Aegean Festival Overture - Andreas Makris

Aegean Festival Overture was originally scored for orchestra in 1967, and was premiered by the NSO under the direction of Howard Mitchell. The immediate success of the work caught the attention of Major Albert Bader of the United States Air Force Band, who undertook the transcription in collaboration with the composer. The work has been a staple in the band repertoire ever since, and like Shostakovich's Festive Overture, is best known in its version for concert band. Although Makris did not use any actual folk tunes, the melodies and rhythms throughout Aegean Festival Overture are unmistakably Greek in origin.