Solano Winds Concert to Explore the Wonders of Awe Inspired by Berkeley Professor's Book

Stories can be told not just through words but also through music. The Solano Winds Community Concert Band is preparing to give their audience an extraordinary experience with their upcoming concert titled 'Tears, Chills, and Whoas: Musical Stories of Awe'. This concert aims to take the audience on a journey through various aspects of awe, a complex emotion comprising reverence, fear, and wonder derived from witnessing something grand or magnificent.

Understanding Awe Through Music

Bill Doherty, the 65-year-old conductor of the Solano Winds, found inspiration in the concept of awe for this concert, particularly after reading 'Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life' by University of California, Berkeley professor Dacher Keltner. The book explains how awe positively influences our lives, an idea that will be reflected through the music performed by the 65 musicians in the band.

Highlights of the Concert

The performance, taking place at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, promises to be a unique experience. Doherty explains that the concert will represent the eight 'wonders of life' identified by Keltner, with music corresponding to each of these wonders. From the representation of 'Life and Death' through Rossano Galante's 'Afterlife' to the 'Religious and Spiritual Awe' in Tim Rumsey's 'The Sacred Pools of Hana', attendees will experience a wide range of emotions.

The renowned 'Theme from 'Schindler’s List’' by John Williams, will be brought to life with a flute solo by Sherill Honeychurch. The concert will also include performances of 'Pictures at an Exhibition' by Modest Mussorgsky, 'Of Sailors and Whales' by W. Francis McBeth, and 'Yosemite Autumn' by Mark Camphouse, each depicting other forms of awe.

To showcase the wonder of 'Epiphanies', the band has collaborated with Stephen Malinowsky to combine music with an animated graphical score, offering a visual take on Holst's 'Venus: The Bringer of Peace'.

The grand finale of the concert will be Tchaikovsky's 'Overture 1812', complete with the auditory spectacle of cannons and church bells, creatively executed with the help of a local handbell ensemble and the popping of numerous air pillows to mimic cannon shots.

Event Details

For those eager to witness this fusion of music and wonder, the concert will be held on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre. Tickets are priced at $15 for students and seniors, and $20 for adults.

music, emotion, wonder