This fall, after a sabbatical that saw some setbacks, I returned to full service, working with three bands at home, plus some guest work. My season began with the Oneonta Community Concert Band, which I led through two concerts, as follows:

September 7 at Neahwa Park, FAIR WEATHER (so named because it was an outdoor fair, and our part of the show would have been cancelled if the weather was bad, but thankfully it wasn’t!):

The Thunderer – John Philip Sousa

Amparito Roca – Jaime Texidor

Pageant – Vincent Persichetti

New Wade N Water – Adolphus Hailstork

Ye Banks and Braes O’ Bonnie Doon – Percy Grainger

West Side Story Selections – Leonard Bernstein, arr. Duthoit

City Rain – Judith Lang Zaimont

Vigilante – Michael Markowski

My Fair Lady – Frederick Loewe, arr. Bennett

Our Hometown Band – Rene Prins

November 9 at the Foothills Center, VETERANS DAY:

Military Escort – Harold Bennett

Courage for Winds – Adrienne Albert

Remembrance – D. I. D. Choi

Women of the Podium – Virginia Allen

Polly Oliver – Thomas Root

Semper Fidelis – John Philip Sousa

The Sound of Music Selection – Richard Rodgers, arr. Robert Russell Bennett

With Valor and Brave Heart – William Owens

Armed Forces Salute – Various, arr. Bob Lowden

God Bless America – Irving Berlin

The biggest change was my return to Hartwick College, where I got to work with the Hartwick Wind Ensemble again! We started on September 30 with a concert called AFFIRMATIONS:

Affirmations – Michael Markowski

Imperatrix – Alfred Reed

Sheltering Sky – John Mackey

Second Suite – Gustav Holst

Three Songs of Bengal – Aakash Mittal

Love & Nature – Gala Flagello

We also put on our Honor Band on October 25, this time with TWO BANDS! My great friend Sarah Fernández was on hand to help make it happen as our guest conductor. The bands played the following:

OYARON BAND – Sarah Fernández, conductor

Charm – Kevin Puts

Best Things – Catherine Likhuta

The Cave You Fear – Michael Markowski

Squirrel Chase – Carol Brittin Chambers

Joy Revisited – Frank Ticheli

HAWKS BAND – Andrew Pease, conductor

The Black Horse Troop – John Philip Sousa

Boreal Pines – Cait Nishimura

Tears of St. Lawrence – Aaron Perrine

American Riversongs – Pierre La Plante

We concluded our season with SHATTERING on November 20. This concert also featured the debut of our Beginning Band, which I hope to bring back every fall. The repertoire was:

Beginning Band:

Clouds – Anne McGinty

Galactic Episode – John O’Reilly and Mark Williams

Wind Ensemble:

Great Unconformity – Ryan Lindveit

Shattering Stars – Joni Greene

In This Breath – Shuying Li

Third Suite – Robert Jager

A Young Symphony – Jose Ignacio Blesa Lull

I had a second chance at the NYSSMA Zone 8 Area All State band, which was cancelled last year due to an awful snow storm that brought much misery to the region, especially the festival site in Walton. We were in Cooperstown this year, and we had an amazing time exploring this music together amidst clear weather:

Wilderness – Cait Nishimura

Some treasures are heavy with human tears – John Mackey

Shepherd’s Hey – Percy Grainger

AYO – Katahj Copley

I also continued my involvement with the amazing Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble, who played something new of mine for the second year in a row! Our fall concert happened on Sunday, November 23 at the Foothills Center in Oneonta. We ended up calling it PERSEVERANCE. Suffice it to say, Amy (Hoxie, my co-conductor) and I had a tough year! Some of the music was about challenging experiences, while some of it was uplifting, and much of somehow encompassed both.

I conducted:

An Outdoor Overture – Aaron Copland

Roma – Valerie Coleman

Three Reflections – Andrew Pease (world premiere)

Amy conducts:

World Events – John Zamecnik

Fable – Erik Morales

Chorale and Shaker Dance – John Zdechlik

Vesuvius – Frank Ticheli

Finally, I (still) hope to attend the NYSSMA Winter Conference and the Midwest Clinic. At the latter, my piece Metal Monster is scheduled to be part of the band reading session. Maybe I’ll see some of you there!