This fall, I was as busy as ever with my 3 home bands and some extra travel thrown in: I went to Connecticut for an honor band that included my alma mater, Coginchaug Regional High School, and criss-crossed New York state for clinics and conferences, all the way from the Montauk Point Lighthouse to Niagara Falls! In between, there were stops in NYC, White Plains, Long Island, Schenectady, the Buffalo area, and Rochester, and of course lots of activity at home in Oneonta.
The fall began as I led the Oneonta Community Concert Band at Wilber Park in Oneonta on Sunday, September 3 at 3pm. The concert was called “Dreamscapes”:
The Invincible Eagle – John Philip Sousa
Toccata for Band – Frank Erickson
Porgy and Bess – George Gershwin, arr. Barnes
American Riversongs – Pierre LaPlante
Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo – Malcolm Arnold
The Hartwick Wind Ensemble began its season on October 5 at 6pm with a very special Children’s Concert! We made it as interactive as we could, with special invitations to dance and sing and conduct during the show, as well as an opportunity to draw a star on the way in. The rep was:
Fanfare on “Row Your Boat” – Andrew Pease (yes, that’s me, and this was a world premiere!)
Tears of Saint Lawrence – Aaron Perrine
Dance of the Imp – David Samuel
Children’s March – Percy Grainger, with guest conductor Adam Fontana
A Journey in Time – Erika Svanoe narrated by Hartwick President Darren Reisberg
The Stars and Stripes Forever – John Philip Sousa
The following week, on October 12, I traveled to Valley Regional High School in Deep River, CT for the Shoreline Music Festival. We played:
Halcyon Hearts – Katahj Copley
Rhythm Stand – Jennifer Higdon
Some treasures are heavy with human tears – John Mackey
American Riversongs – Pierre LaPlante
The 7th annual Hartwick Honor Band returned on October 21 with over 50 high school students from our region. It was led by the incredible Matthew Marsit:
Wishes and Wantings – Kelijah Dunton
Old Churches – Michael Colgrass
March of the Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Julie Giroux
A Fairy Tale: Magic Fantasy – Ferrer Ferran
The Oneonta Community Concert Band presented its Veterans Day concert on November 12:
Minuteman – Robert Pearson
Courage for Winds – Adrienne Albert
The Mad Major – Kenneth Alford
Second Suite in F (movement 1) – Gustav Holst
Semper Fidelis – John Philip Sousa
Hymn for the Lost and the Living – Erik Ewazen
Armed Forces Salute – arr. Bob Lowden
The Hartwick Wind Ensemble ended its fall season on November 16 with an “All Natural” concert, which was extra special due to our collaboration with Michael Markowski on his brand new version of Walden:
Wilderness – Cait Nishimura with guest conductor Heidi Collischonn
March of the Cute Little Wood Sprites – PDQ Bach
English Folk Song Suite – Ralph Vaughan Williams
Walden (new 2023 orchestration) – Michael Markowski – world premiere of this version
My last concert of the semester was with the Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble on November 19. We did not advertise it with a theme, but it ended up being something along the lines of Requests, with all of the music suggested or even created by our members. Once again, Michael Markowski came in to work with us on his outstanding new suite, Desert Sage:
Amy Hoxie conducted:
Combination March – Scott Joplin
Airs of the Court – Ottorino Respighi
Be Thou My Vision – David Gillingham
I conducted:
Chorale from Symphony no. 2 – Gustav Mahler, arr. Paul Blake, our long-time principal trombone
One Life Beautiful – Julie Giroux
Desert Sage – Michael Markowski
Conference-wise, I made it to the NYSBDA Region 1 workshop in the Buffalo area, which really showed what the NYSBDA regions are capable of. I also was at the NYSSMA Winter Conference representing both Hartwick and NYSBDA. I look forward to breathing a little before jumping into Spring prep – some exciting new projects are on the horizon!