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Welcome to the Richland County High School Winter Concert featuring the Honors Wind Chamber Ensemble, and the Jazz Band
At this time, we ask that you place your phone on silent mode to prevent any distractions during tonight's performance.
In an effort to "go green", allow for more content, and to cut back on the cost for Richland County High School to print programs, the RCHS Bands concert program is digital. However, we know that many families would still prefer a paper copy of the program as a memento. If you would like a paper copy of tonight's concert program please fill out the form found within the link below. A paper copy will be mailed to your house within a week. https://forms.gle/JT1y2pyLR1JwuCaa9
Eric Combs was the band director at Richland County Middle School from 2008-2023. Prior to that he taught at Nuttall Middle School in Robinson, Illinois from 2005-2008. Eric is a class of 2000 graduate of Richland County High School. Mr Combs comes from a very musical family. His daughter Baylie plays flute in the RCMS band, his daughter Sophie plays clarinet in the RCHS band, his talented wife Jena is the band director and music instructor at LTC and OCC, and their 3 year old son James just likes to make a lot of random noise constantly. He will likely be a drummer. Mr. Combs received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University, and a second Master's in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Springfield. Eric was a 2019 recipient of the WTHI TV 10 Golden Apple Award, the 2020 Illinois State Teacher of the Year, and one of 36 National Awards For Teaching Excellence recipients in 2021. His book, Thoughts From a Beginning Band Director is available through Amazon. Eric also is the owner of CodeCrafters, LLC that sells his marching band drill writing software, QuickCharts. Currently, Mr. Combs works as a corporate Instructional Designer for the Hershey Company.
PROGRAM NOTES - FILLING IN FOR BUDDY BY DOUG BEACH
Doug Beach is an American performer, educator, publisher, arranger, and award-winning jazz composer whose work has had substantial influence in educational and large ensemble jazz music. He taught jazz studies and directed the highly regarded Elmhurst College Jazz Band in Elmhurst, Illinois, from 1978 until his retirement in 2021. During his tenure, the ensemble toured internationally, appearing at festivals across the world and collaborating with jazz greats. Beach’s contributions extend beyond teaching; his compositions and arrangements are widely performed by student and professional jazz ensembles alike. His publishing company, Doug Beach Music, is one of the premier sources of original jazz charts for educational and community big bands, distributed through Kendor Music. Beach’s compositions have earned consistent recognition, including annual ASCAP Plus Awards in composition. His arrangement of Duke Ellington’s “Cottontail” was recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra and New York Voices and contributed to a Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble.
SOURCE: https://www.hebu-music.com/
Filling In For Buddy (2023) is a jazz ensemble chart composed by Doug Beach and published for young bands at Grade 1 ensemble level. It is part of the Jazz Foundations / Jazz Ensemble Series and aims to bridge educational accessibility with stylistic authenticity. The piece serves as a tribute to legendary drummer Buddy Rich, one of the most celebrated and virtuosic jazz drummers in history.
SOURCE: https://kendormusic.com/
PROGRAM NOTES - WHAT A WONDERFUL WORD BY GEORGE WEISS & BOB THIELE
What a Wonderful World is a timeless classic celebrating the beauty of life’s simple joys and the promise of hope. Written in 1967 by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele, the song was created specifically for jazz legend Louis Armstrong, whose warm, soulful delivery made the tune an enduring favorite around the world. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of nature’s splendor and human connection—from “trees of green, red roses too” to “friends shaking hands”—inviting listeners to reflect on the wonder inherent in everyday life. Everything Explained Today Initially, What a Wonderful World received limited promotion in the United States and did not chart highly upon its first release. However, it topped the charts in the United Kingdom and other countries in 1968 and later enjoyed renewed popularity when featured in the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam. Armstrong’s original recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, recognizing its lasting cultural impact. SOURCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/ and https://everything.explained.today/
George David Weiss was a prolific American songwriter whose work helped shape mid-20th-century popular music. In addition to What a Wonderful World, Weiss co-wrote many standards, including Can’t Help Falling in Love and The Lion Sleeps Tonight. His songs were recorded by a wide range of artists across jazz, pop, and Broadway, and he served as president of the Songwriters Guild of America for nearly two decades. Weiss’s gift for melody and lyrical clarity made his work both enduring and widely beloved. SOURCE: https://www.songhall.org
Bob Thiele was a respected record producer, composer, and music industry leader. Under the pseudonym George Douglas, he collaborated with Weiss to write What a Wonderful World, blending simple lyrical sentiment with profound emotional resonance. Thiele produced the original recording of the song for Armstrong’s label, ABC Records. Though initially overlooked by some music executives, the recording’s appeal has only grown with time. SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/
PROGRAM NOTES - MAMBO OVER THE MOUNTAIN BY RICK HIRSCH
Rick Hirsch is an American composer, arranger, educator, and performer based in State College, Pennsylvania. He writes original works and arrangements for jazz ensembles ranging from small combos to full big bands. His compositions often blend traditional jazz elements with Latin, funk, and popular idioms, making them engaging for both performers and audiences. Hirsch also leads Rick Hirsch’s Big Ol’ Band, a group dedicated to performing original and arranged jazz compositions, and his music is published through Hirsch Music Publications.
SOURCE: https://hirschmusic.com/
Originally recorded by Rick Hirsch’s Big Ol’ Band on the 2017 album Pocono Git-Down, the tune showcases a vibrant mix of strong ensemble writing with optional solo features for alto and tenor saxophones, trombone, and piano/guitar—inviting improvisation within a tightly arranged framework.
SOURCE: https://rickhirsch.bandcamp.com/
PROGRAM NOTES - FANFARE AND PROCESSIONAL FOR AN OLD ENGLISH CAROL BY ROBERT W. SMITH
Robert W. Smith was an American composer, arranger, conductor, and educator whose music left a lasting imprint on the wind band and concert band repertoire. Born in Daleville, Alabama, in 1958, Smith wrote over 600 works during his career, ranging from original symphonies for band to accessible music for school ensembles. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by ensembles worldwide, and he is celebrated for his creativity, musicality, and deep connection to band traditions. Smith also served as a teacher and clinician, imparting musical insight to students and conductors across North America and beyond. He passed away in 2023, leaving a rich legacy of band music still widely performed today.
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/
Fanfare and Processional on an Old English Carol is a vibrant concert band piece that draws its inspiration from the traditional English carol “Adeste Fidelis,” known widely in English as O Come, All Ye Faithful. Although the carol’s precise origins are historic and somewhat unclear, its melody has been central to Christmas music traditions for centuries and is frequently featured in holiday performances and services.
SOURCE: https://www.alfred.com/
PROGRAM NOTES - HOSTS OF FREEDOM BY KARL L. KING
Hosts of Freedom was penned in the year of Karl L. King’s move to Fort Dodge, Iowa, after serving as a performer and conductor of several prominent circus bands of the day. Hosts of Freedom represents a simple, effective and straightforward form that the composer used again and again during his long and productive career as a composer. The march was clearly designed to meet the needs of less experienced players while offering engaging melodies, bright counter melodies and interesting parts for all sections. Originally published in 1920, it contains much of the flavor of “the big top” and it served as a fast finale for many circus bands.
SOURCE: Wind Repertory Project (https://www.windrep.org/Hosts_of_Freedom)
Many listeners, at least American listeners, associate only the iconic John Philip Sousa with band music, but Karl L. King was a formidable, if less-imposing rival. He wrote many band pieces to honor schools and universities and for use at circuses, his most famous being Barnum & Bailey's Favorite.
Karl Laurence King was born February 21, 1891, in Paintersville, OH. He showed musical talent late in his childhood and began playing trombone in the Canton (Ohio) Marine Band. At the behest of his teacher he took up the baritone and found it better suited to his skills. He never had any training in theory or composition, but studied the subjects on his own and became quite a capable orchestrator.
By 17 he produced his first march; two years later he began playing baritone with the band of Robinson's Famous Circus. Within a few years he became the ensemble's director. In 1914 he was appointed bandmaster of the Sells Floto-Buffalo Bill band, holding the post for two years. During 1917-1918 he served in the same capacity for Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth. During this time he wrote the aforementioned hit march, Barnum & Bailey's Favorite, and he also met his wife Ruth, who played calliope in the band.
In 1920, King moved his family, which now included an infant son, to Fort Dodge, IA, to serve as director of the municipal band, called the Fort Dodge Military Band. He also supported the family with a publishing company he had earlier established, while his wife operated a related business dealing in the sale of musical instruments. King, of course, used his publishing company to publish his own growing list of marches, waltzes, serenades, gallops, overtures, and rags.
Over the next several decades King provided many marches for the universities associated with the Big Ten, including Indiana, Our Indiana and Viking March. His Fort Dodge ensemble grew in prominence, too, making many tours, with appearances typically occurring at fairs and universities. King served as bandmaster of the Fort Dodge band for 38 years, retiring in 1959. He continued to make guest appearances leading other bands into the 1960s. He died in Fort Dodge in 1971, leaving an output of approximately 300 works, most (188) being marches or screamers (circus marches).
SOURCE: ALLMUSIC (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/karl-l-king-mn0001786923#biography)
PROGRAM NOTES - CLOUDS THAT SAIL IN HEAVEN BY TODD STALTER
Todd Stalter (b. 1966) is an American composer, conductor, and educator, known for a broad catalog of original works and arrangements for concert band and youth ensembles. He currently serves as Director of Bands at Eureka High School in Eureka, Illinois, and has had his music performed at major festivals and conventions throughout the United States and internationally. Stalter’s compositions and arrangements are noted for their strong rhythmic drive, effective orchestration, and accessibility for school and community ensembles. WindRep+1 Stalter’s music has earned praise and performance at venues such as the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Music for All Summer Symposium, and All-State festivals. His works span a variety of styles and difficulty levels, offering engaging repertoire for developing and advanced bands alike.
Clouds That Sail in Heaven is a concert fanfare for wind ensemble built upon material from the well-known hymn “All Creatures of Our God and King.” In this work, Stalter takes short melodic strands from the hymn and weaves them into expressive, interlocking textures that highlight the ensemble’s color and lyricism. The hymn itself has a long history in sacred music, celebrating creation and the natural world, and Stalter’s musical setting reflects this spirit through soaring lines and lyrical fanfare writing.
SOURCE: https://www.prestomusic.com/
PROGRAM NOTES - FLORENTINER MARCH BY JULIUS FUCIK
Julius Fučík was a Czech composer and conductor best known for his contributions to military band repertoire. Born in Prague in 1872, he studied bassoon, violin, percussion, and composition, later serving as a bandmaster in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Over his career he wrote more than 400 marches, polkas, waltzes, and other works for wind band and orchestra, earning him the nickname the “Bohemian Sousa.” Today, Fučík’s music remains popular with concert bands and military ensembles worldwide.
SOURCE: https://fswinds.org/
Composed in 1907 while Fučík was bandmaster of the 86th Infantry Regiment in Budapest, Florentiner March was one of his more ambitious and popular marches composed during a particularly fruitful period. It reflects the stylistic characteristics of European concert marches of the early 20th century and shows influences similar to those found in the works of American march composer John Philip Sousa.
SOURCE: https://www.jmu.edu/
PROGRAM NOTES - O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM BY MORTEN LAURIDSEN
Morten Lauridsen is an American composer and educator, widely celebrated for his choral music’s lyricism, expressive depth, and spiritual resonance. For many years he has been a professor of composition at the USC Thornton School of Music, and his works have been performed and recorded internationally. Lauridsen’s blend of modern harmony, ancient text settings, and reflective atmosphere has made him one of the most frequently sung contemporary choral composers.
SOURCE: https://ism.yale.ed
O Magnum Mysterium (Latin for “O Great Mystery”) is a choral motet composed in 1994. The piece sets a traditional Latin responsory text associated with the Matins of Christmas, which meditates on the awe and wonder surrounding the birth of Christ—most strikingly that even the humble animals witnessed this sacred event.
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/
PROGRAM NOTES - DEUX EX MACHINA BY RANDALL STANDRIDGE
Randall D. Standridge is an American composer and arranger whose catalog spans concert band, marching band, orchestral, and chamber music. Standridge’s music is widely performed in educational settings — from middle school ensembles to collegiate wind ensembles — and is known for its creative blending of contemporary sounds with traditional wind ensemble writing. His works often combine strong rhythmic energy, colorful orchestration, and imaginative musical ideas, making them favorites among performers and audiences alike.
SOURCE: https://randallstandridge.com
Some people say I suffer from an overactive imagination. That is not true. I don’t suffer from it at all. I enjoy every minute of it. I remember being in English class in high school, and learning about classical plays. Mrs. Eggburn (my fantastic 11th grade English teacher) mentioned the “Deus Ex Machina,” or “God of the Machine.” I’m not sure what she said after that because my mind was busy envisioning an ancient god brought into the modern age, with glowing neon eyes, speakers inside his mouth, and pulsing circuits growing out from his body into his temple built of circuit boards. It’s an image that has stayed with me ever since every time I hear that particular term. This work for concert band combines exotic scales, cinematic scoring, digital effects, and a dub-step feel to create a truly unique experience for the player and audience. Is it pop? Is it symphonic? Does it matter? Music is music and it’s either effective or it’s not. Deus Ex Machina was commissioned by the Georgia Music Educators District Six for their 9ths-10th grade honor band. They were very kind by allowing me to write something that was far outside the norm, and I will always be grateful.
SOURCE: Program notes from the composer (conductor's score)
IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE STUDENTS REGISTER FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. IN AN EFFORT TO HELP STUDENTS NAVIGATE REGISTRATION, TRI-M HONOR MUSIC SOCIETY CREATED A 4-YEAR GUIDING DOCUMENT. WE HOPE IT MAKES YOUR LIFE EASIER!
Six student-musicians from the Richland County High School band program have been selected to partake in the 2025 Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) District 5 Music Festival on November 3rd (Jazz) & November 22nd (band, orchestra & choir) at Eastern Illinois University. These students were selected from a rigorous audition process as the top student-musicians representing 15 schools from twenty counties across the southeast Illinois area.
From left-to-right, the two high school band students that participate in the jazz festival on November 3rd were Joshua Ochs (junior/senior jazz band), and Lila Balding (senior/senior jazz band).
From left-to-right, the three RCHS band students that participate in the Senior Orchestra during concert festival on November 22nd were Emma Gilreath (sophomore/senior band), Lila Balding (senior/senior band), and Jereme Higginbotham (junior/senior orchestra).
From left-to-right, the three RCHS band students that participate in the Senior Band during concert festival on November 22nd were Joshua Ochs (junior/senior band), Ethan Mehl (senior/senior band), and Alex Schneider (junior/senior orchestra).
2026 ILMEA All-State Participants
Four students from Richland County High School shall participate in the 2026 Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) All-State All-State Ensembles. ILMEA will host the event on January 28-31 in Peoria.
These students were selected from a rigorous audition process as the top student-musicians representing over 12,000 schools throughout Illinois. Of roughly 2,400 students that auditioned, only a fraction of students were selected to participate in the event. The RCHS students selected to participate are Lila Balding (senior trombonist/orchestra), Jereme Higginbotham (junior percussionist/orchestra), Joshua Ochs (junior trumpet player/orchestra), Emma Gilreath (sophomore clarinetist/orchestra).
Lila Balding has been a dedicated member of the Richland County High School Band since 2022 and has played an integral role in the Marching Tigers during the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 marching seasons. During this time, Lila marched the trombone and served as the low brass section leader in 2024 and 2025. In addition to marching band, Lila has played trombone in the premier Honors Wind ensemble and jazz band since she was a freshman in 2022. Her talent in jazz performance was recognized through her participation in the ILMEA District 5 jazz concert in 2023, 2024, and 2025. She also played first trombone in the ILMEA District 5 concert band in 2024 and the orchestra in 2025. Lila also played euphonium in the Olney Youth Symphonic Band and trombone at the OCC community band. Beyond her ensemble work, Lila is a committed member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, Chapter 8170, where she has been the secretary for two years, starting in 2024. Additionally, in 2024 and 2025, she also participated in the RCHS musical Pit on second trombone. Lila has also competed in IHSA Solo and Ensemble contests in 2022, 2023, and 2024. She performed “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” in 2022, “Lassus Trombone” in 2023, and “A Million Dreams” in 2024, all of which earned a First Superior rating. After she graduates in 2026, Lila plans to attend Eastern Illinois University to pursue a career in music education.
Jereme Higginbotham was selected to participate in the 2026 Illinois Music Education (ILMEA) All-State Band. He is currently a junior at Richland County High School. He has participated in ILMEA District 5 Bands for 5 years. Jereme accomplished ILMEA Junior Band his 7th and 8th grade year, and ILMEA Junior Jazz Band his 7th grade year. He was also selected for the All Illinois Junior Band State Ensemble in his 8th grade year. In his current high school career, he accomplished ILMEA Senior Orchestra his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Jereme is a participant of the RCHS Marching Tigers, where he played 3rd bass drum in the ‘23 season and snare drum in the ‘24 and '25 seasons. He has been a member of the Honors Wind Ensemble since 2023. He is also a member of the school’s jazz band, where he has played jazz drumset his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Jereme is currently a member of the Tri-M Honor Music Society Chapter 8170, which he has been a part of for 3 years. He participated in the IHSA Solo and Ensemble contest of 2024 and obtained a Superior in his percussion quartet, as well as in 2025 where his percussion trio received an Excellent rating. He has also participated in the orchestral pit for the high school’s musicals the past 3 years.
After graduating in 2027, Jereme plans to attend the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana to pursue a degree in the field of Science.
Joshua Ochs is a junior at Richland County High School. He has been playing trumpet since his fifth grade year at the St. Joseph Catholic School in Olney, IL. As well as trumpet, Joshua can play French horn, mellophone, and flugelhorn. Mr. Ochs is a participant of the Jazz Band, Honors Wind Chamber Ensemble, the Symphonic Band, and the RCHC Marching Tigers at Richland County High School. In addition to being an active participate in the RCHS Band Program, Joshua is also in the Trio Upward Bound program. He dreams to be either an engineer or a high school band teacher.
Emma Gilreath Emma Gilreath is currently as Sophomore at Richland County Highschool. She's the clarinet section leader for the Marching Tigers. Emma is also involved in the RCHS Symphonic band, Honors Wind ensemble and has been a member of the jazz band. She is also a member of the Tri-M national honors society. In 2025 she preformed as a member of the ILMEA Senior Orchestra playing bass clarinet. She has also participated in the Solo and Ensemble Contest earning a ran of first superior and receiving best of day.
Congratulations to those that were inducted into the Richland County High School Tri-M Honor Music Society, Chapter 8170
Tri-M Music Honor Society, formerly known as Modern Music Masters, is an American high school and middle school music honor society. A program of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), it is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements and to provide leadership and service opportunities to young musicians.
The 2025-2026 Richland County High School Chapter 8170 Tri-M Music Honor Society members are:
First row (left-to-right): Emma Gilreath, Adele Waxler, Joshua Ochs, Ethan Mehl, and Carter Henton
Second row (left-to-right): Mr. Weitkamp, Jereme Higginbotham, Hadley Heath, River Logan, Alex Schneider, Alaina Parker, Sophie Combs, Molly Fehrenbacher, Lila Balding, Callista Ridgely, and Mr. Christopher Jones
For more information pertaining to Tri-M Music Honor Society, visit https://www.rchsbands.net/tri-m-chapter-8170.html.