Wooster Symphony Orchestra Presents “Concerto for Highland Bagpipes & Orchestra!”

Renowned bagpiper Kevin Weed will headline the Wooster Symphony Orchestra’s Spring concert, Sunday, April 24 at 4 p.m. The concert is open to the public and will be held outdoors in the Oak Grove, north side of Kauke Hall (it will move to McGaw Chapel at 340 E. University Street, in case of inclement weather).

Weed will provide a bagpipe solo performance of Concerto for Highland Bagpipes and Orchestra. The program will also include: Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor by Otto Nicolai, Academic Festival Overture by Johannes Brahms, and Serenade for Strings by Edward Elgar.

Weed is a full-time musician, living and working in Orange County, California. He grew up in a musical family, starting piano and other instruments at an early age. As an accompanist he has traveled internationally many times and was guest organist for masses at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the Florence Duomo, and Notre Dame in Paris. He has been musical director for over 60 musical theater productions. Kevin composes occasionally, mostly for groups and musicians with whom he works.

As a bagpiper, Kevin is often called on to perform for concerts, special occasions, and demonstrations. He has recorded with Rod Stewart and Mike Oldfield, played on the soundtrack for the movie Battleship, traveled to Scotland to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships, and has won several awards in California piping competitions. He has performed several recitals of music for pipe organ and bagpipes. In 1985 he began a 15-year collaboration with Garden Grove Symphony, working as percussionist, pianist, librarian, arranger and composer for the orchestra. His Concerto for Highland Bagpipes and Orchestra was written in 1989 for this orchestra. It is approximately 14 minutes long and is in three movements, like a classical concerto.

In collaboration with soprano and librettist Alyssa Wills, Kevin is writing an opera on the life of Joan of Arc.

The event is free of charge and open to the public. For further information, please call 330-263-2419, or email Melissa Puster at mpuster@wooster.edu.

Posted in Event on April 14, 2022.