LU Concert Program - October 7, 2021

PRESENTS

Symphonic Band Wind Ensemble October 7, 2021 Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Julie Rogers Theatre

PRO G R AM

L A M AR UNIVER SIT Y SYMPHONIC BAND ERIC SHANNON, CONDUCTOR March: Grandioso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roland Forrest Seitz (1867–1946) Arranged by Andrew Glover

Lux Aurumque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) Vesuvius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)

~ INT ER MISSION ~

L A M AR UNIVER SIT Y WIND ENSEMBLE ANDREW MCMAHAN, CONDUCTOR “Rag” from Suite of Old American Dances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Russell Bennett (1894–1981) Shenandoah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Omar Thomas (b. 1984) Ghost Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) Sailing With Whales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rossano Galante (b. 1967)

PROGR A M NOTE S M ARCH: GR ANDIOSO This dramatic march opens with a theme from Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 14 (Allegro Eroico section). Like Huffine’s Them Basses March, March Grandioso has a minimum of important simultaneous melodic lines and can thus be performed with very few instruments. When played at a football half-time show or during a parade by a band with 200 to 300 performers, the powerful unison strains can be heard for a considerable distance. This may explain March Grandioso’s current popularity across the globe.

LUX AURUMQUE Eric Whitacre is an American composer of choral, wind band, and orchestral music. Growing up in Reno, Nevada, Whitacre’s musical development was sporadic. He occasionally studied piano, joined the marching band in junior high, and played in a techno-pop band. His ability to read music was limited before he began his studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he received a Bachelor of Music. Whitacre went on to study with composers John Corigliano and David Diamond at the Julliard School. Though he is best-known for his choral works, Whitacre has also composed several important pieces for wind band.

About the wind band transcription of Lux Aurumque, Whitacre wrote: “Lux Aurumque began its life as an A cappella choral work that I wrote in the fall of 2000. When the Texas Music Educators Association and a consortium of bands commissioned me to adapt it for symphonic winds, I rewrote the climax and included the grand ‘Bliss’ theme from my opera Paradise Lost. Lux Aurumque received its premiere at the 2005 conference of the Texas Music Educators Association, and is dedicated with deep admiration for my dear friend Gary Green.”

Whitacre’s inspiration for Lux Aurumque was a poem by Edward Esch called “Light and Gold.”

Light, warm and heavy as pure gold, and the angels sing softly to the new-born babe.

VE SUVIUS The composer, Frank Ticheli, writes: Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed Pompeii in A.D. 79, is an icon of power and energy in this work. Originally I had in mind a wild and passionate dance such as might have been performed at an ancient Roman bacchanalia. During the compositional process, I began to envision something more explosive and fiery. With its driving rhythms, exotic modes, and quotations from the Dies Irae from the medieval Requiem Mass, it became evident that the bacchanalia I was writing could represent a dance from the final days of the doomed city of Pompeii.

“R AG” FROM SUITE OF OL D AMERICAN DANCES Robert Russell Bennett was born in 1894 and enjoyed a brilliant career in musical arranging. He orchestrated over 200 Broadway shows and studied composition with Carl Busch and Nadia Boulanger. Bennett attended a concert honoring the seventieth birthday of Edwin Franko Goldman on January 3, 1948, where he became aware of “all the beautiful sounds the American concert band could make that it hadn’t yet made”. The Suite of Old American Dances is an original composition in which the composer seeks to set the mood of a Saturday night barn dance. The piece recalls several of the characteristic dances remembered from his childhood. He wrote the suite and showed it to Goldman under the original name of “Electric Park”, referring to Electric Park in Kansas City, which was “a place of magic to us kids”. The five movements of the suite reflect popular dances of the day, hence the name the publisher later supplied. The music being performed this evening if the final movement from the suite: RAG Although there is no one specific dance that can be associated with the rag style, Bennett’s choice of music is representative of the era as a whole. The ragtime era coincided with the beginning of the century, and with a new generation which was harshly criticized by its elders for embracing novel ideas.

SHENANDOAH The composer, Omar Thomas, writes: Shenandoah is one of the most well-known and beloved Americana folk songs. Originally a river song detailing the lives and journeys of fur traders canoeing down the Missouri River, the symbolism of this culturally-significant melody has been expanded to include its geographic namesake – an area of the eastern United States that encompasses West Virginia and a good portion of the western part of Virginia – and various parks, rivers, counties, and academic institutions found within.

Back in May of 2018, after hearing a really lovely duo arrangement of Shenandoah while adjudicating a music competition in Minneapolis, I asked myself, after hearing so many versions of this iconic and historic song, how would I set it differently? I thought about it and thought about it and thought about it, and before I realized it, I had composed and assembled just about all of this arrangement in my head by assigning bass notes to the melody and filling in the harmony in my head afterwards. I would intermittently check myself on the piano to make sure what I was imagining worked, and ended up changing almost nothing at all from what I’d heard in my mind’s ear.

This arrangement recalls the beauty of Shenandoah Valley, not bathed in golden sunlight, but blanketed by low-hanging clouds and experiencing intermittent periods of heavy rainfall (created with a combination of percussion textures, generated both on instruments and from the body.) There are a few musical moments where the sun attempts to pierce through the clouds, but ultimately the rain wins out. This arrangement of Shenandoah is at times mysterious, somewhat ominous, constantly introspective, and deeply soulful.

GHOST TR AIN Ghost Train illustrates a tale from American folklore of a supernatural machine that roars throughout the Western United States. It is highly programmatic and particularly rich in special effects. Compositional techniques include pitch bending for the train whistle, accelerandos combined with rhythmical patterns mimicking the gradual start of a steam engine, layered instrumentation with dynamic changes to suggest the movement of the train as it passes different scenery, and extensive use of ostinati (repetitive rhythmic-harmonic schemes) that portray the relentless movement of a train.

SAILING WITH WHALE S Rossano Galante earned a degree in trumpet performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1992. He then was accepted into the film scoring program at the University of Southern California and studied with film composer Jerry Goldsmith. Mr. Galante has composed music for the films Bite Marks, The Last Straight Man, Monday Morning and Channels. He has served as orchestrator for over sixty studio films including A Quiet Place, The Mummy, Logan, Big Fat Liar, Scary Movie 2, The Tuxedo, and Tuesdays With Morrie, to name only a few.

Sailing with Whales, a programmatic work written in 2020, begins with a trumpet fanfare that accompanies the men and women who leave port and set out to sea on a crisp morning to search for the majestic Orcinus orca or orca whale. The main theme, stated by the trombones, follows them on their journey with these apex predators that no other animal would dare prey on. This theme encompasses the thrilling search and, once found, subsequent trek with the whales in their natural habitat. The noble and majestic secondary theme captures a quieter time on the ocean as these highly social whales travel in pods to calmer waters as the sun begins to set. The next day, as the waves swell and the sailors try to keep up with the whales, the pace of the music accelerates to embody the speed of these ocean giants as they begin to move faster and faster. After a brief recapitulation of the main thematic material, the piece comes to a riveting, rhythmic conclusion, encapsulating the experience of Sailing with Whales.

SYMPHONIC BAND FLUTE/PICCOLO

Isabelle Hawkins Emmanuel Rodriguez Jasmin Reyes Gabrielle Honeycutt Cheyenne Ard ΤΒΣ Jenna Garrison

HORN

Music Education (Nederland) Music Education (Houston) Biology/Pre-Med (Port Arthur) Interdisciplinary Studies (Bridge City) Communication Studies (Vidor) Music Education (Orange)

OBOE

Arlene Case Rebeca Casanova Kristal Deville

Music Education (Crosby) Music Education (Cleveland) Psychology (Dayton)

BASSOON

Kendall Booth

Nursing (Groves)

CLARINET

Johnathan Gumabong ΦΜΑ/ ΚΚΨ Music Education (Humble)

David Matherne Abigail Purifoy Justice Petty Blaiz Lopez Sean Heald Julietta Wirth Anese Richardson

Biology (Sour Lake) Music Education (Mont Belvieu) Music Education (Buna) Nursing (Vidor) Communication (Lumberton) Music Education (Longview) Hospitality (Cedar Hill)

Social Work (Brenham)

Music Education (Houston) Music Education (Kountze) Music Education (Bridge City) Accounting (Port Neches) Music Education (Orangefield)

TENOR SAXOPHONE

Carly Jeffcoat Heidy Perez

Theatre & Dance (Beaumont) Nursing (Rio Grande City)

Dennis Doiron ΦΜΑ Ricardo Rodriguez ΦΜΑ /ΤΒΣ Jaydon Murrell ΦΜΑ/ ΚΚΨ Max Jackson Jacob McWherter Kael Kibodeaux Jaxson Jordan

Music Performance (Beaumont) Music Education (Beaumont) Music Education (Mont Belvieu) Music Education (Beaumont) Music Education (Vidor) Music Education (Beaumont) General Studies (Vidor)

TROMBONE

Bethany Duhon Alexandra Duhon Nathan Smith Tanner Barrett Jacqueline Sonnier ΤΒΣ Airik Cast

Music Performance (Baytown) Music Education (Baytown) Music Education (Austin) Music Education (Lumberton) Music Education (Port Neches) Music Education (Orange)

Kevin Nickson

Music Education (Beaumont)

Joshua Rigsby Darrell Marsh Ishmael Marte

Music Education (Lumberton) Music Education (Groves) Music Education (Katy)

TUBA

Manuel Andino Luke Allen Shawn Dupree Slater Macon

Music Education (Houston) Music Education (Silsbee) Political Science (Groves) Civil Engineering (Nederland)

Gabe Estrada Adam Cain Jack Curry Jacob Murphy ΚΚΨ Evan LeBouef

Music Education (Pearland) Music Education (Orange) Biology (Lumberton) Accounting (Sour Lake) Music Education [MM] (Groves)

PERCUSSION

BARITONE SAXOPHONE

William Barclay

TRUMPET

EUPHONIUM

ALTO SAXOPHONE

Jonathan Mar Stephen Boyett Gavin Joiner Nolan Abalos Kassidy Boyett

Music Education (Lumberton) Music Education (West Orange) Theatre (Beaumont) Music (Bridge City) Music Performance (Houston) Music Performance (Sugar Land) Music Education (Kountze)

BASS TROMBONE

BASS CLARINET

Briana Ortiz ΤΒΣ

Colby Key Demi Richings Karlye Ramos Ty Bodin ΦΜΑ/ ΚΚΨ Alex Pinti Kevin Wallin ΦΜΑ Rebecca McGarity ΤΒΣ

Music Education (Port Neches)

WIND ENSEMBLE PICCOLO

HORN

Kamryn Knafelz

ΤΒΣ

Art Education (Highland Village)

FLUTE

Emmanuel Rodriguez Sammantha Bourdreaux Stephen Matherne Jose Perez Catarina Tran ΚΚΨ

Music Education (Houston) Music Education (Groves) Music Performance (Sour Lake) Music Education (Houston) Music Education (Nederland)

OBOE

Rebeca Casanova Arlene Case Bre Sanders

Music Education (Cleveland) Music Education (Crosby) Sociology (Groves)

Kevin Wallin ΦΜΑ Colby Key Alex Pinti Demi Richings ΤΒΣ Karen Ledet

Music Performance (Sugar Land) Music Education (Lumberton) Music Performance (Houston) Music Education (West Orange) Psychology (Groves)

TRUMPET

Ty Bodin ΦΜΑ/ ΚΚΨ Christopher Stiles Karissa Holden Dennis Doiron ΦΜΑ Carson Archer ΦΜΑ Gregg Ballard ΦΜΑ/ ΚΚΨ

Music Education (Bridge City) Music Performance (Nederland) Music Education (Lufkin) Music Performance (Beaumont) Management (Mont Belvieu) Music Education (Mont Belvieu)

TROMBONE

BASSOON

Kendall Booth

Nursing (Groves)

CLARINET

Olivia Gerald Kohner Trahan Brianna Hargrave ΤΒΣ Thomas Armstrong Kara Rumsey Haylon Haynes Zachary Davis ΚΚΨ

Music Education (Groves) Music Performance (Beaumont) Music Education (Port Neches) Music Performance (Texas City) Music Education (Lumberton) Nursing (Beaumont) Music Perf/Comp (Hammond, LA)

Music Performance [MM] (Houston) Music Performance (Mont Belvieu) Music Education (Nederland) Music Performance (Silsbee) Music Education (Houston) Music Education (Nederland)

BASS TROMBONE

Christopher Garber Kevin Espinoza

Music Education (Orange) Music Education (Houston)

EUPHONIUM

BASS CLARINET

Rebecca McGarity ΤΒΣ Casie Jones

De’Vionne Jones Austin Muñoz ΚΚΨ Micah Elms Hunter Wood ΦΜΑ/ ΚΚΨ Jay Fields Jake Farmer ΦΜΑ

Music Education (Kountze) Music Education (Nederland)

Joshua Rigsby Darrell Marsh Ishmael Marte

Music Education (Lumberton) Music Education (Groves) Music Education (Katy)

ALTO SAXOPHONE

Gavin Lopez Kace Smith Cameron Montgomery Joseph Landrum

Music Education (Nederland) Music Education (Orange) Music Education (Beaumont) Music Education (Nederland)

Music Performance (Orange)

BARITONE SAXOPHONE

Trace Shannon

Nathan Trinkle Logan Sells Gerson Reyes

Music Performance (Vidor) Music Education (White Oak) Music Performance (Dickinson)

Alex Braud Erick Benavides, Jr. ΤΒΣ Carlos Garza Mason Muñoz Olajuwon Taylor

Music Performance [MM] (Kansas City, MO)

PERCUSSION

TENOR SAXOPHONE

Devyn Drake

TUBA

Music Education (Orange)

Music Performance (La Marque) Music Education (Roma) Mechanical Engineering (Port Arthur) Music Education (Buna)

PIANO

Rachel Clark

Music Performance [MM] (Lumberton)

BASS

Evan LeBouef

Music Education [MM] (Groves)

M ARY MORGAN MOORE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC JE ANNET T E FRESNE, CHAIR

UNIVERSIT Y BANDS

Andrew McMahan, director of bands Eric Shannon, director of athletic bands Rick Condit, director of jazz studies Francisco Perez, director of percussion Alicia Stewart, color guard instructor Evan LeBouef, graduate assistant Alex Braud, graduate assistant Olivia Gerald, student assistant Kara Rumsey, student assistant INSTRUMENTAL FACULT Y & STAFF

Jacob Clark, piano Rick Condit, saxophone Timothy M. Dueppen, trombone Brielle Frost, flute Victor Gomez, tuba & euphonium Jennifer Iles, clarinet Claire Kostic, oboe Francisco Perez, percussion Max Paulus, horn Brian Shook, trumpet Sarah Raiford, administrative coordinator

Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music College of Fine Arts and Communication Derina Holtzhausen, Dean

James M. “Jimmy” Simmons Music Building P.O. Box 10044 Beaumont, TX 77710 Phone

Main Office: 409-880-8144 Band Office: 409-880-8148

Web

Music Department lamar.edu/music

University Bands lamar.edu/bands

Social Media

Music Department facebook.com/lamarUmusic

University Bands facebook.com/lamaruniversitybands