Wednesday, March 6, 2024 • 7:30 p.m.
Weigel Auditorium
Columbus, OH
WIND SYMPHONY
Russel C. Mikkelson, conductor
Dustin Ferguson, guest conductor
Justin Monroe, composer
Program
Dances of the French Renaissance
Claude Gervaise, Pierre Attaingnant
arr. Peter Reeve
1. Allemande
2. Gaillarde
3. Pavane D’Angleterre
4. Basse Danse “La Volunté”
5. Pavane Passamaize
6a. Branle De Bourgogne (attacca)
6b. Branle Simple (attacca)
6c. Branle Gay
Peter Reeve was a professional trumpet player all his working life. After study at the Royal College of Music in London he joined the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where he spent the next eleven years. On leaving the ROH, he played with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the English Opera Group and the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, for whom he arranged Old French Dances. This arrangement contains settings of music by Claude Gervaise and Pierre d’Attaignant. It is arranged for ten players, some of whom are required to double on drum and/or tambourine.
Serenade in D minor, Op. 44
Antonin Dvořák (1841–1904)
1. Moderato — quasi marcia
2. Minuetto — Tempo di minuetto
3. Andante con moto
4. Finale — Allegro molto
In May 1879, Johannes Brahms wrote to his friend, the renowned violinist Joseph Joachim: “Take a look at Dvořák’s Serenade for Wind Instruments; I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do...It would be difficult to discover a finer, more refreshing impression of really abundant and charming creative talent. Have it played to you; I feel sure the players will enjoy doing it!” Only one year earlier, Brahms had recommended the music of Dvořák to his publisher in Berlin, Simrock, who accepted Dvořák for publication and suggested that he compose a set of Slavonic Dances as Brahms had composed Hungarian Dances. Dvořák’s newfound recognition came during a prolific period in his life.
The Wind Serenade was written in two weeks in January 1878, and during the rest of the year Dvořák composed the Slavonic Dances (for piano duet), several other orchestral works, a set of five folk choruses, two songs, a Capriccio for violin and piano, and some minor piano works. He also found time to orchestrate the Slavonic Dances when they became wildly popular throughout Europe.
The opening march pays tongue-in-cheek homage to the serenades of Mozart and central European wind-band music, “Harmoniemusik.” (Mozart often provided a march to introduce many of his serenades. While Mozart’s marches usually were formally separate from the actual serenade, the associations seem clear.) The second movement is actually comprised of two Czech folk dances, the “sousedska” (similar to the Austrian “Ländler”) and a “furiant” as the “Trio” section. In the third movement, Dvořák pays homage to the beautiful slow movement of Mozart’s Gran Partita. The finale begins with a polka-esque theme, the successive returns of which are separated by contrasting new material each time, until the first-movement march recurs just before the last appearance of the polka.
Blueprints for a City in the Sky
Justin Monroe (b. 2000)
Premiere performance
Dustin Ferguson, guest conductor
Blueprints for a City in the Sky is a work for wind ensemble centered on the concept of creative passions. A city built in the sky would be a grand project — a veritable jewel in humanity’s crown; nevertheless, no such city has been built due to the obvious impracticalities and obstacles associated with the concept. Therefore, only one situation remains as to why such a city would be built: when it can be built nowhere else.
These impracticalities are mirrored in the dedication toward many of life’s pursuits, but particularly in those toward creative professions. In a similar fashion to the construction of the proverbial city, the dedication artists pour into their projects reaches a point where their creation becomes a necessity. Without sufficient faith in their ideas and pursuits, an artist could not truly express themselves to the best of their ability.
The music itself reflects these spectrums of opulence versus temperance and of idealism versus realism, but is ultimately a celebration of their synthesis. Through overcoming both blind faith and an absence of faith, creators can produce truly exceptional experiences.
— Note by the composer.
Justin Monroe is in his final semester of The Ohio State University’s Master of Music program in music composition. He grew up in Dublin, Ohio, and graduated from Dublin Jerome High School before enrolling at Ohio State with plans to major in music composition. Justin plays percussion, but studies composition under the tutelage of Professors Vera Stanojevic, Thomas Wells and Michael Rene Torres.
Monroe's premiere work for wind symphony, Blueprints for a City in the Sky, is conducted by Dustin Ferguson. Justin has performed with several ensembles in the School of Music, including the Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony, as well as the school’s Percussion Ensemble. He also has performed with The Ohio State University Marching Band for six years as a tenor drummer in JI-Row, traveling to several venues across the country. Justin also works as a graduate teaching associate at the School of Music and plans to continue in this role during his music composition studies. Top of page
Personnel
Piccolo
Katie Sharp
Braden Stewart
Sofia Geelhood
Flute
Katie Sharp *
Sofia Geelhood
Braden Stewart
Allie Gerckens
Shreeya Yampati
Kristin Thompson
Oboe
Briele Vollmuth *
Laura Pitner
Lauren Kowal
English Horn
Lauren Kowal
Bassoon
Brandon Golpe *
Isaiah Heyman
Bobby Schwartz
Contrabassoon
Bobby Schwartz
E-flat Clarinet
Kaleigh McGee
Destiny Malave
Clarinet
Kaleigh McGee *
Louis Maligaya
Destiny Malave
Eli Johnson
Lily Tropple
Rohit Kolluri
Samuel Langer
Joseph Ziskha
Joseph DeCillis
Bass Clarinet
Mason Williams
Leah Henning
Contrabass Clarinet
Lily Tropple
Alto Saxophone
Frankie Wantuch *
Lucinda Dunne
Tenor Saxophone
Austin Spillman
Baritone Saxophone
Cooper Greenlees
Horn
Annie Moon *
William Holderby
Cheng Peng
Theresa Deevers
Olivia Boden
Trumpet
Luke Bingham *
Matt Pileski
Nick Schnitzspahn
Ben Guegold
Connor McMullen
Zach Heffner
Bobby Petty
Trombone
Tristan Miller *
Charlotte Stefani
Alex Myers
Owen Kovach
Bass Trombone
Zach Irwin
Euphonium
Sean O’Brien *
Davis Aho
Andrew Eynon
Tuba
Patrick Woo *
Zane Tekaucic
Percussion
Sam Sherer *
Tres Perkins
Matt Hanson
Haydn Veith
Noah Landrum
Ben Kerger
Cello
Mark Rudoff (assisting musician)
Double Bass
Drew Postel (assisting musician)
Piano
Kaiwei Guo
Harp
Nathan Hay (assisting musician)
* principal
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