Bats in autumn
The Isle of Man Wind Orchestra (IoMWO) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in style on the 3rd of July with a gala concert at St Ninian's Church in Douglas. The concert will feature the world premiere of a new composition which is inspired by the Isle of Man.
The IoMWO, with kind assistance from the Malcolm Scott Dickinson Charitable Trust, commissioned world-renowned composer Martin Ellerby to compose a piece to commemorate the anniversary. Dr Ellerby visited the island several times and found inspiration in its breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage. The result is "Five Manx Romances", an exhilarating musical journey through the history, landscapes and landmarks of Manannan's Isle.
Musical Director and co-founder, Paul Dunderdale, says that the wind orchestra's membership is delighted with the new piece and rehearsing it with vigour and no small amount of trepidation ahead of the gala concert: "It's a great honour to have such a special piece of music dedicated to us, an honour we take very seriously indeed. We are delighted to have this opportunity and are very excited at the prospect of sharing this moment with our audience!".
The wind orchestra is excited to partner with UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man during the build-up to the gala concert and the premiere of Five Manx Romances. The Island's Biosphere status recognises its rich and diverse natural and cultural resources, so is almost poetically aligned with the themes in Five Manx Romances and the objectives of the Isle of Man Wind Orchestra.
The gala concert will take place at St Ninian's Church on the 3rd of July at 7:30 pm. Tickets are £5 for adults and free for school children and pensioners. Please call Michael Morrison (mobile 437751) or Amoré du Plessis (mobile 341731), email
winds@manx.net or contact us via Facebook (www.facebook.com/iomwo) for more information.
The IoMWO thanks the Isle of Man Arts Council for its gracious support in staging the gala concert.
Posted up on 26th May 2018
