Get Your Phil at Noon with the Erie Philharmonic Wind Quintet

Wednesday, Aug. 24

Huffing and puffing feebly to get over the hump? Blow off some of that tension with the Erie Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet in the penultimate installment of the Erie Art Museum's Mid-day Art Break music series. You may not be a nobleman standing in a Viennese courtyard, but you can still feel like a Wiener as these accomplished players draw from a rich tradition of Western music.

The wind quintet first came in vogue in the early 19th century through the efforts of seminal composers Anton Reicha and Franz Danzi. The instruments of a typical wind quintet include (from low to high) bassoon, oboe, French horn, clarinet, and flute. Once a novelty, it has since become a standard chamber ensemble. Far from pandering to the powdered-wig-and-petticoat demographic, contemporary woodwind quintets take on a great breadth of material – not only classical, but also popular music from the charts, TV, and film. You may have never been aware there was a demand for it, but woodwind interpretations exist of everything from Gershwin to Lady Gaga. Oboe they didn't? You bet your bassoon they did.

As always, free gallery tours will be available, as well as refreshments from the Wave Café.  Do not let yourself pass this up – because this group truly puffs with pizzazz. – Matt Swanseger

Noon to 1 p.m. // 411 State St. // erieartmuseum.org/events-mid-day-art-break // Free