Program Notes
A Chorus Loud & Strong — Steven Bryant
A Chorus Loud and Strong is one of three short fanfares commissioned by the University of North Carolina Greensboro School of Music to celebrate their 100th anniversary. The title comes from the first two lines of the UNCG Alma Mater, “We raise our voices, let them swell, in a chorus loud and strong.”
Written in 2001.
Written in 2001.
Voices Shouting Out — Nkeiru Okoye
A native New Yorker, Nkeiru Okoye wrote the initial sketches for this piece for orchestra on New Year’s Eve 2001/02 and the work was premiered six weeks later by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, which commissioned it. A wind ensemble version was commissioned in 2023 by a consortium led by the University of North Carolina Greensboro bands. In the composer’s words, “I sat to write Voices in the wake of September 11th; however, in my grieving process I failed to find music within. It was as though my muse crumbled with our twin towers. So, though I originally attempted to compose Voices Crying Out in response to the destruction... I could not. As this nation recovered we were united in a response: we would resume our lives, using normalcy to defy the terrorism. In the end, rather than ‘crying out’ my official response was Voices Shouting Out in freedom, as it were, through the music.”
Written in 2002.
Written in 2002.
Aspen Jubilee — Ron Nelson
“I was thinking of the stupendous beauty of the Rockies in general, of blinding sunlight, or snow-covered peaks; of the frontier spirit of old Aspen with its brash, funny dynamism and its corny ragtag Fourth of July parades and fireworks displays. I was also thinking about indescribably beautiful nights under star-filled skies (the middle section is titled Nightsong). There is only a passing nod to the Aspen which has now become a playground for the rich and famous. I spent thirteen of the most memorable summers of my life at the Aspen Music Festival, where I was able to immerse myself in music, meet fascinating people and recharge my batteries. – Program note by the composer (from Lone Star Wind Orchestra concert program, 16 July 2015)
Dawn Jonckowski, vocals
Written in 1988.
Dawn Jonckowski, vocals
Written in 1988.
Military March — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / William Henry Curry
William Henry Curry will announce the genesis of his arrangement, and his “re-creation” of Tchaikovsky’s work, when he guest conducts the piece at the concert.
Irish Tune from County Derry — Percy Grainger
The “Irish Tune” is an old song, whose composer is unknown; it first came to light in modern times in a collection of Irish folk songs published in 1855. The tune has borne a variety of texts, but it is now most closely associated with the 1910 lyrics written by Frederick Weatherly, “Danny Boy.” Many artists have arranged and recorded it, but the arrangement by Percy Aldridge Grainer is regarded as the most distinguished for its artistry and sensitivity. Grainger was an eccentric Australian piano prodigy turned composer. He came to the U.S. at the beginning of World War 1, became an American citizen, taught himself to play the soprano saxophone and enlisted in the Army band. He was a lifelong advocate for the saxophone and for folk songs, which he collected and released in sophisticated arrangements in a variety of media. His setting of the ‘Irish Tune” for winds in 1902 was followed by an orchestral version in 1920. The wind band version is a deeply moving study in evolving musical textures that flow naturally from one to another, widely performed and recognized as a masterpiece of the wind band literature
————Intermission———--
Symphony No. 2 — James Stephenson
Movements
James Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2 was commissioned by the U.S. Marine Band, which has performed five of his works in as many years and presented the world premiere of this Symphony, one of his most substantial contributions to the wind band repertoire to date. As Stephenson prepared to begin composing the work, his mother passed away at the age of 74. Not knowing how to cope with this loss, he was stuck, but compelled to take on the task of writing and eventually began to find catharsis and ways to express his grief through the compositional process. Stephenson has written “the voice that emerges from within the ensemble is that of my mother, an untrained alto... In the end, she finally sings one last time, conveying to me that ‘all will be ok.’ I think it is the most difficult times we endure that force us, inspire us, to dig deeper than we could ever imagine. On the one hand, I am deeply saddened by the loss of my mother; but on the other, I will always have this piece to in essence keep her alive in my heart.” (excerpted from revised notes by the composer, 2018)
- Prelude: Of Passion
- Shouts and Murmurs
- Of One
James Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2 was commissioned by the U.S. Marine Band, which has performed five of his works in as many years and presented the world premiere of this Symphony, one of his most substantial contributions to the wind band repertoire to date. As Stephenson prepared to begin composing the work, his mother passed away at the age of 74. Not knowing how to cope with this loss, he was stuck, but compelled to take on the task of writing and eventually began to find catharsis and ways to express his grief through the compositional process. Stephenson has written “the voice that emerges from within the ensemble is that of my mother, an untrained alto... In the end, she finally sings one last time, conveying to me that ‘all will be ok.’ I think it is the most difficult times we endure that force us, inspire us, to dig deeper than we could ever imagine. On the one hand, I am deeply saddened by the loss of my mother; but on the other, I will always have this piece to in essence keep her alive in my heart.” (excerpted from revised notes by the composer, 2018)
Goodnight, Moon — Eric Whitacre / arr. Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant
The composer, Eric Whitacre, claims to have read the children’s book Goodnight Moon to his son “a thousand times." He began hearing little musical fragments as he read, inspiring him to craft it into a simple, sweet lullaby. The original setting was for harp, string orchestra and soprano. In 2017 Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant arranged the piece for wind ensemble and soloist. Whitacre writes, “The melody of Goodnight Moon will forever make me think of those quiet nights, reading my son to sleep.”
Triangle Wind Ensemble Performers
|
Flute
Cindy Chastang Lauren Robbins-Pollack Rosene Rohrer Tammy Schmidt* Jennifer Wesner Piccolo Tammy Schmidt* Clarinet Lecia Cecconi-Roberts* Lesley Chao Misti Griffith Luna Knudsen Connor Magoon Lorena Schakel Nick Siedentop Tara Wilkinson Ryan Wing Eb Clarinet Lecia Cecconi-Roberts* Bass Clarinet Julie Wall |
Oboe/English Horn
Katie Michalak Virginia Carty Bassoon Dale Broadbent Robin Hashey* Wayne Wise Alto Saxophone Katherine Lee Aaron Payne* Tenor Saxophone Roberta Melton Baritone Saxophone Lynn Narveson |
Trumpet
Jim Alexander* Mark Beamish Christine Bui Joel Greenfield Clay Michalec Kathy Silbiger Horn Laura Alexander* Thomas Honicker Dawn Jonckowski Eric Smith Isaac Tomblin Ed Walaski Euphonium Liz Jenkins Connie Varner* James Wagner Trombone Michal Evans Garry Grabow Marshall Sweet |
Bass Trombone
Dorey A. Freeman Tuba Sean Myers Bill White Percussion Phillip Brown Bill Hayes* Eli Mills Jasmine Maya Jeremy Thomas Piano Drew Johnson Harp Samantha Horn String Bass Gregory DeMarco, Jr. Music Director Evan Feldman Vocalist Dawn Jonckowski * Denotes Section Leader |
Special Thanks to Our 2024-25 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
- Jim & Laura Alexander
- Lynn Narveson & Roberta Melton
- Kathy & Lex Silbiger
- Kim & Tim Sweet
- Gail VanMatre Photography
- Christine & Sy Bui
- Cindy Chastang
- Carey & Lisa Forman
- Bill & Sharon Hayes
- Judith & Paul Kindig
- Gerold & Kathy Mohn
- Teri Smith
- The Tomblin Family
- Triangle Swim School
- James & Cassandra Wagner
- Bill & Marlene White
- Larry & Kathy Alston
- Virginia Carty
- Cary School of Music
- Lecia Cecconi & Ray Roberts
- Alan Davidovich
- Maureen Davis
- Chris Dodson
- Stephen Erickson
- Michal Evans
- Merritt & Greg Flexman
- Garry & Kristi Grabow
- Robin Hashey
- Linda & Joel Johnson
- Dawn Jonckowski
- Luna Knudsen
- Katherine Lee
- Paul & Holly Mandelkern
- Katie Michalak
- Clay Michalec
- Aaron Payne
- Lauren Robbins-Pollack
- David & Rosene Rohrer
- Tammy Schmidt
- Nick Siedentop
- Daniel Squillace
- Marshall Sweet
- Gail VanMatre
- Connie Varner
- Ed & Kimberly Walaski
- Jennifer Wesner
- Julie Wesner
- Tara Wilkinson
- Wayne Wise
- 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.
