A native of Dubuque, Iowa, Michael Gilbertson is a composer, conductor, and pianist. His musical education began at Northeast Iowa School of Music, and he holds degrees from The Julliard School, and Yale University. He is one of the youngest finalists to be considered for the Pulitzer Prize in Music. Gilbertson founded the Chamberfest Dubuque music festival which is an annual fundraiser for the Northeast Iowa School of Music. He returns each year to direct the festival. Gilbertson has won many awards for his compositions including the BMI Student Composer Award, a Copland House Residency Award, and five Morton Gould awards from the ASCAP. Many of his compositions are related to his home state of Iowa.
“Wind” is a work commissioned by Orchestra Iowa for its 100th season celebration. Gilbertson’s description of his work:
“This past spring, I flew over the state on my way to the east coast. Looking down from the plane I could make out familiar geographical features: the rivers on either side of the state, and the quilt-like patchwork of fields. To my surprise, I could also see the thousands of wind turbines that blanket the state. Knowing that Iowa is among the top producers of wind power in the US, I immediately thought that wind would make an intriguing topic for this piece. I attempt to use the orchestra to capture the sound and power of wind, beginning with gentle breezes that grow into powerful, sustained gusts.”