Holiday Concert Program Notes

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A Blessing for the Holiday from the Chaplain of the University With joy I welcome you to this beloved tradition of our University in today’s Holiday Concert. As the University enters final exams that bear down upon us, this concert represents the hours of diligent preparation offering a moment of transcendence and reflection. Indeed, this concert that you will have the great pleasure of enjoying speaks to depths of our humanity where our hearts, minds, souls and body rest. There is a well know hymn with this commanding line, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” Our hopes and fears are ever about us, especially in these holidays. Still the season gives us moments like these today to pause, seeking grace in the pace of our lives. For this concert invites our imagination into the beauty and mystery of life, calling us to remember the gifts that are ever before us. Gifts of love, of life, of hope, of friendship. So, I invite you to use this time of sheer musical joy, to ask yourself some questions. This week, I received a holiday card from a dear friend who lives in Jerusalem. She wrote,” if you had to dedicate your life to one thing, what would it be? A cause? A people? A dream? “ To dedicate our lives sounds daunting especially with how frantic our days can be. Still however, we are made in the image of the Eternal, the Almighy, and this concert reflects our hopes and fears. So enjoy today and be touched with moments that will take your breath away. And as that piece of music ends, before clapping, wait in that silence, that beautiful holy silence, to what you have just heard…and be thankful. For it is in those brief seconds of silence, those sounds of silence, that you know we were made from love, and for love. With blessings and hope to you, may this Holiday Concert and this season bring you love, This day, and forever more, Amen. H. Scott Matheney + Chaplain


Elmhurst University Music Department

HOLIDAY CONCERT Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble ** P R O G R A M **


Wind Ensemble Overture to Miracle on 34th Street .................................................Bruce Broughton arr. Johnnie Vinson Dance of the Tumblers from “The Snow Maiden” ...... Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov trans. James Hile Pie Jesu .................................................................................. Andrew Lloyd Webber trans. James Hile Jeri-Ann Day and Joanna Angumei, vocal soloists The Twelve Days of Christmas ................................................... Ralph Carmichael arr. James Hile Somewhere in My Memory................................................................ John Williams arr. James Hile Minor Alterations ............................................................................... David Lovrien Slalom ...................................................................................................... Carter Pann

Symphonic Band Dashing Through the Snow ............................................................ Richard Saucedo How the Grinch Stole Christmas .................... Albert Hague and Eugene Poddany arr. Larry Clark Greensleeves ......................................................................................arr. Alfred Reed Laughing All the Way ...................................................................... James Pierpoint arr. Larry MacTaggart Sleigh Ride ........................................................................................ Leroy Anderson A Christmas Festival ........................................................................ Leroy Anderson


ELMHURST UNIVERSITY SYMPHONIC BAND Piccolo Joseph Johnson Flute Fatima Dabbah Anthony Galang * Kim Jahns Jennifer Jeffrey Jessica Jeffrey Ellen Kircher Debby Malnic Kristin Miceli Victoria Palomino Aliah Robles Elaine Schumacher Dorothy Stelzik Christina Vermeulen Coral Wiekert Oboe Sabrina ZeidlerMichaelson Victoria Zibel *

Clarinet Gina Carter Kenny Cook Emma Germann Steve Goldman Kim Hempel Caroline Husa Dan Kesselring Jennifer Kobos Melissa Lehmann Mia Merrell * Lisa Steele Bass Clarinet Sean Gaertner Beesam Tawil Alto Saxophone Karabeth Footman Jameson Flynn Emelie Guiterrez Nicolas Haddock Wayne Laudenbach Xavier Martinez * Nathan Para Jeni Perry Jacob Porras

Tenor Saxophone Dominic Bouffard Lauren Hauser Baritone Saxophone Eric Sanders Trumpet Eric Barbier Eric Beltran Justin Czarnowski Bob Dickinson * Abigail Komperda Joseph Miceli Luke Miller Laurie Pieler-DiCola Anjali Raichura Anna Thompson Antonio Yllaconza Horn Kevin Canelo Joan Elson Moore Brad Rathe *

Trombone Sebastian Cabezas Mike Cumberland * Melissa Drost Ed Hempel Jeremy Sison Euphonium Adrian Canelo Zach Hoffman * Tuba Michael Chipchak Luke Houis Michael Vaschur Percussion Johnathan Campbell Shane Dickinson Morgan Dudlicek Mike Paroline Brian Tacastacas

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE Piccolo Hannah Wilger Flute Eliana Kiltz Ali Martin Tori Marchi Camryn Nowak-Brown Claudia Rejowski * Oboe Naomi Matsunaga Disha Virdi * Bassoon Tobie Schroeder

Clarinet Evan Auriemma Nayely Casales Eliza Martinez Ian Murphy Leonardo Rodriguez *Joe Valenti Cristian Zavala Bass Clarinet Joe Consoli John Pinns Matt Wozniak Alto Saxophone Crystal Adaya Lissette Hernandez * Chris Tejeda Tenor Saxophone Nina Hoek Baritone Saxophone Bryce Leitzinger

Trumpet Ian Bardes Mackenzie Costa Tim Gorman Sebastian Martinez Charlie Rossi * William Stezowski Horn Kailie Gilmore Hannah Hadraba * Alyssa Ladewski Julie Perez Trombone Matt Garcia * Michael GrifSin Brianna Maciel Ian Martinez

Euphonium Randy Beschorner Paul Eakley Milton Nonato Ethan Soltys * Tuba Tyler Jozwiak Aidan Pelletier * Logan Turney George Patrick Williams Percussion Kristin Crisostomo Grace Heisen * Levi Korvach Henrik Ravadeneira Piano Soyoung Kee

• denotes principa


Wind Ensemble Program Notes Radetsky March ................................................................................ Johann Strauss Radetzky March, Op. 228, is a march composed by Johann Strauss Sr. in 1848. It was dedicated to the Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, and became quite a popular march among soldiers. It has been remarked that its tone is more celebratory than martial– Strauss was commissioned to write the piece for a celebration of Radetsky’s victory at the Battle of Custoza. For the Trio Strauss used an older folk in 3/4 time signature. When Radetzky came back to Vienna after winning the battle of Custoza (1848), his soldiers were singing the then popular song. Allegedly Strauss heard this singing and included the melody, this time in 2/4 time signature, into the Radetzky march. When it was first played in front of Austrian officers they spontaneously clapped and stamped their feet when they heard the chorus. This tradition is kept alive today when the march is played in classical music venues in Vienna, among members of the audience who are familiar with the tradition. It is almost always played as the last piece at the Vienna New Year Concert. Program Note - http://www.murraysymphony.org/?page_id=504

Overture to Miracle on 34th Street ................................................. Bruce Broughton Overture to Miracle on 34th Street was composed for the 1994 remake of the classic motion picture from 1947. In the original movie a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane. A young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing. Bruce Broughton (b. 1945) is a leading composer of music for concerts and soundtracks for film, video game, and television. He has been nominated for twenty Emmy awards and has won ten. He is a member of the Board of Directors of ASCAP, and is a current or past official in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Society of Composers and Lyricists. He has taught film composition at USC and lectured at UCLA. Program Note: http://palatineconcertband.org/program-notes/o/overture-to-miracle-on-34th-street.html

Dance of the Tumblers from “The Snow maiden”

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov

The Snow Maiden, premiered in 1882, is one of the most famous operas by Russian composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), a work for which he felt he had achieved the height of his creative output. Like his fellow composers comprising the Russian Five, Rimsky-Korsakov was interested in setting the stories or Russian folklore and legend to music. The Snow Maiden tells the story of the young, lovelorn daughter of the winter and spring deities who sacrifices her own life to bring a conclusion to a relentless, never-ending winter. The Dance of the Tumblers is often performed on its own or as the final movement of a suite from the opera. It occurs in the opera at a feast in celebration of the coming of spring. This transcription for wind band was completed by James Hile for the Elmhurst University Wind Ensemble.


Pie Jesu .................................................................................. Andrew Lloyd Webber The best-known part of Lloyd Webber's Requiem, the "Pie Jesu”, combines the traditional Pie Jesu text with that of the Agnus Dei from later in the standard Requiem Mass. It was originally soprano Paul Miles-Kingston; a music video of their duet was created as well. The performance by Brightman and Miles-Kingston was a certified Silver hit in the UK in 1985. Brightman later rerecorded the track for her Classics album in 2001. Pie Jesu has since been recorded frequently outside of the parent Requiem. Pie Jesu Qui tollis peccata mundi, eis requiem Agnus Dei, Qui tollis peccata mundi, eis requiem Sempiternam Requiem.

Pious Jesus, Who takes away the sins of the world, Dona Give them rest. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world Dona Give them rest. Everlasting Rest.

The Twelve Days of Christmas ................................................... arr. Ralph Carmichael In 1961, Stan Kenton’s “A Merry Christmas!” album was released featuring the big, bold sound of a 13-piece brass section with rhythm section and Stan Kenton on piano. The Kenton big band sound is featured on all the traditional Christmas songs with unique arrangements by some of Kenton’s best arrangers. One of the unique arrangements on the album was The Twelve Days of Christmas arranged by Ralph Carmichael which James Hile adapted for the Elmhurst University Wind Ensemble.

Somewhere in My Memory ............................................................. John Williams Somewhere In My Memory was written in 1990 as part of the musical score for the film Home Alone. The atmosphere in the film was charming and is imbued with a warm Dickensian glow. To further enhance the effect of all this I utilized a children’s chorus to sing with our orchestra on the soundtrack recording. In the present version I have rearranged the song for either an adult or a children’s chorus with orchestra. The colorful lyrics are by my friend and long-time associate, Leslie Bricusse. Program Note by composer

Slalom..................................................................................................... Carter Pann Slalom is a taste of the thrill of downhill skiing. The work is performed at a severe tempo throughout showcasing the ensemble’s volatility and endurance. The idea for a piece like this came directly out of a wonderful discovery I made several years ago at Steamboat Springs, Colorado when I embarked on the mountain-base gondola with a cassette player and headphones. At the time I was treating myself to large doses of Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. The exhilaration of barreling down the Rockies with such music pumping into my ears was overwhelming. After a few years of skiing with some of the greatest repertoire it occurred to me that I could customize the experience. The work is presented as a collection of scenes and events one might come by on the slopes. The score is peppered with phrase headings for the different sections such as “First Run,” “Open Meadow,” “Champagne Powder,” “Straight Down, Tuck,” and “On One Ski, Gyrating” among others. In this way Slalom shares the same programmatic feature with that of Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony. The similarities end there, however, for Slalom lasts ten minutes precisely the amount of time I need to get from Storm Peak (the peak of Mt. Werner, Steamboat Springs) to the mountain base. Program Note by the composer


Symphonic Band Program Notes Dashing Through the Snow ............................................................ Richard Saucedo Jingle Bells is one of the best-known and commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title One Horse Open Sleigh in the autumn of 1857. Based on Jingle Bells, here is a merry romp through hills and fields as Richard Saucedo uses a mixture of meter changes, exciting fanfares, unique harmonic and melodic twists, and a sense of joy in this marvelous setting for the holiday season. Program Note from publisher

Greensleeves ..................................................................................... arr. Alfred Reed It is generally agreed that the melody we know as Greensleeves is probably the second oldest piece of secular music in our Western culture, its origins having been traced back to about 1360. While we are not certain that this was the original title, it is known that in the latter 14th Century, English ladies wore gowns with great billowing sleeves, and the lyrics that have come down to us speak of a lover’s lament over his lady’s cruel treatment of him by a lady clad in a dress with green sleeves. This melody is well-known as the traditional Christmas carol, What Child is This. Program Note by the arranger

Laughing All the Way .................................................................. Larry MacTaggert Capture all the joy and good humor of the season with this delightful holiday treat! Grab the reins and hang on for a fun-filled journey with this whirlwind treatment of Jingle Bells. Complete with cheering crowds and sounds of merriment, this arrangement really captures the essence of just how much fun dashing through the snow can be. Program Note from publisher

Sleigh Ride ........................................................................................Leroy Anderson Sleigh Ride is a light orchestra standard whose music was composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had formed the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and he finished the work in February 1948. The original recordings were instrumental versions. The lyrics, about riding in a sleigh and other fun wintertime activities, were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950. The orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra. Program Note from Wikipedia

A Christmas Festival ........................................................................ Leroy Anderson A Christmas Festival was composed in 1950 at a time when Leroy Anderson was an arranger with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Their conductor-in-chief, Arthur Fiedler, required a piece of music that would cover two sides of a 45 or 78rpm “single” for the holiday season. Anderson wove a tapestry of well-known Christmas songs and carols into an ambitious concert overture that used Joy to the World, Jingle Bells, and O, Come All ye Faithful as the main thematic material. Additional songs used in a more subtle style include Deck the Halls, Good King Wenceslas, God Rest you Merry Gentlemen, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, The First Nowell, and Silent Night. Program Note provided by website British Classical Music: The Land of Lost content


Elmhurst University Music Department Chair: Dr. James Hile Administrative Assistants: Trish Thoren and Kate Reeter

Elmhurst University Applied Wind and Percussion Faculty Flute: Professor Marie Bennett Oboe: Professor Julie Popplewell Bassoon: Professor Dianne Ryan Clarinet: Professor Andrea DiOrio Saxophone: Professor Matthew Beck Trumpet: Professor Christopher O’Hara French Horn: Professor Anna Mayne Trombone: Professor Thomas Stark Euphonium/Tuba: Professor Josh Wirt Percussion: Professor Bob Rummage

Elmhurst University Concert Band Staff Director of Bands/Wind Ensemble Dr. James Hile Director of Symphonic Band Mr. Bryan Miller Director of Varsity Band Mr. Eric Morong Band Manager: Claudia Rejowski Band Staff: Leo Rodriguez, Evan Auriemma, Cristan Zavala, Eliza Martinez, Crystal Adaya, Charlie Rossi, Tim Gorman Work Study: Karabeth Footman, Anthony Galang, Lissette Hernandez, Tyler Jozwiak, Sean Marotta, Ian Martinez, Sebastian Martinez, Aliah Robles, Christopher Tejeda Program and Poster Design: Kate Reeter Reference Recordings: Mr. Randy Beschorner Recording: Mr. John Towner and Student Recording Service


About the Conductors Dr. James Hile is the Director of Concert Bands at Elmhurst University where his responsibilities include conducting the Elmhurst University Wind Ensemble and teaching courses in conducting and band arranging. Hile most recently served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Eastern Illinois University, and previously as Director of Bands at Highland Park High School (IL), Director of Bands at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Illinois, and Director of Bands at Santa Monica High School (CA). Hile has done numerous arrangements for university, high school, and professional bands across the United States, including performances by the United States Army Band, United States Army Brass Band, the United States Air Force Band, the Interlochen Music Academy Bands, the Dallas Wind Symphony, and the Israel Philharmonic Winds. Hile has received numerous awards for teaching excellence at both public school and collegiate levels and is also a recipient of the Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association, the Outstanding Bandmaster Award by the Illinois Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmasters Fraternity, and the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award. Hile has recently been recognized in the Marquis Who’s Who in America. Mr. Bryan Miller. For nearly a quarter century, Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Miller has been honored to serve our nation as Commander and Conductor of the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest, the 566th Air Force Band, a National Medal of Arts recipient organization. Mission highlights include leading teams for two Southwest Asia and Africa deployments, Mount Rushmore’s Independence Day Celebration, Rockefeller Center Plaza’s Centennial of Flight Exposition, the Liberty Medal Ceremony at Independence Hall, performances honoring the Tuskegee Airmen, Gold Star Families, the Warrior Games, funeral memorial honors for President Ronald Reagan, and serving as a Liaison Officer for the Illinois National Guard’s COVID-19 Military Vaccination Augmentation Team mission. A career music educator, he is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicagoland Educators Orchestra. He has served as chair for the national award winning Leyden High School music department since 1994, and has held concurrent music education and conducting positions with Elmhurst University, VanderCook College, and North Central College. Guest conducting appearances have included the United States Air Force Band, the Wheaton Municipal Band, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, ILMEA, ISYM, and numerous university and community bands. A CYSO alumnus, he has served on its Board of Directors since 2002. He regularly serves as a presenter, conductor, or performer for NAfME, The Midwest Clinic, ILMEA, and was also appointed to serve on NAfME’s National Council of Music Program Leaders. An active trumpet artist, he performed under Maestro Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera brass sections for the Arnold Jacobs memorial tribute concert at Symphony Center. His brass quintet was a semi-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He is an alumnus of the NIU Jazz Ensemble, former principal trumpet of the Wheaton Municipal Band, and founding member of Chicagoland’s renown Pete Ellman Big Band.


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