The Windham Philharmonic is honored to present two works by living composers on Monday, October 14^th at the Latchis Theatre at 7 p.m. Admission to this concert is by donation; baked goods will be available to purchase.

On Indigenous People’s Day, Hugh Keelan will conduct the orchestra in Ancestral Sounds. The concert begins with Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Ghost of the White Deer, a “romantic and dramatic bassoon concerto which tells the legend of two young Chickasaw Indians in love.” Our bassoon soloist is Diane Lipartito, a long-time orchestra member.

The second work on the program, The Healing Heart of the First People of this Land, was commissioned by Vi “taqwšǝblu” Hilbert, an elder from the Upper Skagit Tribe in northern Puget Sound after the events of 9/11, as a means of promoting the healing of the world. She specifically requested that Bruce Ruddell be the composer. Her dream was that the piece would be performed by the Seattle Symphony, which premiered it in 2006.

A 40-minute documentary about the origin of this piece is coming to the Latchis Theatre on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13 at 4 p.m. Vi Hilbert’s granddaughter and the composer will be present for Q & A following the showing.

Jerod Tate is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and a classical composer. Bruce Ruddell is a composer, conductor, and more, working in Canada and the US.