CONCERT BAND

Dr. Michael Stewart, conductor

Cenotaph  
Jack Stamp (b. 1954)

What Joy Shall Fill My Heart
Leslie Gilreath (b. 1967)

Matthew Waymon, guest conductor

Chorale and Alleluia
Howard Hanson (1896-1981)

Alex Boone, guest conductor

Beyond the Gates
Julie Giroux (b. 1961)

SYMPHONIC BAND

Dr. Fuller Lyon, conductor

Seapower Fanfare 
Jerry Brubaker (b. 1946)

Country Band March
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
trans. James B. Sinclair

Tyler Hamilton, graduate conductor

Symphony No. IV "Bookmarks from Japan"
Julie Giroux (b. 1961)

1. Fuji-San – Mount Fuji
2. Nihonbashi – Bridge Market
3. The Great Wave off Kanagawa – The Life of One Wave
4. Kinryu-zan Senoji – Thunder Gate
5. Evening Snow at Kambara – Light is the Touch
6. Hakone – Drifting

Cenotaph

Cenotaph was commissioned by Mitchell Fennell and the California State University at Fullerton Bands for the 1992 Southern California All-State Band. 

A cenotaph is a “statue or monument to a person not buried there.”  The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monuments are familiar examples of cenotaphs.  This fanfare connotes a breathtaking structure such as one of these cenotaphs.  After the explosive percussion introduction, the work begins with a five-part fugue.  An accelerando leads to a layering of ostinatos including a 7/8 hemiola in the woodwinds.  The fugue subject returns in augmentation and is harmonized in a chorale style.

What Joy Shall Fill My Heart

What Joy Shall Fill My Heart, dedicated to the composer’s mother, is based on a traditional Swedish melody set to an original text by Carl Boberg in 1885.  Boberg, a Swedish editor and future politician, was walking home along the cost as a violent storm approached.  Inspired by the rolling thunderstorm and calm thereafter, juxtaposed with the sound of distant church bells pealing, he wrote the poem “O Store Gud” (in English, “O Great God”).  Once combined with the Swedish folk tune, his stanzas of awe and wonder gained popularity around the world, particularly following Stuart Hines’s 1953 translation to English, known as “How Great Thou Art”.

Chorale and Alleluia

Chorale and Alleluia was completed in January 1954, and was Dr. Hanson's first work for symphonic band. It was given its premiere on February 26 at the convention of the American Bandmasters Association at West Point with Colonel William Santelmann, leader of the U.S. Marine Band, conducting. The composition opens with a fine flowing chorale. Soon the joyous Alleluia theme appears and is much in evidence throughout. A bold statement of a new melody makes its appearance in lower brasses in combination with the above themes. The effect is one of cathedral bells, religious exaltation, solemnity, and dignity. The music is impressive, straightforward, and pleasingly non-dissonant, and its resonance and sonority are ideally suited to the medium of the modern symphonic band.

Beyond the Gates

In the words of the composer,

Beyond the Gates, while programmatic, does not tell an exact or specific story.  The music portrays what I, as the composer, imagined could be on the other side of that gated wall.  Walls are meant to keep things in, or out.  In this case, they are meant to keep things out that are very dangerous, deadly, or perhaps even evil.  I am not going to describe exactly what I was imagining because they are my own demons and by leaving that detail out of the program notes, I hope to encourage the audience and listeners to imagine their own demons.  So go ahead, conjure up your worst because I promise you, I depicted it with the music.

The original ending was deleted and rewritten at the request of Paula Crider, who also conducted the premier of this work.  Paula wanted some hope.  She wanted there to be hope on the other side of that wall at the end.  I deleted my ending which was dark, short and captured an untimely death.  Now, thanks to Paula, there is hope on the other side of that wall; there is an ending to this work which leaves us alive and safe from peril.  She was right.  The piece is better with this ending.  It also goes to the point I am always trying to make which is, just because I am the composer, it doesn’t mean I am always right about my own music. 

- Julie Giroux

Seapower Fanfare

Written for the 75th anniversary of the United States Navy Band, this spirited fanfare offers powerful moments perfect to open any concert program. From the clanging of the ship's bells to the driving accompaniments that support soaring brass lines, this work truly sparkles. The Navy Hymn (Eternal Father, Strong to Save) echoes throughout this heroic-sounding piece.

Country Band March

Country Band March was composed around 1903, four years after Ives' graduation from Yale and five years prior to his lucrative insurance partnership with Julian Myrick. Ives had just resigned as organist at Central Presbyterian Church, New York, thus ending thirteen and one-half years as organist of various churches. He was, according to Henry Cowell, "exasperated ... by the routine harmony for hymns." During this period, Ives finished his Second Symphony (1902), composed three organ pieces that were later incorporated into his Third Symphony (1904), composed the Overture and March “1776,” along with other various songs and chamber works. Apparently, the Country Band March received no performances, and only a pencil score-sketch is in evidence today. Later, Ives seemed very interested in this music, since he incorporated nearly all of it, in one form or another, into the "Hawthorne" movement of Sonata No. 2 (Concord)," The Celestial Railroad,’’ the Fourth Symphony (second movement) and especially "Putnam's Camp" from Three Places in New England.

From the "out of tune" introduction to the pandemonium which reigns at the close, the Country Band March is a marvelous parody of the realities of performance by a country band. While the main march theme is probably Ives' own, the march features an impressive list of quotations that includes Arkansas Traveler, Battle Cry of Freedom, British Grenadiers, The Girl I Left Behind Me, London Bridge, Marching Through Georgia, "Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground, My Old Kentucky Home, Violets, Yankee Doodle, May Day Waltz and Semper Fidelis. There is rarely anything straightforward about the use of this material; the tunes are subjected to Ives's famous techniques of "poly-everything." Of particular interest is Ives's use of "ragtime" elements to enliven this already spirited march.

Symphony No. IV "Bookmarks from Japan"

I. Mount Fuji - "Fuji-san" Based on the bookmark "Fine Wind, Clear Morning" by Hokusai Katsushika, which is a woodblock sketch from Hokusai's collection The 35 Views of Mt. Fuji.

The sketch Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Gaifu kaisei), also known as South Wind, Clear Sky or Red Fuji, by Hokusai Katsushika is the inspiration for this work which is subtitled Fuji-san. In early autumn when, as the original sketch title specifies, the wind is southerly and the sky is clear, the rising sun can turn Mount Fuji red. Fuji-san has many different looks depending on the viewer's vantage point, time of year, weather and even time of day. Big, bold and easily recognized yet shrouded in mystery and lore, Mount Fuji offers a multitude of inspirational facets.

This piece is based on one view of Mt. Fuji covered in mist and low clouds which slowly burn off as the day progresses. Orchestration and composition techniques follow this scenario, starting off with mysterious, unfocused scoring. As the piece progresses, the scoring gets more focused and bold with the final statement representing Fuji-san in a totally clear view.

II. Nihonbashi - "Market Bridge" Based on the bookmark Nihonbashiby Hiroshige Ando, which is from the print series The 53 Stations of the Tokaido Highway.

Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858) traveled the Tokaido from Edo to Kyoto in 1832. The official party he was traveling with were transporting horses which were gifts to be offered to the imperial court. The journey greatly inspired Hiroshige, for he sketched many of its scenes during his round-trip travels. In all, Hiroshige produced 55 prints for the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. Fifty-three of the prints represent each of the 53 post stations along the way. The two additional prints are of the starting and ending points. The post stations offered food, lodging, and stables for travelers of the Tokaido Highway.

The Nihonbashi bridge was the central point of development, which is now a business district of Chuo, Tokyo, Japan, aptly named the Nihonbashi District. For centuries it thrived as a mercantile district. The first department store ever developed in Japan was by the Mitsui family named Mitsukoshi. From its early days as a fish market to the current financial district of Tokyo (and Japan), this bridge spanning the Nihonbashi River is a true landmark in Tokyo. In fact, highway signs that state the distance to Tokyo actually state the distance to the Nihonbashi bridge. Up until shortly before 1964, you could see Mount Fuji from the bridge; however, the 1964 Summer Olympics put in a raised expressway over the Nihonbashi bridge, obscuring its view entirely. Petitions to relocate the expressway underground in order to regain view of Mount Fuji are continuous, but so far have been futile due to the costs for such a project.

This movement is a melody of my own crafting. It is folk sounding in nature as I was trying to capture the spirit of the bridge going all the way back to 1603 when the first wooden bridge was built over Nihonbashi River. It started out as a fish market, but quickly became a place for other merchants to gather. In this piece, the melody gets tossed from instrument to instrument representing the continuous street hoking and haggling that was present. It is light and playful in nature and nearly every instrument gets to hawk its wares. All in all, we get to hear satisfied vendors’ and customers’ melodic interpretations along with several disgruntled buyers and sellers.

III. "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" (Kanagawa-oki nami-ura, lit. "Under a Wave Off Kanagawa").

The artwork of Hokusai is well known. and this particular woodblock print, which was published between 1830 and 1833, is well known throughout the world. His series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji is Hokusai's most famous work. Looking at this stunning print, you can see Mount Fuji in the background, but the central focus is an enormous wave called an okinami (wave of the open sea) peaked and curling with several Japanese boats in different stages entering the perilous wave.

In this work, a single wave is depicted from its beginnings far out in the sparkling sun-drenched seas all the way through its final throes onto a rocky beach. The piece starts in the open sea, fairly calm with sunlight refracting into thousands of tiny points of light. Depicting this are the woodwinds rippling up and down with sixteenth triplet variations. The trombones and French horns enter the mix with a solid melodic statement. The trumpets add in near the end of the phrase, all of which depicts the first shaping of the great wave.

IV. Kinryuzan Temple in Asakusa: "Thunder Gate"

The name of the print on the bookmark says Kaminari-mon Gate of Asakusa Kannon Temple, but the true name of the print is Kinryuzan Temple in Asakusa by the artist Hiroshige Ando. Hiroshige died before the entire collection was completed so Hiroshige II finished it. The first prints were published in order between 1856 and 1859.

Originally built in 941 A.D., Kaminarimon is the outer gate leading to the Senso-ji Temple which was constructed around 628 A.D. near Kamagata and later relocated to its present location in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan, in 1635. This large gate features four statues. The Shinto gods Fujin and Raijin are located on the front of the gate, and the Buddhist god Tenryu and goddess Kinryu stand on the reverse side. Fujin displayed on the front east side of the gate is the god of wind and Raijin on the west side is the god of thunder. giving the gate its nickname of “Thunder Gate.”

Displayed in the middle of the gate is a giant red chochin (lantern) which weighs approximately 1,500 pounds. Despite its huge size, it is very fragile. The front of the lantern bears the painting of the gate’s name, Kaminarimon, and the painting on the back reads Furaijinmon, the official name of the gate. The bottom or base of the chochin displays a beautiful wooden carving of a dragon. Over the centuries the gate has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current gate dates to 1960 and the new lantern was donated in 2003. As a tourist, you cannot get close to the statues as they are protected by fences and wire and you certainly cannot touch them. Despite all of that, the magnificence of the gate still shines through, bearing testament to centuries of humans that have passed through its structure and the centuries yet to come.

V. "Evening Snow at Kambara": "Light is the Touch"

Based on the bookmark "Evening Snow at Kambara" by Hiroshige Ando which is from the series The 53 Stations of the Tokaido Highway.

Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858) traveled the Tokaido from Edo to Kyoto in 1832. The official party he was traveling with were transporting horses which were gifts to be offered to the imperial court. The journey greatly inspired Hiroshige, for he sketched many of its scenes during his journey's round trip. In all, Hiroshige produced 55 prints for the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. Fifty-three of the prints represent the 53 post stations along the way. The additional two prints are of the starting and ending points. The post stations offered food, lodging and stables for travelers of the Tokaido Highway. "Evening Snow at Kambara" was the 15th station Hiroshige visited.

A song in structure, this piece sings of the soft and slow process of spiritual healing whose soft touch is not unlike that of falling show. The piece starts with solo piano, harp and alto flute. The melody is simple, yet haunting, and grows with the slow addition of players. The piece ends with the same three soloists it began with. It is a song in structure, a song representing the soft touch of healing.

VI. Hakone: "Drifting"

Based on the bookmark entitled "Hakone Pass" which is based on the actual print by Hiroshige Ando called "Hakone" which is from the print series The 53 Stations of the Tokaido Highway.

Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858) traveled the Tokaido from Edo to Kyoto in 1832. The official party he was traveling with were transporting horses which were gifts to be offered to the Imperial court. The journey greatly inspired Hiroshige for he sketched many of its scenes during his journey's round trip. In all, Hiroshige produced 55 prints for the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. Fifty-three of the prints represent the 53 post stations along the way. The additional 2 prints are of the starting and ending points. The post stations offered food, lodging, and stables for travelers of the Tokaido Highway.

Hakone-juku was the tenth of the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido. At an elevation of 725 meters, it is the highest post station on the entire Tokaido Highway, offering spectacular views. Hakone-juku was established in 1618 and over the years has proven to be a hard road to maintain due to its elevation.

When I started researching Hakone there wasn't much of anything striking a chord within my creative self, just a city that had a long road with lots of curves, switchbacks and other hazards passing through it. It wasn't until I looked at the actual highway on a map that it rang a bell. I had seen this road before. I truly recognized the shape of the entire highway. Having never been on that actual highway in real life, I knew I had to unravel the mystery. A few more searches on the Internet and there it was. I am an avid "gamer," and though I tend to play all types of games both on the computer and on consoles, I have always played racing games, and that is where I had "driven" it before, in a video game. The drifting I did on that highway in the game mostly sent me sailing off the road, flying through air and ultimately landing in a fiery, end-over end-wipeout. And as with any search on the Internet, YouTube offered up a seemingly endless supply of videos featuring not one, but long parades of cars in single file drifting on the Tokaido Highway as it runs through Hakone.

Subtitled Drifting, this piece reflects my love of fast cars doing crazy fun things. In this instance, that would be drifting. Drifting is the art of manipulating the brakes, the gas and precise steering wheel positioning to keep the car in a controlled skid/slide while traveling around curves. The music depicts the adrenaline-racing, heart-pumping action of drifting cars on the Tokaido Highway through Hakone and beyond. It is fast, furious, full of odd meters and features nearly every instrument in the band at least once: my version of musical drifting. Let's just hope there are no wipeouts or fiery crashes.

- Program notes by composer

Dr. Michael Stewart, conductor

* = principal

+ = co-principal

Flute

Aphrael Carrillo*
Joanna Gardner
Elizabeth Hamilton
Kaz Manville
JJ Nauman
Maddie Stewart
Rebecca Terc
Shelby Wilkerson

Oboe

Emma Pardo

Clarinet

Jackson Banks
Christopher Campbell
Mckinley Frees
Brooklyn Griffith+
Carter Holtmann
Chloe Levering
Hannah McGill
Courtney McHan
Mathew Mihalic
Evan Norris
Dylan Smith+
Elle Wlas

Bass Clarinet

Ploomie Messer
Jessie Williams

Bassoon

Macy Porter*
Patrick Sealy
Andrew van Dalen
Christopher Williamson

Alto Sax

Jordan Cathelyn*
Luke Robertson
Sarah Vernetti

Tenor Sax

Jordan Cannon

Bari Sax

Madigan Ashe

Trumpet

Kaleb Balinger
Jackson Daniels
Shandi Dice
Thomas Hooper
Chance Jones
Kamden Lindsay
Koehl Lindsay
Evan Mainous*
Dylan Sacksteder
Ethan Samuelson
Kara Ussery

French Horn

Emily Baker
Duncan Clever
Xander Harms
Alex Medearis
Sam Shoemaker*
Luke Warren

Trombone

Harrison Barnes
Terrance Jones*
Madison Joy
Ian Myers
Jacob Ross
Ian Searcy
Peyton Weir
Claire Werner

Euphonium

Eli Atkin
Yazeiry Perez De La Torre*
Zack Donovan

Tuba

Tommy Bond
Austin Kerr*
Ethan Mizzell
Isaiah Towns

Percussion

Olivia Baker
Hannah Cannon
Colston Oldham*
David Scott
Shelton Skaggs
Kadijah Tinker

Piano

Eric Xie

Dr. Fuller Lyon, conductor

* = principal
+ = co-principal

Piccolo

Maddi Smith+

Flute

Sarah Cox
Julianne Moss
Ella Pinchok+
Kiernan Stuppy
Chloe Watson

Oboe

Katherine Means*
Caroline Storch

English Horn

Sam Willard

Clarinet

Absa Dia
Grace Dobrescu*
Patrick Flaherty
Lauren Goldston
Emilee Jerrell
Evan Laws
Nathaniel Palcone
Abbey Shelton

Bass Clarinet

Joshua Adedokun
Natalie Rundblade

Bassoon

Austin Hill*
Daniel Sippel

Soprano Saxophone

Spencer Cassidy

Alto Saxophone

Spencer Cassidy
Anna Caten*
Dawson May

Tenor Saxophone          

Julia Avery         

Baritone Saxophone

Preston Turner

Trumpet

Matthew Dunevant
Isaac Hair+
Micah Ireland
Ian Krueger
Eli Oliver
Ben Petro+
Jack Watt

French Horn

Carson Duckworth
Sydney Flenniken
Chase Hart
Cole McFarland+
Olivia Rhines
Zac Stanislawski+

Trombone

Noah Allard
Wyatt Detrick*
Tyler Guthrie
Samuel Thomas

Bass Trombone

Chandler DeArmond

Euphonium 

Sammie Beverley
Scotty Hunnicutt*

Tuba

Paul Muirhead+
Regan Rhyne+
Hudson Scott

Percussion

Nathan Caldwell
Anna Davis
Tyler Delaney
Brooke Duez
Noah Foster
Chang Gao*

String Bass

Halimah Muhammad

Piano

Tianran Gao

Harp

Cindy Emory

Assisting Musicians

Eli Garcia
Trik Gass
Zac Swafford

All Names Listed Alphabetically

We hope you enjoyed this performance. Private support from music enthusiasts enables us to improve educational opportunities and develop our student artists’ skills to their full potential. To learn more about how you can support the School of Music, contact Chris Cox, Director of Development, 865-974-2365 or ccox@utfi.org.

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