This Spring was full of surprises, both thrilling and disappointing. Mostly, the weather demonstrated its ability to get in the way! I had two concerts completely cancelled, in addition to several rehearsals. But ultimately, brilliant music won the season, leaving indelible memories of the experience of creating it together.
I began the semester with a bunch of traveling. I went to Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA at the end of January to be part of their Honors Music Weekend. The repertoire included:
Dance the Joy Alive – Nicole Piunno
In February, I traveled to Tempe, AZ to take part in the CBDNA national conference at my old stomping grounds, Arizona State University. I presented about my other website, the Wind Band Symphony Archive, and shared a panel with Jordan Kinsey and Chris Dobbins to talk about our experience in small college band programs. I also heard a dozen outstanding concerts. I collected all of my thoughts into daily digests, plus a bonus post:
Day 1
Day 2
A Grateful Interlude
Day 3
Day 4
Back at home, the Hartwick College Wind Ensemble season began with a program showcasing our BRAND NEW FIVE OCTAVE MARIMBA on March 14:
The Lighthouse – JoAnne Harris, conducted by Mark Stickney
Concerto no. 2 for Marimba and Wind Ensemble (mvt. 3) – David Gillingham – featuring Dr. Graeme Francis on marimba
We joined forces with Karen Clark and the SUNY Broome Concert Band for this concert, including two joint pieces:
With Quiet Courage – Larry Daehn
The Stars and Stripes Forever – John Philip Sousa
On April 30, we presented “Audible Images,” featuring the following:
Fanfare from Soundings – Cindy McTee
Depth from Immersion – Alex Shapiro
Rhythm Stand – Jennifer Higdon, conducted by Russell Elster
Under the Butterfly’s Wing – Lindsay Stetner, conducted by Leah McGray
Into the Sun – Jodie Blackshaw
Audible Images – Nancy Galbraith
This entire concert featured music by female composers. I chose not to draw attention to this in either the theming or the marketing of this concert, since it really should not be an extraordinary event. After all, concerts of music by exclusively male composers happen all the time!
In the meantime, I was signed up to do two local honor bands:
Chenango NY All County High School Band, March 15-16:
King Cotton – John Philip Sousa
Brooklyn Air – Michael Markowski
Journey Through Orion – Julie Giroux
Delaware NY Junior All County Band, March 22-23: CANCELLED due to weather
The Cave You Fear – Michael Markowski
Variation Overture – Clifton Williams
I traveled one more time to SUNY Geneseo (completing a podium exchange with the aforementioned Leah McGray) to guest conduct their band on April 26 – it was my honor to lead Frank Ticheli’s Nitro.
The Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble was supposed to begin with a Pops concert on January 20, but it got snowed out! It would have included the following:
By the Beautiful Blue Danube – Johann Strauss II, arr. Julius Seredy
Russian Sailors Dance – Reinhold Gliere, arr. Erik Leidzen
Finlandia – Jean Sibelius, arr. Lucien Cailliet
Fanfare for the Common Man – Aaron Copland, arr. Robert Longfield
March from 1941 – John Williams, transcribed by Paul Lavender
Selections from Les Misérables – Claude-Michel Schönberg, arr. Warren Barker
Selections from Wicked – Stephen Schwartz, arr. Jay Bocook
Gee, Officer Krupke – Leonard Bernstein, arr. Paul Murtha
Chicken Run – Main Titles – John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams
Despite this early setback, we capped our season with a brilliant concert on April 28, featuring much of the music that had to be shelved from the Pops concert, plus some new stuff:
Gee, Officer Krupke – Leonard Bernstein, arr. Murtha
Pilatus: Mountain of Dragons – Steven Reineke
A Symphony of Fables – Julie Giroux
Fandango – Frank Perkins, arr. Floyd Werle
Divertimento – Leonard Bernstein
Chicken Run – John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams, arr. Murtha
Finlandia – Jean Sibelius, arr. Cailliet