Program Notes
"Beginnings" from Rise — Adam Schoenberg
Rise is a two-movement work commissioned by the California Wind Band Consortium. The two movements can be played back-to-back or as standalone movements. Beginnings was conceived as a long gradual crescendo, beginning with a rhythmic ostinato that becomes the driving force for the entire movement. As it progresses, the overall intensity grows, building to an uplifting and optimistic ending.
Composer Adam Schoenberg is an award-winning and prolific contemporary composer for orchestra, chamber ensembles, wind band, and films. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Schoenberg earned Master's and DMA degrees from The Julliard School. He is currently a professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he runs the composition and film scoring programs.
Composer Adam Schoenberg is an award-winning and prolific contemporary composer for orchestra, chamber ensembles, wind band, and films. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Schoenberg earned Master's and DMA degrees from The Julliard School. He is currently a professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he runs the composition and film scoring programs.
Each Moment Should be Lived Fully — Brooke Pierson
Each Moment Should Be Lived Fully is a reflection on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was commissioned by David Rogers, band director of the Walled Lake (Michigan) Central High School Band with support from band parents and is dedicated to Rogers' students and his son, Jack, who played in the band, as did his daughter. Rogers looked forward to the time when both of his children would be in his bands together, and that school year was 2020-21, when COVID-19 forced the band to halt operations for much of the year. Regret over losing this special time with his children motivated him to commission Brooke Pierson to compose a piece that reflects the reality that life brings both celebration and melancholy and each has its time and its place.
"Apollo Unleashed" from Symphony No. 2 — Frank Ticheli
Apollo Unleashed is the third movement of Frank Ticheli's Second Symphony. The title might evoke the image of a vengeful power, but in the context of the entire symphony, it refers to the brilliant and dazzling light of the sun and is thematically linked to the work's other movements through its connection to heavenly light. While Ticheli warns that the work is not explicitly programmatic, it is easy to imagine the sounds of the percolating opening conjuring the first rays of sunlight bursting over the horizon, and the galloping rhythm of the primary theme portraying Apollo the sun god streaming furiously across the sky on a chariot pulled by four white horses. The entire Second Symphony is dedicated to Dr. James Croft (1929-2012) who retired from his position as Director of Bands at Florida State University in 2003. Incorporated into this movement is a touching reference in the quotation of a Bach chorale (BWV 433), which was a favorite of Dr. Croft's and was arranged by him in a beautiful setting for band and chorus.
–––––––––INTERMISSION——————--
"Profanation" from Symphony No. 1 — Leonard Bernstein, arr. Frank Bencriscutto
Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 1 was his entry into a competition sponsored by the New England Conservatory of Music. Although it didn't win the competition, the work greatly impressed Fritz Reiner, who agreed to premier it with the Boston Philharmonic. Composing it in 1942, a year before his conducting debut, Bernstein was struck by the terrible fate that was then descending upon the Jews in Europe. He expanded on his already-written Hebrew Song, retitling it as the finale of the Symphony. The preceding movements were titled Prophesy and Profanation, the three movements corresponding to the story of the prophet Jeremiah of the Book of Lamentations. Although Bernstein did not intend for the work to be literally programmatic, but rather to create an "emotional quality," the second movement, Profanation, gives a general sense of the destruction and chaos brought on by the pagan corruption within the priesthood and the people.
Grace Before Sleep — Susan LaBarr, arr. J. Eric Wilson
Grace Before Sleep (2013) was inspired by Sara Teasdale's poem of thanks. It was originally written by Susan LaBarr for a cappella voices. In this arrangement for winds J. Eric Wilson, Director of Bands at Baylor University draws upon the warm sonorities of the concert band to reflect Teasdale's poetic sentiments:
How can our minds and bodies be
Grateful enough that we have spent
Here in this generous room, we three,
This evening of content?
Each one of us has walked through the storm
And fled the wolves along the road;
But here the hearth is wide and warm,
And for this shelter and this light
Accept, 0 Lord, our thanks tonight.
How can our minds and bodies be
Grateful enough that we have spent
Here in this generous room, we three,
This evening of content?
Each one of us has walked through the storm
And fled the wolves along the road;
But here the hearth is wide and warm,
And for this shelter and this light
Accept, 0 Lord, our thanks tonight.
Come Sunday — Omar Thomas
Come Sunday by Omar Thomas is "a two-movement tribute to the Hammond organ's central role in black worship services. The first movement, Testimony, follows the Hammond organ as it readies the congregation's hearts, minds, and spirits to receive The Word via a magical union of Bach, blues, jazz, and R&B. The second movement, Shout! is a virtuosic celebration—the frenzied and joyous climactic moments when The Spirit has taken over the service. The title is a direct nod to Duke Ellington, who held an inspired love for classical music and allowed it to influence his own work in a multitude of ways" —program note by the composer
Omar Thomas was born in New York in 1984, earned a Master of Music degree in Jazz Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music, and was appointed, while still a student, Assistant Professor of Harmony at the Berklee College of
Music at the age of 23. Following his Berklee tenure, he served on the faculty of the Music Theory department at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Now a Yamaha Master Educator, he is currently an Assistant Professor of Composition and Jazz Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
Omar Thomas was born in New York in 1984, earned a Master of Music degree in Jazz Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music, and was appointed, while still a student, Assistant Professor of Harmony at the Berklee College of
Music at the age of 23. Following his Berklee tenure, he served on the faculty of the Music Theory department at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Now a Yamaha Master Educator, he is currently an Assistant Professor of Composition and Jazz Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
Triangle Wind Ensemble Performers
|
Flute
Merritt Flexman Lauren Robbins-Pollack Rosene Rohrer Tammy Schmidt* Jennifer Wesner Piccolo Tammy Schmidt* Clarinet Louise Eaglesfield Misti Griffith Luke Knudsen Vince Pistritto Gail VanMatre Cara Vernon Tara Wilkinson Erin Wynia Bass Clarinet Victoria Alston Lecia Cecconi-Roberts* |
Oboe
Virginia Carty Katie Michalak English Horn Virginia Carty Bassoon Dale Broadbent Robin Hashey* Soprano Saxophone Susan Fancher Alto Saxophone Susan Fancher Duke Sullivan Tenor Saxophone Roberta Melton Baritone Saxophone Lynn Narveson |
Trumpet
Jim Alexander* Christine Bui Kaitlyn Dehority Carey Forman Kris Gilmore Kathy Silbiger Horn Laura Alexander* Michael Grimes Michael Lewis Eric Smith Ed Walaski Euphonium Josh Sheppard Connie Varner* James Wagner Trombone Michal Evans Garry Grabow Marshall Sweet |
Bass Trombone
Dorey A. Freeman Tuba Chris Dodson Bill White Lars Holmberg Percussion Mark Doerffel Lisa Forman Bill Hayes* Jasmine Maya Daniel Peterson Timpani Rich Bono Piano Drew Johnson String Bass Ethan Foote Music Director Evan Feldman * Denotes Section Leader |
Special Thanks to Our 2022-23 Season Sponsors
Our Season Sponsors help provide the financial support needed to enable us to create outstanding music. To find our how you can become a Season Sponsor and the benefits of doing so, please visit our Sponsors page.
Fortississimo Level Sponsors
- Kathy and Alexander Silbiger Fund of Triangle Community Foundation
- Anonymous
- Lynn Narveson & Roberta Melton
- Michael Capps
- Catharine & James Carty
- Carey & Lisa Forman
- Donna & James Sosnowski
- Tim & Kim Sweet
- Bono Percussion
- Christine Bui
- Lecia Cecconi-Roberts
- Maureen & James Davis
- Merritt & Greg Flexman
- Garry & Kristi Grabow
- Bill Hayes
- Frank Hoss, Jr.
- Joel & Linda Johnson
- Paul & Judith Kindig
- KLS Percussion
- Luke Knudsen
- Holly & Paul Mandelkern
- Ethel Erickson Radmer
- Lauren & Andrew Robbins-Pollack
- David & Rosene Rohrer
- Tammy Schmidt
- Duke Sullivan
- Marshall Sweet
- Gail VanMatre
- Connie Varner
- Ed Walaski
- Buddy West
- Bill White
- Erin Wynia
Institutional Partners
Thanks also to the following institutional and community partners who have helped TWE in a variety of ways this year...
Our Music Director
Dr. Evan Feldman is Director of Wind Studies and Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches courses in conducting and music education. He also directs the Triangle Wind Ensemble and serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Greensboro Sym- phony, where he conducts education, holiday, and pops concerts.
He is an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in and outside of the United States, with recent engagements in Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Belgium, and Tanzania, as well as all-state, all-district, and all-county honor bands in the United States. Under his direction, the UNC Wind Ensemble has twice been invited to perform at the College Band Directors National Association southern division conference.
In 2020, Dr. Feldman’s college textbook, Instrumental Music Education (Routledge Publishing), was released in its third edition and has been adopted by university music education programs throughout the country. He is the author of the first MOOC (massive open online course) dedicated to conducting and rehearsal technique. Over 30,000 students have enrolled through Coursera.org.
Dr. Feldman’s arrangements and editions of music by Léo Delibes, Ralph Vaughan Williams, George Enescu, Antonin Dvořák, Ariel Ramirez, and Sergei Prokofiev are published by Tierolff Muziekcentrale.
Dr. Feldman earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied with Donald Hunsberger and Mendi Rodan and served as an assistant conductor for the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Eastman Wind Orchestra. He received his Masters in Conducting from Ithaca College and his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Duke University. He previously taught high school band in Hicksville, NY.
He is an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in and outside of the United States, with recent engagements in Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Belgium, and Tanzania, as well as all-state, all-district, and all-county honor bands in the United States. Under his direction, the UNC Wind Ensemble has twice been invited to perform at the College Band Directors National Association southern division conference.
In 2020, Dr. Feldman’s college textbook, Instrumental Music Education (Routledge Publishing), was released in its third edition and has been adopted by university music education programs throughout the country. He is the author of the first MOOC (massive open online course) dedicated to conducting and rehearsal technique. Over 30,000 students have enrolled through Coursera.org.
Dr. Feldman’s arrangements and editions of music by Léo Delibes, Ralph Vaughan Williams, George Enescu, Antonin Dvořák, Ariel Ramirez, and Sergei Prokofiev are published by Tierolff Muziekcentrale.
Dr. Feldman earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied with Donald Hunsberger and Mendi Rodan and served as an assistant conductor for the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Eastman Wind Orchestra. He received his Masters in Conducting from Ithaca College and his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Duke University. He previously taught high school band in Hicksville, NY.
