Tuesday
November 19, 2024
5:00 pm
Kopleff Recital Hall
National Emblem March
Edwin Eugene Bagley | 1857-1922
arr. By Loras J. Schissel
One of the most famous of American marches, National Emblem became so highly thought of that many people have assumed that it written by John Philip Sousa. In fact, members of Sousa’s own family were under the mistaken impression that Sousa composed it.
National Emblem was composed by American composer Edwin Eugene Bagley in 1905. National Emblem takes its name from our national emblem, the American flag. As a matter of fact, portions of the Star-Spangled Banner are heard in the first strain and trio of the march. Played in manuscript in 1905 by the Keene Band, it was first published by the Walter Jacobs Company of Boston in 1906. Since then more than 17 other band arrangements of National Emblem have been issued.
Long thought to be a one-march composer, Bagley’s other music has been forgotten for many decades. But, on the strength of National Emblem alone, E.E. Bagley deserves a place as one America’s great march composers. Frederick Fennell has described National Emblem as a march that is “as perfect as a march can be.”
- Program Note from Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music
Sure on This Shining Night
Samuel Barber | 1910-1981
Arr. by Richard L. Saucedo
Julianna Pinero, conductor
While Samuel Barber is perhaps best known for his orchestral compositions and concertos, he is also highly regarded for his significant contributions to vocal and choral music. Barber wrote over 100 pieces for voice and piano, many of which remain unpublished. "Sure on This Shining Night," part of his Four Songs (Op. 13), is considered one of his greatest achievements in this genre. The piece continues to be popular and is frequently performed around the globe.
"Sure on This Shining Night" is inspired by a poem from James Agee’s first published collection, Permit Me Voyage. Over time, Barber and Agee developed a close friendship, with Barber also setting Agee’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 to music. The text is as follows:
Utilizing Samuel Barber's rich melodies and distinctive harmonies, Richard Saucedo has created a stunning arrangement for concert band. The piece starts with solos for flugelhorn (or trumpet), flute, and oboe, gradually escalating to a dramatic climax with the full ensemble, before tapering off to a gentle and tranquil conclusion.
- Program note by Julianna Pinero
Listen to the choral version!
This Night
David Biedenbender | b. 1984
This Night is a Christmas hymn that was originally written for Minneapolis-based choir VocalEssence. This arrangement for band was created for Alex Kaminsky and the VanderCook College of Music Symphonic Band. The text for the choral version is a setting of the text Dies ist die Nacht, da mir erschienen, (“This Night a Wondrous Revelation”), which was written in 1683 by Caspar Friedrich Nachtenhöfer. I used an English translation of the original German poem by Anna B. Hoppe from 1922, which also serves as the text for the Christmas hymn of the same name, commonly set to the tune O Dass Ich Tausen Zungen, written by Johann B. König in 1738. I chose this text because of the beautifully vivid imagery and metaphors for light in the poetry, and because I really enjoy the simple, common rhyme and phrase structure that encouraged me to write simple, clear music.
- Program note by David Biedenbender
Star Trek
Jerry Goldsmith | 1929-2004
arr. By Harry Simeone
Premiering in 1979, Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture not only characterizes the Star Trek franchise as a whole, but amplifies the ideals of exploration present in the films. Using bold rhythms and harmonies, Goldsmith is able to evoke feelings of wonder and adventure while elevating the storytelling to provide transport the listeners. With his commitment to storytelling, Jerry Goldsmith created an iconic film score with innovative and thematic depth that captures the spirit of the films.
Harry Simeone’s arrangement of the work brings a fresh interpretation to this familiar work. Simeone is able to capture the grandeur of Goldsmith’s work while making it accessible to musicians world-wide. This arrangement maintains commitment to highlighting rhythms and harmonies that make this work so impactful both in film and on stage. Key moments of the original score are expertly highlighted to evoke feelings of wonder and excitement to celebrate the generational legacy of the Star Trek franchise. Though through a new lens, Simeone reminds us of the nostalgic adventure of the films and the quest for exploring the unknown.
- Program note by Julianna Pinero
Star Dust
Hoagy Carmichael | 1899-1981
arr. By Warren Barker
Kate Alward, mezzo-soprano
Hoagland Howard “Hoagy” Carmichael (1899-1981) composed one of the most popular and enduring jazz standards of the 20th century. “Stardust” has been recorded more than 1,500 times over a 90-year period, attesting to its stylistic flexibility made possible by the strength of its compositional structure. In an interview with the BBC, Carmichael stated, “Well, I got the idea just walking across the campus one night, my university campus where I went to school. I'd just left the college hangout called the Book Nook, and I started whistling, and I whistled this opening strain of ‘Stardust,’ and I knew that I had something very strange and different.”
By most accounts, Carmichael’s 1927 recording was not very popular. The first “hit” instrumental version of “Stardust” was recorded by Isham Jones in 1930, arranged by Victor Young and performed as a ballad. Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, and Bing Crosby all recorded “Stardust” in 1931, with the Crosby recording being the first vocal version to include the verse and chorus. By the Big Band era of the 1930s and 1940s, many of the most popular national bands of the era recorded their own arrangements of “Stardust.” Artie Shaw claimed that his October 7, 1940, Victor Records version of “Stardust” (arranged by Lennie Hayton) included “one of the first string sections used by a jazz group and [it] sold 16 million copies.” “Stardust” proves to be just as popular in the 21st century, with many new recordings produced by major recording artists of all musical genres.
-Program note by Richard Falco for The Library of Congress
T. Devin Reid
Conductor, T. Devin Reid is currently an active musician and educator throughout the southeast. A native of Fayetteville, NC, Mr. Reid is a 2005 recipient of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship. He holds a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
In 2018 Mr. Reid accepted the position as Assistant Director of Bands at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. Prior to this, Mr. Reid served as the interim assistant director of bands for two years. In this capacity he co-teaches the Panther Marching Band, conducts the Basketball Band, conducts the University Concert Band, teaches undergraduate and graduate level conducting courses, and supervises student teachers in the field among other duties and courses. Since his arrival, the GSU Concert Band has grown to become the largest instrumental concert ensemble at the university. With Mr. Reid’s direction, the GSU Panther Band performed in 2019 as part of the Pepsi Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show, been accepted as a CBDNA Southern Region top marching band in 2020, and been accepted to perform in the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade. Preceding to his appointment at Georgia State, Mr. Reid taught public school in Georgia and North Carolina and served as Graduate Assistant for the Georgia State University Bands. While teaching at James Kenan High School (NC), Mr. Reid grew the program from 0% to 10% of the school population in just three years. His ensembles performed at numerous events in and out of the community including the NC Muscadine Festival, NC PAS Day of Percussion and the Virginia International Music Festival.
Mr. Reid has presented clinics and workshops at the North Carolina Music Educators Conference, Georgia Music Educators Conference, Tennessee Music Educators Conference, South Carolina Music Educators Conference, Florida Music Educators Conference, American String Teachers Association National Conference and the Georgia State University Bands of Distinction Honor Clinic. He is a recurrent guest conductor at the International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. He is also an active concert band and marching band clinician and adjudicator throughout Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina.
As a performer, Mr. Reid is an actively sought-after musician. He was the percussionist for the popular brass quintet and Delos recording artist “Da Capo Brass”. Their debut album “From The Beginning” stormed the iTunes classical charts at #8 in January 2012. He has also been a member of the regionally acclaimed bluegrass band, “T.R. and the Boys” as baritone vocalist and mandolin player. They have three releases, and their most recent album; “Lonesome” features one of his original songs as the title track. He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association and is an endorser for Sabian Cymbals.
Mr. Reid is happily married to his beautiful wife Amy and they reside in Powder Springs, GA with their daughter Katelynn and son Ethan.
Julianna Pinero
Graduate Teaching Assistant & Wind Band Conducting Student
Julianna Pinero is an alumna of Georgia State University where she earned the Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in Instrumental Music Education. At Georgia State, Ms. Pinero was a member of several ensembles including the University Orchestra, Panther Band, Panther Basketball Band, Concert Band, and Choral Union. She is a 2019 graduate of Mill Creek High School where she performed in various ensembles.
Ms. Pinero’s teaching experience includes pre-school instrument with Jumpstart Education, strings instruction at Drew Charter School in Atlanta, student teaching in Gwinnett County, and marching band instruction at Cambridge High School in Milton, GA and North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, GA. In addition, she has served as a visual educators for the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in Denver, Colorado.
Julianna was selected as a Conducting Fellow for the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute hosted by Georgia State University in both 2023 and 2024.
Kate Alward, mezzo-soprano
Kate Alward is a graduate student at Georgia State University, pursuing a Master's degree in Music Education. Before coming to GSU, Kate received a Bachelor's of Instrumental Music Education with a minor in Secondary Education from Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to her ensemble involvement as an instrumentalist, Kate was also featured in the MTSU jazz and salsa ensembles as a vocalist.
Outside of her studies in music education, Kate has spent much of her life performing and teaching color guard. During this time, she was featured as a vocal soloist for Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps and Paramount Winter Guard. With a passion for both performance and pedagogy, Kate is dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of musicians and performers.
Credits:
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