Skyward - Katahj Copley
UWA Wind Ensemble, Ms. Brianna Jarvis - conductor
When the Trumpet Sounds - Andre Thomas
UWA Choral Union, Dr. Paul Lee - Piano
The Morning Trumpet - Robert Shaw and Alice Parker
UWA Choral Union, Alexander Davis - Soloist
Echoes of Remembrance - Zachery S. Meier
UWA Wind Ensemble, Dr. Tyler Strickland - conductor
- Theme
- Variation I. (N.M.C.) "Ocean"
- Variation II. (D.L.M.) "Adventure"
- Variation III. (S.A.M.) "Lullaby"
- Finale
Echoes of Remembrance was inspired by the famous Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar. Elgar composed this multimovement theme and variations for friends and family members, constructing each movement from various memories, inside jokes/stories, or “in essence” of these important people in his life. Echoes is my version of his memorialized concept written fondly for my immediate family, my father, mother, and sister. Three distinct variations to an original theme are presented in the work.
The opening theme describes our family as a whole - with each variation encapsulating some memory or aspect of my family and ending with a triumphant and joyous finale. The first variation is for my sister, Nicole, and encapsulates a time in our life that I remember genuinely connecting as siblings; a trip to Cancun, Mexico. On the trip we both were introduced to the ocean (the subtitle of this movement) and fell in love with the open water. Her variation aims to depict the ocean through rushing woodwind and percussion gestures and a strong sea-song version of the main theme presented in the brass. The piece is in the relative minor key (f minor) of the main theme (Ab Major) to emphasize our connectedness (shared key signature, but characteristically different) along with the compound meter version of the main theme (9/8 vs. 3/4).
The second variation is for my father, David, the stronghold of our family unit regarding design and keeping our family activities organized. As the dominant member, I placed his variation in the dominant key of Ab Major: Eb Major, which is also a notable key for being triumphant and heroic. This variation explores the adventurous side of my father, who was the go-to planner for our family trips and a lover of action movies. The opening is a nod to his favorite movie, Jurassic Park, which quickly moves into a driving and forward-moving version of the theme with excitement and vigor.
The third variation is for my mother, Shari, whom I share a very special and warm bond. She has been an immeasurable supporter of all my creative work ever since I can remember; from the first art classes to numerous band and orchestra concerts. Her movement shares the same key as the opening theme to emulate connection, but with the theme presented in stack chord clusters to depict being wrapped in affection. The variation then turns into a beautiful lullaby in a serenading contrast to the other movement and showcases various gentle melodies and a warm harmonic language.
The final movement is a celebration of all the wonderful people in my life; more than just those in my immediate family, but for all my chosen family, as well. I am humbled by the amount of wonderful people that I have in my life and am incredibly grateful for each of them. This finale is a thank you to them through an evolving variation of the theme, eventually presented with vibrance and exultation.
-Program note by composer
"Special thanks to the consortium members: your support and trust in me to bring this piece to life is humbling and wrapped in gratitude. I am so grateful to have to opportunity to continue writing music for band because of your generous contributions to this project and confidence in my compositional voice."
Consortium Members:
- University of Dubuque, Consortium Lead
- Central Wyoming College
- Houghton University
- Cornell College
- University of West Alabama
- Denison University
- University of Minnesota Duluth
- Anchorage Community Concert Band
Every Time I Feel the Spirit - arr. Rollo Dilwortth
UWA Choral Union, Alexis Jones - Soloist, Dr. Paul Lee - Piano
I Sing Because I’m Happy - arr. Rollo Dilworth
UWA Choral Union, Dr. Paul Lee - Piano
Rejoice and Sing! - Rollo Dilworth
UWA Choral Union, Dr. Paul Lee - Piano
*Ionized Vision, Vaporized Light - Ziang Han
UWA Wind Ensemble, Dr. Tyler Strickland - conductor
Ionized Vision, Vaporized Light is about an imagined gigantic and boundless creature who only has access to its optic sensation. The creature is otherwise trapped inside something amorphous, borderless, and invisible. The strong attack at the very beginning, and throughout the piece, represents the loud and metallic clanking sound made by its eyelids as the creature blinks. Each time it blinks, its surroundings crumble down a bit, slowly disintegrating from inside, ionized in the end. Over time, those ionized particles merge with each other and the light, ascending into another space, vaporized.
- Program Note by composer
Ziang Han has a knack for questioning and exploring the very concept of music and aesthetics. What are they exactly? Music is sonic; it is organized; it is creative. Han’s aesthetic is certainly all of those. As a timbrellist, he finds beauty in using non-traditional sounds, combining them in unique ways, to create a mood, or to tell a story. Through the process, partakers of his music become more aware of all the timbres surrounding them but often filtered out of our awareness unconsciously. From an errant door closing to the constant hum of air handlers, from the murmur of patrons gathered in the lobby to the virtual silence the moment before a musical performance -- these are the timbres of our day, combined to create the textures of our life. In this composition, Han uses the traditional medium of the wind band, but primarily explores the non-traditional timbres that are possible by each of the instruments in the ensemble.
- Program Note by Myron Peterson for University of Iowa University Band concert program, 10 April 2023
Georgia On My Mind - Hoagy Carmichael / arr. Carl Strommen
UWA Choral Union, Katie Kreider, Soloist, Dr. Paul Lee - Piano
Hallelujah, I Love Her So - Ray Charles / arr. Alan Billingsley
UWA Choral Union, Dr. Paul Lee - Piano
The Lion King - arr. John Higgins
UWA Wind Ensemble, Ms. Brianna Jarvis - conductor