The Weidner Philharmonic and the Weidner Center’s dedication to being a university facility were referenced in Warren Gerds’ reflection of performing arts in the Green Bay Area for 2019. More via Warren Gerds/Critic at Large: Thoughts on this and that from 2019 in area performing arts | wearegreenbay.
Weidner Philharmonic: Casablanca, Feb. 22
The Weidner Philharmonic is back and ready to impress audiences. On Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, Casablanca will be performed at the Weidner Center for Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Visit the event page for tickets and information.
Casablanca features an Oscar-nominated Score by Max Steiner. The Weidner Philharmonic will play the lush score as Hollywood legends Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid play out the battle of love and virtue.
The Weidner Philharmonic showcases the talents of UW-Green Bay music faculty, the accomplished orchestral musicians who live and work in our region, and the outstanding acoustics of Cofrin Family Hall. The Weidner Philharmonic is committed to professional presentations of engaging and creative musical programming.
Weidner Philharmonic invites former Peninsula Music Festival Director to conduct performance | Door County Pulse
“Victor Yampolsky was pleased by the ‘out of the blue’ invitation that put him on the podium conducting the inaugural performance of the newly formed Weidner Philharmonic at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sept. 28 at 7:30 pm.” More via Former PMF Music Director Wields Baton for New Green Bay Orchestra | Door County Pulse.
Weidner Philharmonic is impressive (as expected) in debut
What a debut for UW-Green Bay’s Weidner Center Philharmonic Orchestra. Videograpaher Dan Moore captured the moments leading up to the first notes of the evening…
Critic at large Warren Gerds said it this way, “Performing its first concert was the Weidner Philharmonic. Under UW-Green Bay Music leadership, the orchestra consists of musicians from the faculty and the region, including other campuses and the community. The first notes on the first work on the program made statements. As drum notes power up import, brass instruments slowly join to herald an arrival. Aaron Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ tells the players and the place, ‘Go big or go home.'” See Gerds’ review.
Warren Gerds/Critic at Large: Review: ‘From the New World Symphony’ speaks volumes at UW-Green Bay
The Weidner Center Philharmonic debut made an impression Saturday night, Sept. 28, 2019, especially on critic at large Warren Gerds. “Music makes statements. Saturday night, music was stating stuff like crazy…” See his glowing review via Warren Gerds/Critic at Large: Review: ‘From the New World Symphony’ speaks volumes at UW-Green Bay.
Join Weidner Center for Pre-Concert Dinner on Sept. 28
A festive dinner will take place in the Weidner Center’s Fort Howard Hall prior to the Weidner Philharmonic’s New World Symphony concert, Sept. 28, 2019. Enjoy a delicious dinner catered by The Hyatt Regency Green Bay. Tickets are $40/person. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner begins at 6 p.m. Cash bar is available. Please indicate your dinner selection when purchasing tickets. Please note that separate tickets are available for purchase for the events on Sept. 28, 2019.
Luis Fernandez is bearer of UW-Green Bay’s Robert and Joanne Bauer Endowed Professorship in Strings
Green Bay, Wis. — Funding remains a constant challenge in the world of classical music. But thanks to the Robert and Joanne Bauer Endowed Professorship in Strings, music performance and education are rising to a crescendo with the addition of Luis Fernandez as assistant professor for Strings and Music Education.
While Fernandez has performed with symphonies from Venezuela to the Fox Valley, teaching remains at the heart of his mission as a musician having earned a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Miami.
“I will be teaching individual applied strings (violin and viola), string techniques for Music Education majors, directing the string orchestra and supervising student teachers.”
The Bauer Endowed Professorship is made possible by a million-dollar gift announced in January 2019, from UW-Green Bay’s founding Band Director Robert J. Bauer and his wife Joanne, a UW-Green Bay alumna.
Fernandez is known for his work outside the college campus environment, often leading youth, who otherwise wouldn’t have an opportunity, to a love for music. His passion for teaching springs from his own childhood in Caracas, Venezuela, where he began violin studies through the El Sistema, a free music-education program for youth from impoverished backgrounds.
“Its mission was not just to create professional musicians,” Fernandez recalls, “but also to help children and young people to reach their full potential and learn values and skills through music, that in turn improve their growth and life.”
As for an encore, his performing talents will take center stage as Director of Orchestras and principal violin with the recently established Weidner Center Philharmonic Orchestra. Fernandez concurs that the prospect for artists and audiences looks bright.
“I’m relatively new to the region and I’ve been very impressed by the high level of enthusiasm and support for the arts,” he said. “I think in this kind of environment, it’s possible to build a really thriving and successful program.”
About the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs to nearly 8,000 students with campus locations in Green Bay, Marinette, Manitowoc and Sheboygan. Established in 1965 on the border of Green Bay, the University and its campuses are centers of cultural enrichment, innovation and learning. The Green Bay campus is home to one of the Midwest’s most prolific performing arts centers, a nationally recognized 4,000-seat student recreation center, D-I athletics, an award-winning nine-hole golf course and a five-mile recreational trail and arboretum, which is free and open to the public. This four-campus University transforms lives and communities through student-focused teaching and research, innovative learning opportunities, powerful connections and a problem-solving approach to education. UW-Green Bay’s main campus is centrally located, close to both the Door County resort area and the dynamic economies of Northeast Wisconsin, the Fox Valley region and the I-43 corridor. UW-Green Bay offers in-demand programs in science, engineering and technology; business; health, education and social welfare; and arts, humanities and social sciences. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
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NBC26 talks Weidner Center line-up
Weidner Center announced its 2019-20 lineup on Wednesday, May 15. Some highlights include Broadway’s RENT and the new Weidner Philharmonic’s take on “Casablanca: An American Classic” live. See the story by NBC26.
Weidner Center announces 2019-2020 season
This season the Weidner Center audience is treated to a new philharmonic orchestra, composed of UW-Green Bay faculty and Northeast Wisconsin orchestral musicians. The theme for 2019-20 season is “Connection”, which is planned to showcase through Broadway’s RENT (October 9), the Russian Ballet Theatre’s “Swan Lake” (October 25) and Cirque Dreams Holidaze to kick off holiday season (Nov. 21). WBAY had the story.
Critic at Large Warren Gerds talks Weidner season
Weidner Center announced its schedule for 2019-20 season on Wednesday, May 15. Chancellor Gary L. Miller announced the new Weidner Philharmonic orchestra. This season’s theme is “Connection”, which is intended to show through a variety of performances. See more at wearegreenbay.com.