Program Notes
Wiener Philharmoniker Fanfare — Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss (1864-1949) is best known for his work in two major genres: the tone poem and opera. Written in 1924, Strauss' Fanfare fur die Wiener Philharmoniker was written for the Vienna Philharmonic's first Benefit Ball to benefit the musicians' pension fund. The work has since been performed every year at the Philharmonic's annual ball.
Arr. Wil van der Beek
Arr. Wil van der Beek
Splinter — Holly Harrison
Holly Harrison is a young Australian composer whose music is driven by the nonsense literature of Lewis Carroll, embracing stylistic juxtapositions, the visceral energy of rock, and whimsical humor. She has been the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra's composer in residence from 2020-22 and is curently composer in residence for the ASME National Young Composer Project. The title of this work, "Splinter" refers to the way in which the piece is structured as a type of mosaic or stylistic patchwork. Many sections of the piece feature instrument sounds breaking or distorting in some way. Another meaning of 'splinter' is as a foreign object within the body. This acts as a metaphor for Harrison's experimentation with some lighter, delicate moments, which are not always part of her musical soundscape.
A Somerset Rhapsody — Gustav Holst
Composed in 1906 and dedicated to Cecil Sharp, the renowned collector of English folk song music, the first version of this work originally contained ten folk tunes and was called A New Selection of Songs of Somerset. Later, Holst rewrote the work to include only four folk tunes calling it a A Somerset Rhapsody, which was premiered at Queens Hall in 1910. Holst believed this performance to be the first real success of his career. The transcription for winds was completed in 1980 by Clare Grundman, a prolific American composer and arranger.
The four folksongs quoted in A Somerset Rhapsody are "The Sheep-Shearing Song,""High Germany,""True Love's Farewell," and "The Cuckoo." Though not intended as a programmtic work, Holst once divulged to a colleague that the work told a story: "Into a quiet country scene comes the sound of approaching soldiers. A youth who is courting a girl is persuaded to enlist and go to war. The soldiers march into the distance and the pastoral quietness returns. The girl is left alone."
The four folksongs quoted in A Somerset Rhapsody are "The Sheep-Shearing Song,""High Germany,""True Love's Farewell," and "The Cuckoo." Though not intended as a programmtic work, Holst once divulged to a colleague that the work told a story: "Into a quiet country scene comes the sound of approaching soldiers. A youth who is courting a girl is persuaded to enlist and go to war. The soldiers march into the distance and the pastoral quietness returns. The girl is left alone."
Scherzo Frenetico — Daniel Basford
Scherzo Freneetic is the second movement of Daniel Basford's (b. 1983) Symphony No. 1, Prometheus. The Symphony was begun as pure music without a program, but soon became a commentary on another piece he was working on about the well-known story of Prometheus. The second movement, a wild scherzo, draws its inspiration from the text of Shelley's poem, Prometheus Unbound. Its frantic and insistent music suggests Zeus' anger at the loss of control caused by his theft of fire which he gifted to man, who misused it.
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Celebration — Adolphus Hailstorck
Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941) studied composition as an undergraduate student at Howard University with Mark Fax and for a summer with Nadia Boulanger in France. He later studied at the Manhattan School of Music and received his PhD in composition from Michigan State University where he studied with H. Owen Reed, a prolific arranger for wind band. He taught composition at Michigan State, Youngstown State University, Norfolk State University, and Old Dominion University. Hailstork is of African American, native American and European ancestry and his works blend musical ideas from these various traditions. He was commissioned to write Celebration by The Nashville Symphony to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976, and the work was distributed at no cost to high school orchestras around the United States. His arrangement for wind band followed
Piece of Mind — Dana Wilson
This composition is Dana Wilson's (b. 1946) representation of the workings of the human mind, the four movements each depicting a different state. Thinking is roughly based on African principles of layering, representing the logical "thinking" process. Remembering presents the idea that the mind often remembers as sudden bursts and sometimes as vague reminiscences. The third movement, Feeling, explores various states througout the emotional spectrum, while the final movement, Being, addresses a mental state usually associated with East Indian musical styles: peace. . . of mind. Dana Wilson holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music and is Professor Emeritus at the Ithaca College School of Music.
"For Natalie" from Symphony No. 3 — James Barnes
James Barnes' (b. 1949) Third Symphony was commissioned by the United States Air Force Band, who gave him complete freedom to write a "major work" for band. Barnes began the work at a difficult time in his life, right after his baby daugher Natalie died. He called it the most emotionally draining work he ever composed and gave it the nickname "Tragic." The work progresses from the deepest darkness of despair all the way to the brightness of fulfillment and joy. The third movement, "For Natalie," is a fantasia about what Barnes felt his world would have been like if Natalie had lived, and is a farewell to her.
Sacred Spaces — John Mackey
This piece was commissioned by the United States Army Field Band for the band's 2019 concert tour. The theme of the tour, "Sacred Spaces—A Grand Canyon Celebration" was designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park. Although quite different in style from most of Mackey's works for wind ensemble, this sprightly piece still exhibits his masterful manipulation of timbre, combining elements of military fanfare with the soundscape of the wind ensemble
Triangle Wind Ensemble Performers
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Flute
Cindy Chastang Merritt Flexman Lauren Robbins-Pollack Rosene Rohrer Tammy Schmidt* Jennifer Wesner Piccolo Tammy Schmidt Clarinet Marianne Breneman Lecia Cecconi-Roberts Misti Griffith Luke Knudsen Lorena Schakel Nick Siedentop Gail VanMatre Cara Vernon Julie Wesner-Eidsvaag Tara Wilkinson Ryan Wing Eb Clarinet Lecia Cecconi-Roberts Bass Clarinet Victoria Alston Julie Wall |
Oboe
Virginia Carty Katie Michalak English Horn Virginia Carty Bassoon Dale Broadbent Robin Hashey* Soprano Saxophone Aaron Payne* Alto Saxophone Nicholas Lira Aaron Payne* Tenor Saxophone Roberta Melton Baritone Saxophone Lynn Narveson |
Trumpet
Jim Alexander* Brian Breneman Christine Bui Kaitlyn DeHority Kris Gilmore Clay Michalec Kathy Silbiger Horn Christian Gutierrez Dawn Jonckowski Michael Lewis Eric Smith Ed Walaski Euphonium Connie Varner* James Wagner Trombone Michal Evans Garry Grabow Marshall Sweet |
Bass Trombone
Dorey A. Freeman Tuba Chris Dodson Bill White Dillon Johnson Percussion Bill Hayes* Adam Kuehn Jasmine Maya Matthew Shore Krista Siachames Piano Drew Johnson Harp Samantha Horn Music Director Evan Feldman * Denotes Section Leader |
Special Thanks to Our 2023-24 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
- The Rotary Club of Cary-Page
- Brian & Marianne Breneman
- Christine & Sy Bui
- Catharine & James Carty
- Cindy Chastang
- Carey & Lisa Forman
- Judith & Paul Kindig
- KLS Percussion
- Katie Michalak
- Donna & Jim Sosnowski
- James Wagner
- Dale Broadbent
- Virginia Carty
- Lecia Cecconi-Roberts
- Maureen Davis
- Kaitlyn DeHority
- Michal Evans
- Merritt & Greg Flexman
- Kris Gilmore
- Garry & Kristi Grabow
- Frank Hoss
- Paul & Holly Mandelkern
- Joel & Linda Johnson
- Dawn Jonckowski
- Ethel Radmer
- Lauren Robbins-Pollack
- Rosene & David Rohrer
- Tammy Schmidt
- Nick Siedentop
- Suresh Sus
- Marshall Sweet
- Gail & Reed VanMatre
- Connie Varner
- Cara & Jamie Vernon
- Ed & Kimberly Walaski
- Jennifer Wesner
- Julie Wesner
- Buddy & Charlotte West
- Bill White
- Tara Wilkinson
- 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.
