represented through the sounds of traditional Japanese music forms (such as gagaku or taiko), while urbanization is represented through the inclusion of elements of pop, rock, metal, and jazz.” —Benjamin Barker, composer
La Chancla – Dennis Llinas
It is a common joke in Hispanic households that a mother with a chancla (Spanish for “slipper”) in her hand could get an entire room of unruly kids in line. La Chancla is a playful and energetic piece that blends bold, mystical harmonies with lively merengue rhythms. The music captures both the cultural spirit and the fun behind this iconic inside joke. A joyful clash of styles with a wink to tradition!
Avelynn’s Lullaby – Joel Puckett
“My daughter, Avelynn, arrived on a spring morning with a pep in her step. Since day one, she has had the energy of three babies (although, to be honest, I’m not sure how that is measured).
Our nighttime routine has become set in stone. I give her a bath, put her in her pajamas, and we read a book or two. And then we come to my favorite portion of the routine: the lullabies. Doing my part, I sing her slow lullabies while rocking her and she does her part, fighting the onset of sleep.
By far her favorite lullaby is the one my mother used to sing to me: “Sail Far Away, Sail Across the Sea, Only don’t forget to Sail, back again to me.”
At least, I thought it was the one my mother used to sing to me. I got curious about the rest of the verses and found that the piece was written in 1898 by Alice Riley and Jesse Gaynor and has only a passing resemblance to the song I remember my mother singing to me. Better yet, it has virtually no resemblance to the lullaby I had been singing to Avelynn!
So Avelynn’s Lullaby is both a journey of daddy trying to coax daughter to sleep and a journey of daughter enjoying the song, fighting sleep and eventually succumbing to slumber.” —Joel Puckett, composer
Acts of Congress – Ryan George
Congress avenue shoots north up from the feet of Austin Texas. It then crosses over Lady Bird Lake splitting downtown in half before coming to a rest in the lap of the Texas State Capital Building. The stretch of avenue south of the lake known as South Congress is lined with shops, taco bars, hotels, tattoo parlors, live-music venues, and restaurants. It is in a sense a main artery of the city and serves as a cultural nerve center for all things Austin.
It is in the occurrences, locations, graffiti, and wall art located along South Congress that this suite finds its inspiration.
Come Take the Journey
People & Places is a concert of connection—a chance to travel far and wide without leaving your seat. Through music, we celebrate the landscapes and communities that define us.
🗓️ Saturday, November 15, 2025
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 King Center, Denver
🎫 Click HERE to purchase tickets