We are so excited to welcome WindSync back to our stage for the first time since our first-season opening-night! Their program, subtitled Gardens and Galaxies, features the world-premiere commission of a new wind quintet by GRAMMY-nominated flutist/composer Nathalie Joachim. Akshaya Avril Tucker’s “Hold Sacred” was written in the midst of pandemic and features a blend of abstracted raga-inspired fragments that swirl through unusual harmonies and (hopefully) invite a meditation on whatever is most soothing to the listener. WindSync commissioned Mellits in 2019 to write Apollo, a piece commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Apollo comprises seven short movements that present a kaleidoscopic view, from the famous phrase “One small step…” to the geography of the moon, the mythology behind cosmic bodies, and scenes from the composer’s own childhood. The musical style of Uruguayan-American composer Miguel del Aguila combines drama, driving rhythms, and nostalgic nods to his South American roots. About his Quinteto Sinfónico (symphonic quintet), the composer writes: “My inspiration was a technique often used by Andean folk ensembles where wind instruments share and continue each other’s melodies, making them sound as if played by only one performer. Cooperation is more important than showcasing the talent of each individual separately. This turns the music into a spontaneous dialogue.” The three movements of the quintet are: Giocoso, a humorous Latin dance, Misterioso, which evokes a warm summer night, and Luminous, a bright fanfare.