Poster Dolce Wind Quintet perform at the State Fair
Dolce Wind Quintet perform at the MPR boot at the Minnesota State Fair.
MPR photo/Nate Ryan

Live from the Fair: Dolce Wind Quintet

Live from the Fair: Dolce Wind Quintet

On Classical MPR on Thursday, Aug. 27, the Dolce Wind Quintet performed in a live broadcast from the Minnesota State Fair on the stage at the MPR booth. Classical MPR's Julie Amacher hosted the performance.

Since 1995, the Dolce Wind Quintet have been performing in a variety of venues and settings across the upper Midwest. The musicians are Nancy Wucherpfennig, flute; Megan Dvorak, oboe; Ford Campbell, bassoon; Vicki Wheeler, French horn; Karen Hansen, clarinet. All of them teach and perform in the Twin Cities area and hold positions with other chamber ensembles and several orchestras up and down Minnesota — from Bloomington and Rochester to Mankato and Duluth. During the 2013 - 2014 school year, Dolce Wind Quintet were among Classical MPR's Artists in Residence, giving performances during visits to schools throughout the state of Minnesota.

Ahead of their State Fair performance, we got in touch with the quintet to ask them some Fair-related questions. Here's what they had to say:

Can you tell us some of the pieces you'll be playing at the State Fair?

A piece that we call "Pizza." Truly, it is Pieza de Regalo No. 1 by Xavier Quifiines. It is totally fun!

We'll be playing arrangements of some of Grieg's piano pieces (The Bride's Song, Working Song) as well as the lovely Solveig's Song from Peer Gynt. William Grant Still's Folk Suite No. 4 — three beautiful movements depicting Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil. And then Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro" from Gianni Schicchi — a beautiful arrangement of the much-loved aria.

How does playing at the MPR booth compare to other venues in which you play?

We love our collaboration with MPR, in whatever venue they schedule us. The State Fair is all for fun. We will be playing real classical repertoire in a totally fun atmosphere. We love the opportunity to work with professional sound people, having mics and acoustics set up for us. And it will be special to have conversations about our music with our friend, Julie Amacher. Thanks for having Dolce Wind Quintet on your stage.

After you finish performing, what's your must-have State Fair treat?

Answers, of course, vary among the ensemble members:

  • corn on the cob

  • Sweet Martha's cookies

  • cheese curds

  • milk

  • Strawberry rhubarb sundae from the Dairy Building

See all of MPR's State Fair programming at mpr.org/statefair.

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