
DATE: Friday, July 18, 1997                 TAG: 9707160147

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 01P  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   62 lines

TIDEWATER WINDS TO VISIT FOUR TIMES THIS MONTH

The Tidewater Winds professional concert band, will be offering its nontraditional brand of old-fashioned concerts this summer at several sites in the area.

Summer band concerts usually mean brass bands resplendent in Prussian-looking uniforms performing at some outdoor gazebo. Of course, that also means enduring swampy humidity, hungry mosquitoes and noisy interference from trucks, leaf blowers, lawn mowers and aircraft.

Soooo, the Winds offer live musical entertainment in Chesapeake, Norfolk and Portsmouth at indoor venues. The Virginia Beach dates on the outdoor stage at 24th Street are the lone exception.

Indoors may not fit one's traditional image of a summer band concert, but Winds musical director and conductor Sidney Berg, assures fans it's better this way.

``We don't feel like fighting the heat, humidity and interference of outside noise,'' Berg said. ``People who come to our performances will be comfortable and will be able to enjoy our programs.''

Berg promises more of what music fans usually expect from the Tidewater Winds. He said there will be more soloists at each performance to dazzle the audience.

``This will be our best band ever,'' Berg said. ``We'll have at each program, at least two soloists per performance.''

Each concert will be conducted by both Berg and Winds' assistant conductor and clarinet soloist Alberto Roman Asercion.

Fans typically like Broadway music, marches and semi-classical compositions,'' Berg said. ``Surprisingly, we sometimes do get requests for heavier classical works. But we'll perform what our patrons really like.''

Don't look for the Tidewater Winds to offer anything by Bartok or Mahler, but if you like a John Philip Sousa march, the stirring ``Marche Slav'' by Tchaikovsky or a memorable Broadway tune, the Winds' summer concerts will be just the thing.

Concerts have included such themes as `March On,'' ``Let's Dance,'' Lullaby of Broadway,'' ``Concert Favorites'' and ``A Broadway Spectacular.''

The groups offers concerts every Sunday night in July at the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, every Monday evening at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, every Tuesday at Princess Anne High School and every Wednesday night at the 24th Street Park in Virginia Beach. A concert will also be July 25 at Western Branch High in Chesapeake.

All concerts are free and begin at 7:30 p.m.

``People don't need tickets and they can dress casually,'' Berg said. ``All they need to do is show up and enjoy a summer evening's worth of good, crowd pleasing music in a comfortable setting.'' MEMO: For more information, call the Winds Hotline at 464-3799. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT

The Tidewater Winds offers shows throughout Hampton Roads.

Graphic

AT A GLANCE

When and Where: Virginia Beach dates are 7:30 p.m. July 22 and

July 29 at Princess Anne High School and 7:30 p.m. July 23 and July

30 at 24th Street Park.

Cost: Free

Information: 464-3799.