Long Center for the Performing Arts
Featuring: The Wind Ensemble
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
WIND ENSEMBLE
Jay S. Gephart, conductor
Dr. David M. Blon, assistant conductor
Afrospire (2023)..................................................................................................................Bakari Nokuri (b. 2005)
A Southern Jubilee (2019).......................................................................................Bruce Broughton (b. 1945)
Joyce’s 71st NY Regiment March (1881)......................................Thornton Barnes Boyer (1856-1936) arr. James Barnes (b. 1949)
Four Scottish Dances (1957).............................................................................Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) transc. John Paynter (1928-1996)
I. Pesante
II. Vivace
III. Allegretto
IV. Con brio
Yakka (2008).....................................................................................Jose Rafael Pascual-Villaplana (b. 1971)
“Flight to Neverland” from Hook (1991).................................................................John Williams (b. 1932) arr. Paul Lavender(b. 1950)
WIND ENSEMBLE
PICCOLO
Yara Hijaz
FLUTE
Jeana Yeo
Keya Upadhyay
Linda Xu
Natalie Toledo
OBOE
Ava Baker
Isaak Gutierrez
Kyle Siu
BASSOON
Luke Trahin
Seth Cowan
Finn Henderhan
B b CLARINET
Jeremy Moon
Ellen Rath
Keshav Sreekantham
Gabriel Morgenstern
Andrew Campbell
Leanne So
Aiden Taheri
Calder Feit
Isabella Gonzalez
E b CLARINET
Aiden Sussner
BASS CLARINET
Raqib Chowdhury
Ellie Heaney
SAXOPHONE
Chanul Sumanasinghe
Tommy Colton
Cooper Chiappetta
Tarek Osman
Joseph Johnson
TRUMPET
Naje Bedja
Andrew Nguyen
Sathya Devarajan
Edward Hu
Aneesh Pannala
Steven Win
Patton Duvall
Ethan Bowlby
Norah Kopolow
HORN
Ryan Sierra
Jared Hasty
Gabriel Boyd
Mal Palmer
Joseph Weideman
Julia Simmons
TROMBONE
Daniel Henze
Arman Pathan
Henry Tsay
Elaine Lee
Owen Toro
BASS TROMBONE
Ben Wasson
EUPHONIUM
Michael Gardner
Ethan Kim TUBA
Rhys Bulham
Will Rater
Tobias Sturgell
STRING BASS
Ava Hoskins
HARP
Meitong I Fan
PIANO
Audrey Wise
PERCUSSION
Corbin Richardson
Victoria Knott
Nathan Kinney
Shrey Vedantham
Ollie Kaufhold
Bethany Eppinger
Trinity Forish
Michelle Young
AFROSPIRE - NOKUR
In the process of creating this work, I found it hard to place a label on it. This composition is a swellingdance inspired by Afro-Cuban rhythms and grooves, most notably from Chick Corea’s La Fiesta and Stan Kenton’s Malagueña. While the harmonic language in the piece shifted over time from when the piece was first created in April 2022, the meaning and feeling of the piece never changed.
When I started the work, I was going through a particularly challenging time in school, lacking motivation and drive. I had to dig deep inside myself to find a sense of motion and reason to go on. I turned to music, finding songs that instilled a fire in me. I found that the sounds of African drums resonated within my soul the most, making me feel connected to my African roots, and pushing me to go on. Afrospire encapsulates this feeling of being transcended from reality and being left in a trance or dream that tells you to keep going. The word itself is a combination of two words: “afro-”, meaning relating to African diaspora, and “spir-”, deriving from spirit.
- Bakari Nokuri, composer
A SOUTHERN JUBILEE - BROUGHTON
This work is a wonderful addition to the band repertoire and was commissioned by the city of Fairfax Band Association, Fairfax, Virginia, Robert Pouliot, Music Director. The composer calls this a “celebratory piece, thematic, with a Southern accent”.
Bruce Broughton is a ten-time Emmy award-winning composer known for his film and TV scores, including Silverado (1985), Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993), and Tiny Toon Adventures. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). Broughton composed his well-known Sonata for Tuba and Piano in 1976, and since then it has become a staple of the tuba repertoire. Tubist Kent Eshelman (Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Baylor University) approached Broughton in 2011 to gauge Broughton’s interest in composing a new work for tuba. He was eager to take on the project, and the result is this fast-paced, six-minute work that displays moments of virtuosity, lyricism, and relentless intensity.
JOYCE’S 71ST NY REGIMENT MARCH - BOYER/BARNES
Joyce’s 71st N.Y. Regiment March is an American march composed by band director, arranger, and composer Thornton Barnes Boyer (1856-1936) in 1881. Boyer’s “most famous” composition, it is a classic of the American parade and concert band march repertoire, and is regularly performed by U.S. military bands today. Dedicated to the regimental band of the 71st New York Infantry Regiment, “one of the most well-known military bands of the 19th century,” Boyer composed the march while living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and employed by the J. W. Pepper Music Company, which “quickly published” the march after receiving it. The “Joyce” referenced in the march’s title is Thomas Joyce, who founded the 71st Regiment’s wind band after the unit became part of the New York National Guard in the aftermath of the Civil War. Known as “The American Guard” beginning in 1853, when their Ogden long rifles were replaced with bayonet-carrying muskets,the 71st New York Regiment was founded on October 23, 1850, and took part in the First Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the occupation of Alexandria, Virginia, and the Battle of Gettysburg.
FOUR SCOTTISH DANCES - ARNOLD/PAYNTER
The first dance is in the style of a slow strathspey -- a slow Scottish dance in 4/4 meter -- with many dotted notes, frequently in the inverted arrangement of the ‘Scottish snap.’ The name was derived from the strath valley of Spey. The second, a lively reel, begins in the key of E-flat and rises a semitone each time it is played until the bassoon plays it, at a greatly reduced speed, in the key of G. The final statement of the dance is at the original speed in the home key of E-flat.
The third dance is in the style of a Hebridean song and attempts to give an impression of the sea and mountain scenery on a calm summer’s day in the Hebrides. The last dance is a lively fling, which makes a great deal of use of the open string pitches of the violin (saxophones in the band edition).
- Malcolm Arnold, composer
YAKKA - PASCUAL-VILLAPLANA
Yakka is a pasodoble for band commissioned by the “Asociación de Amigos de la Música” from Yecla for their participation at the 2007 International Certamen of Valencia. Yakka is a classical pasodoble, combining more modern colors and harmonies. The alto saxophone solo in the first theme is an homage to the conductor of the band, Ángel Hernández Azorín, a saxophonist.
FLIGHT TO NEVERLAND - WILLIAMS/LAVENDER
Flight to Neverland (1991) is the highlight of music from Steven Spielberg’s film Hook. It overflows with fairy tale magic, pirate adventures, an undeniable sense of freedom in flight, and childhood wonder. As Spielberg reunites us with the timeless characters of Peter Pan, Wendy, and Captain Hook, Williams captivates us with his expertly crafted and Oscar-nominated score. The composer cleverly crafts the entire main theme around the interval of a minor third, the first interval children are able to identify and sing. He offers the following words on the piece:
For countless centuries mankind has dreamed of flying, which is why I think it could be argued that the greatest achievement of the twentieth century may have been the accomplishment of flight itself. Our fascination with flying and the freedom we associate with it may also be one of the principal reasons why the story of James Barrie’s play has been retold in every imaginable medium. My favorite moment has always been when Peter Pan and Tinkerbell rise above the rooftops of London and fly off to Neverland. In writing the music for Steven Spielberg’s film version of the story, which he called Hook, I tried to create a clear singing melody that might combine some of the wonder of childhood with the energy and “lift” required for this famous flight.
UPCOMING CONCERTS
FEBRUARY
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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