Wind Works I
FACULTY & STAFF
Jay S. Gephart.....................................................................................................Director and AI G. Wright Chair
Matthew R. Conaway......................................Professor, Director of “All-American” Marching Band
Dr. Pamela J. Nave................................................................Associate Professor, Director of Percussion
Adam Bodony..........................................................................Associate Professor, Director of Orchestras
Bethany Robinson...............................................Clinical Assistant Professor, Director of Jazz Bands
Jarrard Harris..............................................................................................................Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. David M. Blon.......................................................................................................Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. Lucas H. Petersen.............................................................................................Clinical Assistant Professor
Douglas R. Fletcher.............................................................................................................Director of Operations
Amy Brandfonbrener................................................................................................Chamber Music Instructor
Esther Kirgiss........................................................................................................Director of External Relations
Caitlin Cotten........................................................................Manager of Recruitment & Student Success
Humza Nasir..............................................................................................................................Multimedia Designer
Susan Lipscomb.............................................................................................Senior Administrative Assistant
Kim Delks.........................................................................................................................................Business Assistant
Adisyn Nichols..................................................................................................................Student Office Assistant
Elora Ifeguni............................................................................................................................Graphic Design Intern
Udochukwu Akorah...................................................................................................Social Media Ambassador
PROGRAM
CAMPUS BAND
Dr. Lucas H. Petersen, conductor
Jeff Bryant, guest conductor
Liadov Fanfare (2009).............................................................................................................Brian Beck (b. 1976)
Feathered Angels (2025)..........................................................................................Jodie Blackshaw (b. 1971)
Consuelo Ciscar (2003)....................................................................................................Ferrar Ferran (b. 1966)
Hummingbird: The Angel’s Messenger (2023)..............................................Peter Meechan (b. 1980)
Jeff Bryant, guest conductor
The King Across The Water (1995).........................................................................Bruce Fraser (1947-2017)
COLLEGIATE BAND I
Dr. Lucas H. Petersen, conductor
Holly Harrison, composer-in-residence
Country Gardens (1918/1999)...............................................................................Percy Grainger (1882-1961) arr. Brion/Schissel/Sousa
Shenendoah (2019)...................................................................................................arr. Omar Thomas (b. 1984)
Capriccio (1979/1995/2015)...................................................................................Frigyes Hidas (1928-2007)
Big Things (2026)..............................................................................................................Holly Harrison (b. 1988)
World Premiere
i. Big Smoke
ii. Big Boots
iii. Big Red Button
PICCOLO
Abby Schneider
FLUTE
Aurora Casbon
Allison DeYoung
Allison Hafer*
Haleigh Hoffman
Lucia Huang
Mallory Lizotte
Grace Lorton
Syd Lumpcik
Alli Mathews
Jackson Smith
Madeline White
OBOE
Aubrey Hall*
Melania Laubsch
Josie Skinner
CLARINET
Grace Alpha
Julie Barber
Rachel Bergmann
Jeffrey Bi
William Crum
Kathryn Feller
Liliana Gutierrez
Lindsey Kamerad
Anna Lilly
Kara Millay
Trinity Miranda
Kenvar Pujoe, Jr.
Samuel Ray
Reina Sherman*
Cecilia Vega-Johnson
Meredith Wood
BASS CLARINET
Ella Freeman
Alicia Indyk
CAMPUS BAND
ALTO SAXOPHONE
Gaven Acosta
Capher Armstrong
Samantha Cook
Andrew Mozi*
Charlotte Rosenbaum
Kyle Schwallie
Braylon Shambry
Abigail Thomas
Janae Vandenberg
Ava Wildoner
TENOR SAXOPHONE
Ren Bethel
Hunter Dunlap
Jonathan McDonald
BARITONE SAXOPHONE
Taylor Thomspon
Daniel Walker
TRUMPET
Colette Bacidore
Dakota Baldwin
Winston Bates
Nathan Bilby
TJ Connors
Luka Gramelspacher
James Hardin
Brooke Majchrowski
Kevin McCallister
Matthew McMahon
Samuel Midkiff
Anna Munson
Karsten Palm
Sidney Tindell
HORN
Loren Allen
Alston Lin
Evan Sample
Michael Schick*
Tyler Schmidt
Christopher Seng
Evan Tang
TROMBONE
Austin Abshire
Owen Adler*
Cole Baker
Jade Driscoll
Jake Fisher
Wesley Hallett
Joe Sansone
Saket Sarkar
EUPHONIUM
Jonah Blankenhorn
Evey Brooks
Tai Crabtree
James Graham*
Beau Kimberling
Chase Osborne
TUBA
Aleena Freedman
Isaac Fuksman
Henry Gleason*
Simeon Pontones
William Serhal
Edward Stein
Ben Wehnert
PIANO
Melania Laubsch
PERCUSSION
Ivan Chen
Lauren Hubert
Emma Kelsey
Lilly Patterson
MJ Smith*
Brady Wosick
COLLEGIATE BAND I
PICCOLO
Rachel Magtira
FLUTE
Avery Feller
Emma Foster
Allison Kanabay
Alexander Livson
Emma Senter*
Emma Zaffuta
Aiden Zhao
OBOE
Quincy Bourell
Joanna Chu
Amelia Smith*
BASSOON
Reese Fritz
Sydney Szuba
CLARINET
Priya Antes
Lauren Cunningham
Megan Fountain
Madeline Frasure-Lauth
Tavneet Gadhoke
Brian Morgan
Samuel Queen
Jack Riviere
Ryan Wang
Emilie Wells
Nathan Weston
Raphael Yeom*
BASS CLARINET
Michael Barnhart
Hailey Mack
ALTO SAXOPHONE
Jackson Bove
Alexander Lisiecki
Jonathan Peng
Isabella Rabadi*
Benjamin Suesz
Jason Vandeputte
TENOR SAXOPHONE
Olivia McGary*
Shelby O’Keefe
BARITONE SAXOPHONE
Matthew Kealey
TRUMPET
Ryan Borruso
Kate Haller
Boqian Li*
John Mills
Elizabeth Mroz
Erik Palm
Nolan Pannier
Eli Sutaphong
Ryan Timmerman
Eric Umminger
HORN
Elle Bishop*
Shaelyn Fisher
Cassie Kelly
Karli Klimowicz
Mattie Midkiff
Clara Smith
Andrew Wee
TROMBONE
Annika Allen
Paul Amado*
Matthew Hall
Griffin Hall
Carson Richards
Ephraim Stoner
BASS TROMBONE
Harrison Sterns
EUPHONIUM
Jasmine Freeman
Alex Glaeser
Jeremiah Kim
Caleb McConkey*
TUBA
Cody Blackburn
Sloan Dossin*
Jack Goodwin
Kelby Tarter
PERCUSSION
Jamison Blair
Jack Farley
Jack Garrison
Brayden Mannia
Thomas McCabe
Seth Medors
Lucas Rulo
Blaise Rupley*
Both ensembles are listed alphabetically to reinforce the importance of each member to the group. * Denotes Section Leader
PROGRAM NOTES
LIADOV FANFARE - BECK
Liadov Fanfare is based on the works of Anatoli Liadov, a Russian composer, teacher, and conductor. Liadov was known for including oriental and exotic melodies in his works. This piece features bold statements in melodies in the style of the Russian composer. It provides a distinguished vibrance to uplift the room.
- Abby Schneider (Piccolo, Campus Band)
FEATHERED ANGELS - BLACKSHAW
Feathered Angels is a unique piece that celebrates the conservation of little penguins, specifically the penguins on Phillip Islands, which are off the coast of Australia. The state government managing this island bought back a large amount of holiday houses and transformed the island into a conservation site for penguins, building a penguin research complex which allows for the complimentary lives of penguins and humans on this island. Since transforming the island, the penguin colony on this island has grown exponentially, nearly reaching 40 thousand penguins. This piece celebrates the fragile, animated, and peculiar nature of these birds.
- Abby Schneider (Piccolo, Campus Band)
CONSUELO CISCAR - FERRAN
Consuelo Ciscar is a festive, traditional Spanish paso doble, which celebrates the life and spirit of Consuelo Ciscar, a true devotee of Valencian culture. This paso doble is lively and filled with exciting harmony throughout the piece, which is to represent her Spanish and Valencian personality. The composer intends to pay tribute to this extraordinary Valencian woman.
-- Abby Schneider (Piccolo, Campus Band)
HUMMINGBIRD: THE ANGEL’S MESSENGER - MEECHEN
Hummingbird – The Angel’s Messenger was commissioned by Jeff Bryant in memory of his mother, Lynn Bryant, who passed away from cancer in the fall of 2020. A beloved friend and family member, Lynn was a musician who taught elementary music and loved playing the piano. In commissioning the piece, Jeff wanted a warm and loving piece for his mom that featured the piano and was simple harmonically and melodically. He preferred that it not be sad, but rather celebratory of the time they had together, which is something she would have wanted.
He also shared with me stories and thoughts from himself and other family members, as well as Lynn’s friends. Amongst these stories was a note about a connection Lynn had with hummingbirds:
“She was often reminded of her own mother by the appearance of hummingbirds at unusual and unexpected places. Her mother had also passed away from cancer, and ever since then our family would regularly be visited by hummingbirds at our place in Palm Springs. Shortly after moms passing, many close friends and members of the family reported seeing hummingbirds in rare and unexpected places, too.”
This connection was something that spoke to me; across various cultures and spiritualities, the hummingbird symbolizes joy, good, and resilience; it is believed to bring healing to the suffering and to signal good luck to travelers; and is also considered a messenger for angels.
Hummingbird – The Angel’s Messenger is a tribute to Lynn Bryant, who had left us too soon–conducted this evening by her son, Jeff Bryant.
- Peter Meechan, composer
THE KING ACROSS THE WATER - FRASER
The King Across the Water is a three-part Scottish piece based on the real events of Bonnie Prince Charlie. He gathered an army to attack the Scottish outside of Edinburgh, which is represented by the Battle movement. In the music, this is characterized by the military-style percussion throughout the band at the beginning. The brass then triumphantly joins the percussion, which further emphasizes the military aspect of this piece. The Scottish army successfully repels the English, who then have a long mourning period for their dead, which is represented by the Lament movement. This movement is characterized by the longing, sorrowful clarinet solo singing the sad melody of the English. Since the Scottish won, they are celebrating their victory by dancing in the traditional Scottish fashion. This is characterized by the upbeat, lively dancing. The joyful dance melody passes from the trumpets to the piccolo, euphonium, and tenor sax, who are all celebrating the exciting Scottish victory over the English.
- Abby Schneider (Piccolo, Campus Band)
GUEST CONDUCTOR
Jeff Bryant is a dedicated music educator who recently relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, after a distinguished teaching career in Alberta, Canada, where he led award-winning wind ensembles and jazz groups. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Toronto, a Performance Diploma with Distinction from MacEwan University, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, and a Master of Education from Acadia University. As a trumpet player, he has performed in diverse wind band, chamber, and jazz settings across Canada, the United States, and Europe.
COUNTRY GARDENS - GRAINGER
Country Gardens is an English folk tune that Cecil Sharp collected in 1908 and passed on to Grainger, who played improvisations on it during his World War I tour as a concert pianist for the U.S. Army. According to Grainger, it is a dance version of the tune The Vicar of Bray. Once published in its original piano form, the tune brought Grainger great success. However, it was not among his favorite compositions.
Later in life, despite the steady stream of income from its royalties, the fame of Country Gardens and the widespread public association of this work as being his best known piece, the work came to haunt Grainger. Mentally, it became his albatross. He came to think of his own brilliant original music as “my wretched tone art.” He once remarked, “The typical English country garden is not often used to grow flowers in; it is more likely to be a vegetable plot. So you can think of turnips as I play it.”
When asked in 1950 by Leopold Stokowski to make a new arrangement for Stokowski’s orchestra, Grainger obliged with a wildly satirical version that literally sticks out its tongue at the success of the little tune. In 1953, he rescored that arrangement for band. Reflecting his mood at the time, it is a bitingly sophisticated parody that was to become his only band setting of the music.
- Wind Repertory Project
SHENANDOAH - THOMAS
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 rains win out. This arrangement of Shenandoah is at times mysterious, somewhat ominous, constantly introspective, and deeply soulful.
- Omar Thomas, arranger
CAPRICCIO - HIDAS
Composer Frigyes Hidas began composing for symphonic band in the late 1970s. Capriccio has existed for almost 20 years and is part of the standard repertoire of almost all Hungarian symphonic bands. In 1995 Hidas decided to orchestrate this piece again and expanded this composition to make it more accessible and enjoyable for the bands.
- Wind Repertory Project
BIG THINGS - HARRISON
Written in three movements, Big Things is all about... well, big things. From the urban feel of Big Smoke to the swagger of Big Boots, to the heart of Big Red Button. Think big city buzz, big attitude, and big endings. When first writing the work, my ear was drawn to masses of big bold sounds: a mix of big contrasts, big grooves, and big beats.
In Australia, we often refer to large cities as the ‘big smoke’. With more than a trace of disco, the opening movement captures the bustling, bursting energy of big cities, imagining a streetscape dancefloor flooded with commuters. Big Boots embraces a sleazy funk groove with a smattering of honky-tonk. With big boots to fill, who better to call on than the bass section? This movement offers plenty of swagger, stomp, and bass breakdowns. The final movement, Big Red Button, is a big ending in disguise. Featuring numerous soloists in the lyrical first half, melodic strains and lines become increasingly entangled throughout. This lyrical web ultimately forces the conductor to push the big red button and engage the emergency safety protocol: the return of big.
- Holly Harrison, composer
COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE
Holly Harrison is an Australian composer from Western Sydney. Her music is driven by the nonsense literature of Lewis Carroll, embracing stylistic juxtapositions, the visceral energy of rock, and whimsical humor. Highly in-demand, Holly’s works are frequently heard across Australia, Asia, Europe, and the USA. Her music has been described as “exploding off the page”, full of “riotous energy, eclectic rhythmic complexity” and “inventive, witty and invested with thrilling dynamism and momentum”. Limelight has hailed her as “writing some of the most exciting works to come out of Australia over the past decade”. Her music is published by Wise Music G. Schirmer Australia.
2026 sees the world premiere of her concerto for classical accordion, written for virtuoso James Crabb, and co-commissioned by the Adelaide, Queensland, Tasmanian, and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. Recent highlights include a national tour of Hovercraft by theremin superstar Carolina Eyck and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and the premiere of her sax concerto, Superhighway by Matt Styles and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Holly was previously Composer in Residence with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra from 2020-2022 and Composer in Residence at the 2024 Canberra International Music Festival.
She has worked with the Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmanian, Queensland, West Australian, Canberra, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Australian Youth Orchestra. Her music has been performed by Australia’s most celebrated artists, including Ensemble Offspring, Australian String Quartet, Omega Ensemble, Australia Ensemble, Syzygy Ensemble, Goldner Quartet, Rubiks Collective, Adelaide Wind Orchestra, Partridge Quartet, Kiazma Duo, Arcadia Winds, Duo Blockstix, and Contra Guitar Duo. Internationally, her music has been performed by the Oslo Philharmonic, Eighth Blackbird, Alarm Will Sound, Manchester Camerata, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Nurnberger Symphoniker, Nu Deco Ensemble, Riot Ensemble, the U.S Army Band, Orkest de Ereprijs, Goldmund Quartet, and Ensemble Garage.
Holly has been recognized multiple times by the APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards, including finalist nominations for Daredevil (2024) and Splinter (2021), and winning Performance of the Year for Lobster Tales and Turtle Soup by Eighth Blackbird (2018). In 2022, she received the Western Sydney University Chancellor’s Alumni of the Year Award for her contribution to the arts. Internationally, her wind ensemble work POUNCE was a finalist in the National Band Association’s 2023 Revelli Composition Contest (USA). She was also the winner of the 2018 Nu Deco Ensemble Nu Works Initiative (USA), the the 2017 Sue W Chamber Music Composition Prize (AUS), the 2014 Young Composers Meeting (NL), the 2014 Riot Ensemble Call for Scores (UK), and the 2013 Pyeongchon Arts Hall International Chamber Music Composition Competition (South Korea).
She holds a Doctor of Creative Arts from Western Sydney University and is currently Composer in Residence at The King’s School, North Parramatta. A committed mentor and educator, she leads workshops and seminars nationally, supporting emerging composers. In addition to composing, Holly plays drum kit and percussion in the improvised rock duo Tabua-Harrison with Joey Tabua (electric guitar).
UPCOMING CONCERTS
FEBRUARY
21 | Wind Works II | 7:30 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring University Band and Symphonic Band
22 | Wind Works III | 2:30 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring Collegiate Band II, Varsity Band, and Concert Band
22 | Wind Works IV | 7:00 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring the Wind Ensemble
22 | Jazz Swing Dance | 6:30 PM | Marriott Hall
27 | Orchestras | 7:30 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring Concert Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra
28 | Orchestras | 7:30 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring University Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra
APRIL
2 | Jazz Bands | 7:30 PM | Loeb Playhouse
Featuring Purdue Jazz Band, AMRE, Concert Jazz II, and Jazz Lab II
3 | Jazz Bands | 7:30 PM | Loeb Playhouse
Featuring Tower of Power Band, Concert Jazz I, and Jazz Lab I
17 | Spring Showcase I | 7:30 PM | Elliott Hall of Music
Featuring Campus Band and Collegiate Band I
18 | Spring Showcase II | 2:30 PM | Elliott Hall of Music
Featuring Alumni Concert Band, University Band, and Collegiate Band II
18 | Spring Showcase III | 7:30 PM | Elliott Hall of Music
Featuring Varsity Band and Symphonic Band
19 | Spring Showcase IV | 2:00 PM | Elliott Hall of Music
Featuring McCutcheon HS Band, Purdue Concert Band, and Purdue Wind Ensemble
19 | Percussion Ensemble | 7:30 PM | Loeb Playhouse
21 | Chamber Recital I | 7:00 PM | St. John’s Episcopal Church
22 | Chamber Recital II | 7:00 PM | St. John’s Episcopal Church
23 | Chamber Recital III | 7:00 PM | St. John’s Episcopal Church
MAY
1 | Orchestras | 7:00 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring Concert Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra
2 | Orchestras | 7:00 PM | Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring University Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra
3 | Jazz on the Hill | 2:30 PM | Slayter Center of Performing Arts
Featuring all Purdue Jazz Ensembles
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