PACS Wind Ensemble Launched, Ahead Of Saturday's Digital Concert

The PACS Wind Ensemble rehearse Haydn Wood's 'Mannin Veen' for their inaugural concert to be streamed on Facebook Live this Saturday at 3pm As part of their 20th anniversary celebrations and ahead of their latest 'InsideOut Digital' concert, this Saturday, Feb 6th, The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony (PACS) has launched its first new offshoot ensemble in its history, the PACS Wind Ensemble. The new group will perform two works in Saturday's concert, Haydn Wood's Mannin Veen and Gustav Holst's Suite No. 1 in E flat - before being joined by the full orchestra for Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.

As a Curtis-trained clarinettist himself, PACS Music Director David Bernard is especially delighted to launch the wind ensemble. "There is so much incredible repertoire for wind ensemble that too often gets overlooked," he says, "and how wonderful to launch a new group, from within our orchestra, that will bring to this repertoire the same overwhelming dedication to artistic excellence that has been the PACS hallmark since its inception. A proud moment for me and I know for all of the musicians." The PACS Wind Ensemble will maintain a core body of around 30 players.
Bernard is particularly excited to launch the ensemble with Saturday's performance of Wood's Mannin Veen, of which piece he says, "I remember distinctly my experience playing Mannin Veen for the first time in a rehearsal as a young clarinetist. It is exquisite music - the brilliant narrative arc incorporating several alluring Manx folk tunes is simply breathtaking. The music draws you in with intense lines that are as beautiful as they are well-crafted contrapuntally. The sweep and organic intensity of Mannin Veen inspires me to this day-each phrase gives me chills. It is wonderful to be performing this work as part of the inaugural concert of the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony Wind Ensemble on Saturday."

Saturday's concert will further develop the 'InsideOut Digital' approach that first appeared in November (created from the necessity of having venues closed to the public), blending performance with discussion about the music and audience interaction. Audience members become part of the event through two audience 'avatars' in the room, bringing audience comments, questions and even allowing audience members to interview the musicians in real time. The aim is to replicate the intimacy, intensity and excitement of live concerts in a format adapted to the streaming media, and the November event drew a similar-sized ticket-buying audience to an in-person PACS concert, yet saw audience members from as far afield as Russia. Audience responses were hugely positive, such as "Makes one realize what we've been missing for so long. Tears in my eyes." View highlights of the November event illustrating the unique concept of InsideOut Digital in this video:

Saturday's event, streaming on Facebook Live, begins at 3pm New York time. For access tickets and more information, click here!

For media enquiries please contact James Inverne at James Inverne Music Consultancy (james@jamesinvernemusic.com / +44 207 993 6615)