Englewinds - final concert of The Van Vleck House & Garden's Summer Concert Series August 9, 2009

Van Vleck House & Gardens invites families to an open air concert by Englewinds on Sunday, August 9 at 6:00pm.  Englewinds is an eco-music ensemble which performs music by living composers and specializes in music that focuses on the environment.  Englewinds concerts promote awareness of community-based environmental organizations and environmental concerns.  The Van Vleck House & Gardens is pleased to be partnering with Englewinds for this unique family event.  The concert will be held on the beautiful lawn of the Van Vleck House and Gardens.  Come early and stroll through the gardens, spread a blanket, enjoy a picnic dinner as you enjoy the wonderful music. Since 1998, the ensemble has performed concerts to open a nature conservancy, to celebrate a peace labyrinth, to protest noise pollution and overbuilding of New Jersey’s wetlands.  In addition, Englewinds has introduced young audiences to the sounds of the rainforest and NJ meadowlands. The ensemble will perform two exciting world premieres, both by New Jersey composers -- "Three Songs from Robin Hood" by Milton Granger and "Quartet" by Monte Morgenstern.  Other music includes "Vignettes" by Max Lifchitz, "Aires Tropicales" by Paquito D'Rivera, "Tulpe" by Dawn Avery, an arrangement of Scott Joplin and "Long Road Back" by Sarah Davol, the Director of Englewinds. Ms. Davol describes the music.  “The two premieres are fun pieces--very descriptive and melodic.  Milton Granger (who is also Assistant Conductor of Mary Poppins currently on Broadway) arranged Robin Hood for winds from the musical that he wrote.  Some movements are fun, and others romantic, especially the love song between Robin Hood and the Maid Marion.  Monte Morgenstern, also the ensemble's clarinet player, wrote his Quartet for this concert, and it's rhythmic and flamboyant." The program is classical/jazz and has "something for everybody".  Kids will enjoy it, too.Gates open at 5:00PM with the performance beginning at 6:00PM.  The fee for the program is $5 per person (children under 12 are free). In case of rain, the concert will be held on Sunday, August 16.