The Music of W. Francis McBeth

William Francis McBeth (1933 – 2012) was a prolific American composer, whose wind band works are highly respected. The popularity of his works in the United States during the last half of the twentieth century led to many invitations and appearances as a guest conductor. His conducting activities took him to forty-eight states, three Canadian provinces, Japan, and Australia. At one time, his Double Pyramid Balance System was a widely used pedagogical tool in the concert band world.

Our concert will include “Canto,” a work commissioned by the All-Japan Association,”Of Sailors and Whales,” a five-movement work based on five scenes from Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” and commissioned by  & dedicated to the California Band Directors’ Association, and “Chant & Jubilo”which has been recognized as one of the most outstanding of the composer’s works and is justly regarded as one of the classics of the band repertoire, and other pieces.