Letter from the Director
Thank you for joining us this evening for our 2026 Spring Band Concert. This year’s Spring Band Concert, “Take Me Out To The Concert”, was inspired by my recent trip to see the Savannah Bananas’ 2026 season opener at Doak Campbell Stadium. One thing I noticed while watching the Bananas was that there was always something interesting happening either on the video board or on the field. We always strive to give you performances coming from different angles at our spring concerts, and this year will be no different. But tonight, we will also sprinkle in a bit of the Jonathan Maerkl fun you might expect to see more often at a ballpark than a Director of Bands band concert. • We are, of course, featuring baseball themed music. You will hear Baseball March (a march style arrangement of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”), John Philip Sousa’s The National Game (a march commissioned in 1925 by baseball’s high commissioner for the National League’s fiftieth anniversary), Play at the Plate, and Batter-Up! (A Sandlot Symphony for Beginning Band and Narrator). • You will also hear some popular songs we normally play at sporting events including Hey! Baby! (which the Banana Band also performs), The Avengers, Cold-Hearted, and our school’s fight song, Let’s Go Stallions! • And finally, you will hear some fun music that we enjoy playing, such as Irish Jig for Young Feet (because we have to have some dancing at a concert like this), a Jazz Ensemble arrangement of selections from The Incredibles, and the ridiculous but not-easy Great Rubber Chicken Galop. It is going to be an entertaining evening celebrating the talent, growth, and hard work of our Providence instrumental musicians. Thank you, students, for your dedication. Thank you, parents, for your support and encouragement. Thank you to the administration, staff, and faculty at Providence for creating a space where we can do this work and flourish. Praise be to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who has brought us together and allowed us to share in the creative activity of music making. May this program glorify Him and prepare the students for service to Him through music and in all parts of their lives. Jonathan Maerkl Director of Bands, Providence School of Jacksonville “Play skillfully” – Psalm 33:3