Music of the 70s

The East Texas Chamber Winds (ETCW) performed their eighth winter concert on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at The Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches, TX. The performance was led by ETCW Founder and Artistic Director, Roy McLerran. Musical selections for the concert included three works by nearly-forgotten composers, Francaix, Bologne, and Raff. The theme for the concert was “Music of the 70s” since each work was composed in that decade, across three different centuries (from the 18th-20th). The period has consistently been characterized by socio-political revolutions, followed by large shifts in fashion and classical music. The first piece, Overture to L’Amant Anonyme by Joseph Bologne (1745-1799) was a sample of early French opera which was contrasted with the modern and angular-sounding second work, 9 Pièces Caractéristiques by French composer, Jean Francaix (1912-1997). After a brief intermission, the concert concluded with a work from the Romantic era, Sinfonietta, Op.188 by German-Swiss composer, Joachim Raff (1822-1882).

The concert showcased the talents of thirteen instrumental musicians, each associated with SFASU, and was attended by approximately seventy community members. The music for the evening was paired with a selection of complimentary refreshments and a cash bar provided by The Fredonia Hotel. Decorations for the event were designed by Jacqueline Doss of the JD Ranch Boutique and provided by ETCW President, Tracy Doss.

The ETCW would like to thank our individual and corporate supporters for this concert cycle:

Charles and Sharon Bradberry

Tracy Doss

Patti and Rod McLerran

Jennifer Myrick

Betty Oglesbee

John and Sharon Oglesbee

Sharon and Charles Pollard

Rick and Sandi Russell

Mary Ann Sprinkle

Jan and Terri Wubbena

Commercial Bank of Texas

Additional thanks to the SFASU School of Music and The Fredonia Hotel for the use of their facilities, to San Augustine ISD for the music stands and concert programs, and to Brad Meyer for the recording services. The video of the performance will be available shortly on the ETCW Facebook page and the “Archive” page of the website. The ETCW will return to The Fredonia Hotel on Saturday, June 15th for their 9th summer concert.

Read an article about the event by Andrew Hodge of The Daily Sentinel here.