A Silent Film by Buster Keaton (1925) Music Selected from the Works
about tonight's film
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his elementary skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocketwatch. While chasing down the suspect, he instead becomes locked in a train car. Upon returning to work, and exhausted from the chase, he falls asleep while screening a film with a similar plot line (but with a stolen necklace) and the ensuing dream sequence is an imaginative romp of daring rescue and sleuthing by the great detective, “Sherlock, Jr.”.
The creation of this accompaniment for Sherlock, Jr. was made possible with the support of a Research and Creativity grant and Sabbatical release from Carthage College. In addition, The Donald and Barbara Gillis Estate and daughter Julie Gillis, provided permissions to recast and arrange this music for the film. Generous support was also provided by Maristella Feustle, librarian at the Special Collections area of the Music Library at North Texas State University.
about the music
Complementing the action is the music of Don Gillis, in a score assembled from the composer’s many outstanding works for band. Known for his light hearted compositions, Gillis’ works are a delightful background to the movie. In all, over 60 works by the composer were considered for inclusion in the film, from which 12 were selected. Gillis was a prolific composer, writing ten orchestral symphonies, tone poems such as "Portrait of a Frontier Town", piano concertos, rhapsodies, several works with narration, and six string quartets.
Gillis was born in Cameron, Missouri. His family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and he studied at Texas Christian University, playing trombone and acting as assistant director of the university band. He graduated in 1935, and obtained a master's degree from North Texas State University in 1943.
He became production director for the radio station WBAP in Fort Worth, later moving to New York where he became producer for the NBC Symphony Orchestra during the tenure of its conductor Arturo Toscanini. After Toscanini retired in 1954, Gillis, serving as president of the Symphony Foundation of America, was instrumental in helping to form the Symphony of the Air, using members of the old NBC Symphony. Gillis also produced the radio program, Toscanini: The Man Behind the Legend, which ran for several years on NBC after the Italian conductor's death.
In 1973 he joined the faculty of the University of South Carolina where he founded, and was chairman of, the Institute for Media Arts and was instrumental in establishing the Instructional Services Center. Dr. Gillis also served as USC's composer-in-residence until his death.
The Land Beyond, from “Saga of a Pioneer” (1959)
Footsie, from “Band Concert” (1958)
The Man Who Invented Music (1950)
Waltz in Waltz Time, from “Band Concert”
The Lazy Days, from “The Land of Wheat” (1959)
Uncle Walt’s Waltz, from “Symphony No. 1” (1952)
Ballet for Band (1955)
The Pioneers, from “Saga of a Pioneer”
The Land and the People, from “The Land of Wheat”
The Pleasant Years, from “Symphony for Band”
America’s Gifted Youth, from “Band Concert”
Men of Music (The New Frontier) (1961, 1966)
Mr. Big (1958)
Threshing Bee, from “The Land of Wheat”
Paul Bunyan, Overture to a Legend (1964, 1967)
The Planting, from “The Land of Wheat”
The Fields in Summer, from “The Land of Wheat”
PICCOLO
Addison Kelnhofer
FLUTE
Kaylynn Brewton
Jessica Golden
Mandy Nelson
OBOE
Bella Howard
Toby Staaden
ENGLISH HORN
Laurel Brown
BASSOON
Neil DuJardin
CLARINET
Riley Gaylord
Maya Griffin
Hope Johnson
Emma Lorenz
Grace Miller
Mary Rivas
BASS CLARINET
Madison Bazylewicz
Dontice Wooley
SAXOPHONE
Ava Bartecki
John Cargille
Jalen Imroth
Jana Paulsen
Zach Shoemaker
HORN
Michael Aylward
Ella Christensen
Lanie Klawonn
Ellamae Monk
TRUMPET
Bailey Dobbratz
Nathan Esboldt
Elliot Podratz
Luke Rodriguez
TROMBONE
Anita Gross
Johnathan Ledanski
Jake Muller
Andrew Schaer
EUPHONIUM
Braedon Larson
TUBA
Riley Betthauer
Oliver Juarez-Wunderlin
PERCUSSION
Cora Brown
Avery Conger
Cece Cooper
Lydea King
Emma Libecki
Davian Santiago
Drake Thomas
PIANO
Alasdair Ladd
upcoming events
Fall Dance Show- Everything You Touch
Friday, November 14 • 7:30 p.m.
H.F. Johnson Recital Hall
Student Recital: Jana Paulsen
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Recital Hall
Concert Band/ Percussion Ensemble Concert
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A.F. Siebert Chapel
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Friday, Feburary 6 • 4-10 p.m.
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