Wednesday, April 15, 2026  •  7:30 p.m.

Weigel Auditorium | Columbus, OH

SYMPHONIC BAND
Scott A. Jones, conductor
Paul Bissler (MM), guest conductor
Quinn Bugala (BM), piano 
 

Welcome

Thank you for joining the musicians of Symphonic Band for this final performance of the academic year. This evening we celebrate music of, and inspired by, France!

The United States and France established diplomatic relations in 1778 following the United States’ declaration of independence from Great Britain, and France provided key assistance to the United States as an ally during its war of independence. We honor the long relationship between our two countries and celebrate the rich musical legacy of France this evening.

We extend special gratitude to the students currently enrolled in the “European Musical Traditions” course (Dr. Katie Graber, professor) for preparing the program notes for this concert. 

We also celebrate the musicians for whom this evening marks their final concert band performance at Ohio State. We are all deeply grateful for the many ways that these individuals – who we will call by name this evening - have contributed and inspired others during their time on campus. “Time and change will surely show …”

Best wishes for a joyous spring, and we look forward to visiting with you after the performance.

Scott A. Jones
Conductor 
 

PROGRAM

Fanfare for Lafayette (1976)

Jacques Casterede (1926–2014), ed. Mikkelson

Jacques Casterede was a French composer and pianist born in 1926. He began studying at the Paris Conservatory in 1944 and became a professor there in 1960. Casterede won multiple awards for his compositions, including the Grand Prix de Rome in music composition in 1953. His compositions include ballets, oratorios, symphonies, and works for chamber groups.

Casterede composed Fanfare for Lafayette in 1976 as a commission in honor of Marquis de Lafayette, the French military officer who played a major role in the American Revolutionary War. A reference to both countries occurs in the middle section of the composition during which a short fragment of national anthems of both countries is heard. This piece is scored for brass and percussion and written in the style of an 18th-century military band. The work reflects the ceremonial style typical of fanfares using bold brass writing, strong rhythms, and a bright harmonic timbre evoking a sense of celebration and heroism.

Overture in C (1792 / 1958)

Charles-Simon Catel (1773–1830), ed. Goldman & Smith

Paul Bissler, conductor

Charles-Simon Catel, a French composer, was born in 1773 and studied composition at the Royal School of Singing in Paris. At 16 years old, he became chief assistant at the band of the National Guard, composing military music for official ceremonies. Later, he was appointed inaugural professor of harmony at the Conservatoire de Paris. Catel composed operas, symphonies, and chamber music as well as pieces for wind instruments. 

Richard Franko Goldman and Roger Smith partnered on several arrangements for band, including the modern edition of Catel’s Overture in C. Goldman was a composer, conductor, author, and professor born in 1910. He was the third generation of professional musicians in his family, and he studied composition with famed French composer and pedagogue Nadia Boulanger. Smith was the principal trombonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra from 1940-1975 and a professor at Juilliard for 28 years. 

Overture in C was originally composed in 1792 for the Band of the National Guard and is regarded as one of Catel's best compositions. It begins with a slow introduction and is otherwise in classic sonata form, characteristic of music of the time. The piece was rediscovered and edited for modern-day use by Richard Franko Goldman and Roger Smith, with its American debut taking place in 1953.

La cathédrale engloutie (1910)

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)

Quinn Bugala, piano

Quinn Bugala is a second-year student at The Ohio State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance under the instruction of Professors Caroline Hong and Diana Chubak. As a recipient of the Derek H. Busch Memorial Award and the Kuehefuhs Piano Accompaniment Scholarship, Quinn is an active chamber musician, collaborating with performers across multiple studios and disciplines at Ohio State.

Originally from Ann Arbor, Quinn has maintained a strong musical presence in Southeast Michigan, performing as a solo artist, collaborative pianist, and ensemble musician at venues such as Hill Auditorium, Kerrytown Concert House, and Macon Creek. In addition to his work as a pianist, Quinn also studies bassoon with Professor Jesse Schartz and has toured with esteemed wind ensembles at Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney World.

Alongside his performance career, Quinn maintains a private piano studio, teaching students of all ages and experience levels. He is committed to sharing his passion for piano while fostering personal growth, confidence, and expressive artistry in every student he mentors.

Quinn is honored to share the stage with Ohio State’s Symphonic Band, performing Debussy’s La Cathédrale Engloutie.

Claude Debussy, born in 1862, was a leading figure in the Impressionist music movement. Though he disliked this label, the French composer is well known for his music’s atmospheric and dream-like qualities. As an accomplished pianist, many of his compositions are for solo or duo piano. Famously known for “Clair de Lune,” Debussy adapted over 200 pieces from children’s tunes to opera. Debussy believed the only rule of music was the beauty of individual sounds, as he loved “the poetry of things half said." This mindset can be heard through many of his pieces, including “La cathédrale engloutie,” or Engulfed Cathedral.

Engulfed Cathedral was published in 1910, a six-minute prelude displaying a vast range of emotions. Debussy creates a vivid portrayal of the mythical cathedral of Ys. Listeners hear a setting of serenity and still waters set by a slow, quiet melody. As the piece progresses, sounds reminiscent of beams of sunlight beginning to stream forth are heard as morning dawns and something emerges from the sea. As the piano swells with bright, majestic glory, it announces the rising cathedral, the sound of church bells strike. The piano then fades away into a mournful lament as the cathedral sinks back to its watery home below the ocean’s surface.

Hymn of Ys (2017 / 2022) 

Harrison J. Collins (b. 1999)

Harrison J. Collins (he/she/they) is an award-winning contemporary composer born in Dallas, Texas. They found their passion for music early on, beginning to compose at age thirteen. Their compositions cover numerous styles and genres, including works for wind ensembles, chamber ensembles, orchestras, and more. They have won numerous competitions, such as the Sinta Quartet Composition Competition, the Dallas Winds Fanfare Competition, and the National Young Composers Challenge. Today, Collins serves as a member of the Millennium Composers Initiative, as well as a founding member of the Aurora Tapestry Collective. 

Hymn of Ys was composed in 2017 and later revised in 2022. The piece was commissioned by LeAndre Benton, Collins’ high school assistant band director. This composition draws on themes from Claude Debussy’s Engulfed Cathedral, taking recognizable musical ideas and turning them into chorale-like sections. Like Debussy, Collins took inspiration from the legend of the City of Ys, the story of a prosperous city ultimately destroyed by the sea. Collins writes that the piece “is imagined as a hymn one could hear from the great cathedrals of Ys.” In addition to borrowing from Engulfed Cathedral, this piece also quotes Debussy’s “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair” as a reference to the princess of Ys and “La Mer” to evoke the sea. The music has a solemn, spiritual feeling, with chorale-style melodies that reinforce the hymn’s inspiration. The piece gradually builds in intensity while moving between softer, peaceful sections and louder, more powerful moments. The pacing is deliberate and expressive, with many moments of solemn reflection paralleling the tragic tale.

Paris Sketches (1994)        

Martin Ellerby (b. 1957) 

1. Saint Germain-des-Prés
2. Pigalle
3. Père Lachaise
4. Les Halles

Born in 1957 in Worksop, England, Martin Ellerby is an accomplished composer who has written for choirs, orchestras, and bands, as well as examination and sightreading materials for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Ellerby tours internationally throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and his compositions have been performed and recorded around the world. 

Ellerby composed Paris Sketches to capture the sights, feelings, and effects of the capital of France. Each movement is named after significant sights and locations within the city of Paris. In the first movement depicting the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Ellerby uses the ethereal sounds of the woodwinds, floating flute lines, and support from the brass to recreate the mysterious fogginess one might experience during dawn in Paris. Ellerby shifts to a different atmosphere in the second movement, Pigalle, “the Soho of Paris,” portraying moments of grace interrupted by dissonance and humor. The third movement, named for the cemetery Père Lachaise, displays the elegance and beauty of Paris while reflecting on the history of the city. The final movement on the market area Les Halles features a fanfare melody with support from constant movement throughout the band.

Galop from Genevieve de Brabant (1859)  

Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880), ed. Bourgeois 

Born in 1819, French composer Jacques Offenbach is notable for writing nearly 100 operettas, many of which continue to be revived in the 21st century. The second-act piece “The Gendarmes' Duet” from Offenbach’s opera, Geneveive de Brabant, was arranged for wind ensemble and renamed “Galop” by John R. Bourgeois in 1988.

John Bourgeois was conductor of “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band from 1979 to 1996. In this role, he served as Music Advisor to the White House under presidential administrations from Eisenhower to Clinton, responsible for selecting the program and conducting for four presidential inaugurations. 

Genevieve de Brabant, first performed in 1859, is a comedy based on the medieval legend of Genevieve of Brabant. Offenbach was a known prankster, a lively characteristic that can be found within “Galop.” As its title might suggest, this piece is an energetic, springy march that will instantly capture the attention of audience members. If one listens closely, the trio section presents thematic material that would eventually become the United States Marines Hymn.