Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023 • 8 p.m.
Weigel Auditorium
Columbus, OH
COLLEGIATE WINDS
Phillip Day, conductor
Christopher Hoch, guest conductor
UNIVERSITY BAND CONDUCTORS
Alex Mondragon
Joshua Reynolds
PROGRAM
University Band
Joy Revisited
Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)
Alex Mondragon, conductor
“Above all, Joy Revisited is an expression of its namesake: simple, unabashed joy.
The main melody and overall mood of the work (and its companion piece, Joy) were inspired by a signal event: the birth of our first child. The intense feelings that any father would likely feel on such a day were, in my case, accompanied by a simple little tune which grabbed hold of me in the hours preceding her birth, and refused to let go throughout the day and many days thereafter. Indeed, until I jotted it down in my sketchbook, it did not release its grip.
Seven years and two children later, I stumbled upon that old sketch and discovered (or rediscovered) that it would serve perfectly as the foundation for a joy-filled concert band overture.
About Joy and Joy Revisited
Joy Revisited, and its companion piece, Joy, are the results of an experiment I have been wanting to try for many years: the creation of two works using the same general melodic,, and expressive content. In other words, I endeavored to compose un-identical twins, two sides of the same coin - but with one major distinction: Joy was created with young players in mind, while Joy Revisited was aimed at more advanced players.
Thus, Joy Revisited is somewhat longer, more technically demanding, and develops ideas further than its companion. Where Joy sounds a dominant chord, Joy Revisited elaborates upon that chord with a flourish of 16th-notes. While Joy moves at a bright tempo and is centered around Bb, Joy Revisited moves even faster, and is centered around Eb, extending the register of the instruments upwards by a perfect fourth.
Despite these and many more differences between the two works, both come from the same essential cut of cloth, both were composed more or less simultaneously, and both were born out of the same source of inspiration. In short, Joy and Joy Revisited serve as two expressions of the feelings experienced by one expectant father (who happens also to be a composer) on one wonderfully anxious and exciting day.”
— Note by the composer
Dusk
Steven Bryant (b. 1972)
Alex Mondragon, conductor
“This simple, chorale-like work captures the reflective calm of dusk, paradoxically illuminated by the fiery hues of sunset. I’m always struck by the dual nature of this experience, as if witnessing an event of epic proportions silently occurring in slow motion. Dusk is intended as a short, passionate evocation of this moment of dramatic stillness.”
— Note by the composer
Tricycle
Andrew Boysen Jr. (b. 1968)
Josh Reynolds, conductor
Tricycle was commissioned by the Northshore Schools, District 112 for the inauguration All-City Band Festival. Directors of the participating schools were Mike Brehmer, Dennis Runyon, Steve Zachar and Glenn Williams. The title of the work refers to both the structure of the piece and the event for which it was commissioned. The All-City Band Festival involves three schools performing and working together as one, much as all three wheels of the tricycle must work together to move forward. The music reflects this idea by having three separate themes introduced on their own before finally being combined to work together as one musical entity. The title is even more appropriate considering the playful and innocent qualities of the piece as a whole. Tricycle is a piece that is meant to be light, fun and happy.
— Program note from the score
Skyline
Jack Stamp (b. 1954)
Josh Reynolds, conductor
"I knew the name 'Fred Nyline' long before I met the man. As a high school band director in the late 70s and early 80s, I coveted my recording of the band music of John Zdechlik by Fred and his Luther College Band. Later, I met Fred at a CBDNA National Conference. However, it wasn’t until I had the marvelous opportunity to serve as interim director of bands at Luther College during the fall of 2018 as a sabbatical replacement that I got to know Fred and his incredible legacy with the Luther Band program.
Upon hearing of his sudden passing in November, I knew that I had to write a piece. I first thought of a title, “Heaven Could Not Wait,” but it sounded too much like the movie title. Then I thought of including portions of “Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just,” a favorite of Fred’s, and performed on every Luther Concert Band concert. But, Frank Ticheli had already done that in his tribute symphony to Jim Croft.
Then I came up with the title, “Skyline” (pronounced “sky-leen”) which is a play on Fred’s last name and the actual word, “Skyline.” The definition of “Skyline” is where heaven and earth meet. And “Skyleen” is the place where Fred exists now. The multiple flute solos represent his dear partner, Katherine Borst Jones.
It is my hope that performances of this work will evoke fond memories of a great teacher and wonderful person and generous donations to the Fred Nyline Distinguished Award in Music Fund at Luther College."
— Note by the composer
Pacem
Robert Spittal (b. 1963)
Josh Reynolds, conductor
"As is the case with most of my compositions, I wrote Pacem – A Hymn for Peace for a friend who also happens to be a musician. The work was composed for Patrick Brooks and his wind ensemble at Idaho State University. The thematic structures of the piece are based on the second movement of my Consort for Ten Winds, which impressed me at a chamber recording session I led in 1999. I intended Consort to be a contemporary reflection of older music, and for the second movement to reflect the beautiful, imitative motet style of the Renaissance composers I admire, such as Josquin Des Prez and Palestrina. While many of the stylistic and inherently lyrical elements of Consort are retained in Pacem (Latin for 'peace'), the large-scale instrumental forces of the symphonic wind ensemble presented opportunities to expand the music proportions of Pacem. Rather than simply an "arrangement" of the earlier chamber work. Pacem became an original piece unto itself. The musical propositions of Pacem range from the introspective to the epic, reflecting the scope of humanity's persistent, hopeful, and often difficult struggle toward the realization of personal and universal peace.
Pacem is a musical expression of humankind’s desire for universal peace among all people, as well as the personal peace that comes from within. 'Pacem' is the Latin word for 'peace.' The choice of Latin is significant for two reasons: 1) as a kind of tribute to the Franco-Flemish Renaissance composers, whose music strongly influenced this work, and 2) as a symbol of the universality of humankind’s desire for peace — a collective desire that cuts across geographic, religious, ethnic, historical or other boundaries. The reflective, more peaceful moments in the work represent our hope for personal peace. The stronger, maestoso statements of the main theme convey a hopeful optimism for the realization of peace among all people. Other statements are more conflicted and ambiguous, and remind us that achieving universal peace requires persistence and struggle, and that it remains an unrealized challenge in the world."
— Note by the composer
Lightning Field
John Mackey (b. 1973)
Alex Mondragon, conductor
“John Mackey’s “Lightning Field” takes its title from a work of art by Walter De Maria. That work is a massive expanse of New Mexico desert, claimed and transformed by the artist via an installation of steel rods: planted in the earth and reaching toward the sky, they call down its power – literally creating man-made lightning storms. Like them, Mackey’s piece speaks to the ancient impulse to summon nature’s power, and the magic such acts unleash. A sense of energy runs throughout the work, with the driving onstage percussion enhanced by the sound of thunder (provided by inexpensive hand-held percussion instruments called “thunder tubes“) surrounding the audience.”
— Note from the composer's website
Collegiate Winds
Landscapes (2013)
Rossano Galante (b. 1967)
A Buffalo, NY native, Rossano Galante earned a degree in trumpet performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1992. He then was accepted into the film scoring program at the University of Southern California and studied with film composer Jerry Goldsmith.
Galante has composed music for the films Bite Marks, The Last Straight Man, Monday Morning, and Channels. He has served as orchestrator for over sixty studio films including A Quiet Place, The Mummy, Logan, Big Fat Liar, Scary Movie 2, The Tuxedo, and Tuesdays with Morrie, to name a few.
For his large-scale wind ensemble compositions, Galante has been commissioned by the Federation of Gay Games–Paris 2018, Atlanta Freedom Band, Lake Braddock High School Band, Hofstra University Symphonic Band, and the Nebraska Wind Symphony, among many others.
Originally written for brass quintet (two trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba), the wind ensemble version of Landscapes was completed in 2013. This short, energetic work is reflective of the broad, sweeping film-music style of the composer.
Tears of St. Lawrence (2014)
Aaron Perrine (b. 1979)
Christopher Hoch, guest conductor
With works in a variety of genres, Aaron Perrine’s music has been performed by some of the leading ensembles and soloists across the United States and beyond. He is a two-time winner of the American Bandmasters Association Sousa/Ostwald Award for his compositions: Only Light in 2015 and Pale Blue on Deep in 2013. Only Light — commissioned by the University of Iowa Symphony Band, Richard Mark Heidel, conductor — was included on the latest University of Kansas Wind Ensemble recording (Of Shadow and Light, Klavier). Another one of his compositions — Temperance — won the 2017 CBDNA Young Band Composition Contest. Perrine's music for winds has also been featured at the 2017 CBDNA National Conference, multiple regional CBDNA Conferences, The Midwest Clinic, The Western International Band Clinic, and at numerous all-state, state conference and honor band concerts. This spring, his music will be included at both the 2023 CBDNA National Conference and the 2023 ABA Conference.
In addition to composing, Perrine is an active conductor and educator. He has conducted a variety of honor bands, with his most recent appearance being the 2022 South Dakota All-State Band. Future conducting engagements include the 2023 South Carolina All-State Junior Band. He spent several years on the faculty of Cornell College and currently composes full-time. Perrine has received degrees from the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota–Morris.
About Tears of St. Lawrence, the composer writes:
Early summer [in 2013], my then five-year-old daughter became very interested in astronomy. She read every book in the library on the topic and became obsessed with the idea of seeing a falling star. After scanning the night sky for a few months with no success, she began to give up hope. Fortunately for all of us, the annual Perseids meteor shower — often referred to as the “Tears of St. Lawrence” — was quickly approaching.
One clear mid-August night, I woke my daughter a bit after midnight. Without telling her what was to come, we quietly made our way outside. After anxiously waiting for what felt like forever, we saw our first falling star together! In addition to the obvious sense of excitement, however, I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic, because I knew that in a few short weeks, my daughter would be going to school for the first time. As we watched the stars, we took turns telling stories as we wondered what the next year would bring. Two hours and countless meteors later, I finally convinced my daughter to return to bed. Tears of St. Lawrence was inspired by the variety of emotions experienced during that memorable night.
Courtly Airs and Dances (1995)
Ron Nelson (b. 1929)
I. Intrada
II. Basse Danse (France)
III. Pavane (England)
IV. Saltarello (Italy)
V. Sarabande (Spain)
VI. Allemande (Germany)
American composer Ron Nelson began piano lessons at age six. At that tender age, he wrote his first composition, entitled The Sailboat, finding it more fun to improvise than to practice. He became a church organist at age 13. His early efforts rewarded him with the discipline to write down his improvisations, and to learn the basic principles of orchestration.
Nelson received his bachelor of music degree in 1952, the master’s degree in 1953, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1956, all from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. He also studied in France at the Ecole Normale de Musique and at the Paris Conservatory under a Fulbright Grant in 1955. Nelson joined the Brown University faculty the following year and taught there until his retirement in 1993.
He composed two operas, a Mass, music for films and television, 90 choral works, and over 40 instrumental works. Composing for band became a major focus, and the community has been rewarded with his Savannah River Holiday, Rocky Point Holiday, Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H), and Chaconne.
In 1991, Nelson was awarded the Acuff Chair of Excellence in the Creative Arts, the first musician to hold the chair. In 1993, his Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H) made history by winning all three major wind band compositions — the National Association Prize, the American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Prize and the Sudler International Prize. He was awarded the Medal of Honor of the John Philip Sousa Foundation in Washington, DC in 1994. In 2006, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Oklahoma City University.
Nelson received numerous commissions, including those from the National Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, the U.S. Air Force Band and Chorus, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Aspen Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, Musashino Wind Ensemble, and countless colleges and universities. He also received grants and awards from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Howard Foundation, ASCAP, and several from the National Endowment for the Arts. He also appeared as guest composer/conductor at a large number of colleges and universities, including Illinois, Yale, North Texas State, Western Michigan, Sam Houston, Lawrence, Dartmouth, Southern Maine, CalTech, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Princeton.
Courtly Airs and Dances is a suite of Renaissance dances which were characteristic to five European countries during the 1500s. Three of the dances (Basse Dance, Pavane, and Allemande) are meant to emulate the music of Claude Gervaise by drawing on the style of his music as well as the characteristics of other compositions from that period. The festival opens with a fanfare-like Intrada followed by the Basse Danse (France), Pavane (England), Saltarello (Italy), Sarabande (Spain), and Allemande (Germany).
Wayfaring Stranger (2014)
Christopher M. Nelson (b. 1987)
Christopher M. Nelson is an educator, conductor, composer and arranger. Currently, he serves as an associate instructor in the Band department at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he is pursuing a doctorate in Wind Band Conducting. Before his doctoral studies, Chris served as a director of bands in the Salem–Keizer and Alpine school districts in Oregon and Utah, respectively. Chris holds a Master of Arts in Music Performance with an emphasis in conducting from Washington State University, and a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education from Brigham Young University.
As an educator, Chris’ ensembles have been consistently recognized for their high-quality performances. His bands have been invited to state festivals and contests in both Oregon and Utah, earning superior ratings and state placements with his concert, jazz and percussion ensembles. His marching ensembles have been similarly recognized with state classification championships and numerous caption awards. He has presented at the Utah and Oregon Music Educator’s Association Conferences, and has been awarded the Citation of Excellence from the Utah Chapter of the National Band Association. Chris is sought after as a concert and marching adjudicator, clinician and arranger throughout the Western United States.
Wayfaring Stranger is a setting of the American folk spiritual known as "Poor Wayfaring Stranger." While many versions of the lyrics to this tune exist, they all tell the story of a traveler who makes his way on a journey despite a rough road, difficult circumstances and gathering darkness. He does this, the lyrics say, for the promise of green pastures and a reunion with his father and mother at journey’s end. This setting is intended to convey not only the difficulty experienced by the traveler, but also the resolve which is displayed as he moves forward despite hardship and disappointment. Wayfaring Stranger is offered as a sort of resolute battle hymn for anyone who must endure a long journey of challenge and trial before the promised green pastures can be enjoyed.
First Suite for Band (1976)
Alfred Reed (1921–2005)
IV. Gallop
Born into a family of Austrian descent that cherished music, Alfred Reed began his musical studies at age ten on trumpet, and by high school age he was performing professionally in the Catskills at resort hotels. He served as musician and arranger during World War II in the 529th Army Air Force Band, for which he created more than 100 works; following the war he was a student of Vittorio Giannini at Juilliard.
He was staff composer and arranger for both the National Broadcasting Corporation and the American Broadcasting Corporation. In 1953, Reed became conductor of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, at the same time completing his academic work; he received his Bachelor of Music in 1955 and his Master of Music in 1956. His master's thesis was the Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra, which later was to win the Luria Prize. It received its first performance in 1959 and was subsequently published in 1966. During Reed's two years at Baylor, he also became interested in the problems of educational music at all levels, especially in the development of repertoire materials for school bands, orchestras and choruses. This led, in 1955, to his accepting the post of editor at Hansen Publishing in New York.
In 1966 Reed left this post to join the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Miami, holding a joint appointment in the Theory/Composition and Music Education departments, and to develop the unique (at the time) Music Industry degree program, of which he became director.
With over 250 published works for concert band, wind ensemble, orchestra, chorus and various smaller chamber music groups — many of which have been on the required performance lists in this country for the past 20 years — Reed was one of the nation’s most prolific and frequently performed composers.
The First Suite for Band was commissioned by R. Lee Holmes and the Edmonton (Canada) Public School Symphonic Band, which premiered the work, with the composer conducting, at the Canadian Music Educators Association convention in that city on April 3, 1975.
Gallop, the finale of the four-movement work, is an authentically styled American circus galop which, according to the composer, moves "as fast as possible, but no faster."
ROSTERS
University Bands
Musicians are listed alphabetically by section.
PICCOLO
Sabrina Sedlacko
FLUTE
Sidney Apel
Naddelynne Ferguson
Katie Freytag
Ash Harmon
Aspen Lieber
Saanil Rao
Sabrina Sedlacko
Emma Smith
Ashley Watkins
OBOE
Emma Robinson
Lauren Yoder
CLARINET
Leah Bauer
Jake Blevins
Audra Franke
Tamya Halison
Nathan Hogg
Brayden Hyder
Brian Lo
Ericka Niehaus
Trevor Paul
Michaela Strunck
BASS CLARINET
Jacob Claggett
Danielle Marshal
Tori Steinbrecher
BASSOON
Jaylyn Fogle
ALTO SAXOPHONE
Jack Burkhart
Elizabeth Howes
Kate Lazuka
Katie Weaver
TENOR SAXOPHONE
Ian Claggett
Kaitlyn Collinsworth
SusieLee Horton
BARITONE SAXOPHONE
Kaitlyn Daum
TRUMPET
AJ Alexander
Madison Bricker
Evan Freeland
Alex Hartsough
Blake Hassay
Hussam Jadaan
Tommy Kasarcik
Cooper Kellogg
Vishank Raghavan
Joshua Silver
Stephen Strouse
Jess Vanek
HORN
Chelsea Afadzi
Nik Henderson
Clark Hou
Ki Jones
Autumn McComb
Ethan Moseley
Allison Simon
Will Weisenburger
TROMBONE
Nick Carter
Jacob Gnau
Nathan Greenberg
Meghana Kanathur
Emily Leninsky
Isaac Shah
Nathan Vernon
Noor Yunis
EUPHONIUM
I. Burgos
Brianne Cochill
Abigail DeLong
Katie Lowry
Patrick Martyn
TUBA
Isaac Clemens
Joseph Orr
Kelly Scott
Courtney Shalifoe
Cameron Wright
PERCUSSION
Daniel Allen
Gavin Brown
Claudia Church
Carter Fry
Muhammad Khairie bin Iswandy
Travis Jahna
Dylan Kerniskey
Andrew Lineweaver
Chang Lu
Morgan Riddiford
Chris Smallwood
Vivek Soni
Collegiate Winds
Musicians are listed alphabetically by section.
PICCOLO
Devin Zdanowicz
FLUTE
Hanna Everding *
Jhon Fajardo
Cooper Greenlees
Natalie O’Brien
Corrina Pohlman
OBOE
Witty Kwok *
Maddie Wittman
BASSOON
Conner Ozatalar *
CLARINET
Phillip Ainsworth
Dominic Barnes
Ethan Dale
Leena Jafri
Sydney Thompson *
Abbey Zunic
BASS CLARINET
Swaraj Patnaik
ALTO SAXOPHONE
Katia de Jong *
Willow Mauldin
TRUMPET
Justin Barnes
Sofia Barragan
Luke Buzard
Carolyn Hensley
Joel Kellar
Jonathan Levene
Gregg Mendel
Joung Min Oh
Eric Pattison
Alex Tuma *
HORN
Leila Culp
Annalise Johnson *
Sarah Jones
Olivia Sexton
Aidan Walsh
TROMBONE
Lucia Cherok *
Safa Jeelani
Lily Kent
Andric McNabb, bass
Callum Murphy
Hikari Nawa
Nathan Palmer
EUPHONIUM
Sayaka Iimura *
Clayton Messinger
TUBA
Michael Flowers
Ryan Ouimet
Sydney Reeves
Lucas Snouffer *
PIANO
Alex Buckley
Alex Tuma
PERCUSSION
Andrew Bourget
Alex Buckley
Andrew Haines
Cierra Miller
Joey Speidel *
Marie Zantopulos
* principal
Join us…
School of Music performances are free, unless indicated otherwise. Many performances held in Weigel Auditorium are livestreamed for later viewing.
Would you like to receive reminders about upcoming events in the School of Music? Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter, OVATION.
Visit music.osu.edu/events for upcoming performances, lectures and more.
Visit music.osu.edu/outreach for opportunities for middle/high school musicians and educators.