Meanwhile, back at the oasis! How refreshing to hear the sweet, sighing sonorities of a well-disciplined wind ensemble. Then to hear them break out with colorful outbursts that are so characteristic of this consort of instruments.

Six compositions: a dozen clearly-separated movements, all consonantly pleasant to the harmonic ear, and fine program notes that introduced pieces unknown to all but wind aficionados.

The first two pieces, Ticheli's Sun Dance and Bruce Yurko's Night Dances, contrasted day and night. Principal oboist Bree Wickner sang out with the theme, pleading for attention, which led to a very colorful orchestration, from bright winds to a warm choral blend. Then a rising trom-bone theme was taken up by all in the jazzy flavor of a Jamaican rhumba. Next came night, a very raucous Caribbean night of revelry, dominated by percussion, particularly tom-toms sounding off like cannon in Scott Martin's hands, and chimes delicately struck by David Geltch. Originally the work called for ten percussionists, but Rutgers was able to handle it all with six. (Such bravado!)

Persichetti's Psalm brought forth Patricia Childress, a new addition at Rutgers, in her local conductorial debut. Choosing a less known piece by one of the all-time band legends made it easy to sample her mid-west-trained strengths. The work is difficult in many ways but could be called a pastoral psalm, starting in the darker-hued winds and brass before reaching concluding brightness in percussive off-beat rhythms. Welcome to New Jersey, Ms. Childress.

Closing the first part of the concert, William Berz led a very complex second symphonic effort by another little-known name. John Barnes Chance. It opens with immediate discordant harmony (C#, D, E and E is the basis of the work) in the flutes, which is repeated in other choirs, then grows by layering choirs upon each other. The three bassoons, led by veteran Ivy Haga, took up the challenge with a pulsating motive so perfectly together they could have been one. Eventually we get a rumble (remember West Side Story?) leading to a "Johnny Comes Marching Home" motive. In the midst of all this, a flute solo by Kevin Willois (partner with Haga and others in chamber performances) was notably poignant.

After intermission it was all Aussie, including the first ever performance on the lagerphone, built by Mr. Geltch and wielded by Mr. Martin. It is a rattle of sorts, a yard--long stick to which Australian beer caps have been attached ... loosely. Apparently a dozen came off in performance of the Bushdance, a rollicking, humorous, poking-fun-at-things peculiarly Australian. Here was the drunken sailor and the requisite hornpipe, and a (horse) race to the end.

But the fun was hardly over. Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy is one of a dozen pieces played by every respectable wind ensemble. I heard more in this performance of the piece than I've heard over four decades in the old Mercury recording. Berz knows symphonic balance amongst winds and brass, his choirs blending when called for, contrasting equally effectively.