This Spring was full of surprises, milestones, and great music! “Spring” is a loose term – my March 14 concert got moved because of 3 feet of snow that day, our planned outdoor concert on May 4 was moved indoors due to cold temperatures, and as I write this on May 11, we woke up to temperatures in the 30s. Throughout, though, music has helped us thrive.
The Hartwick College Wind Ensemble presented two concerts this semester.
DREAMS AND FANTASIES – March 14, 2017 MOVED to March 21, 2017
When Jesus Wept – William Schuman
The Three Billy Goats Gruff from Symphony of Fables – Julie Giroux
GO OUTSIDE! – May the Fourth, 2017
Songs from the Catskills – Johan de Meij, who visited Hartwick on April 25 and worked with our students.
Jupiter from The Planets – Gustav Holst, my new arrangement for small band.
Rest – Frank Ticheli (Ashley Duryea, guest conductor)
Themes of Adventure – a medley of Nintendo music arranged and conducted by Hartwick senior Mike Turi.
Nimrod – Edward Elgar, arr. Reed
Star Wars: the Marches – John Williams, arr. Brubaker (Andrew Hsu, guest conductor)
The Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble, directed by Scott Rabeler and me, now splitting the director duties 50/50, presented a concert on April 30, including the following repertoire:
On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss – David Holsinger
The Old Grumbly Bear – Julius Fucik, featuring Kelly Oram, bassoon
Variations on a Korean Folk Song – John Barnes Chance
Finale from Symphony no. 5 – Dmitri Shostakovich
Scenes from the Louvre – Norman Dello Joio
Hymn to a Blue Hour – John Mackey
Angels in the Architecture – Frank Ticheli
In addition, I was a guest conductor on the Columbia Wind Ensemble’s Carnegie Hall concert on April 24! They and their music director Jason Noble played a terrific program that included:
A Glimpse of the Eternal – Aaron Perrine
City Trees – Michael Markowski (conducted by me)
Wedding Dance – Jacques Press