Aledo Middle School Honor Winds: 2013 Midwest Clinic Performance Program

aledo

Middle School Honor Winds

M at h L an guage H i sto ry reading science Helping our children become the most informed, well-rounded people they can be is the greatest gift we can offer them. It will allow them to embrace the world and to reach their full potential in both their personal and professional lives. It is our job, as parents, educators, and friends, to see that our young people have the opportunity to participate in music. In addition to learning the valuable lesson that it takes hard work to achieve success, music education can provide students with a strong sense of determination, improved communication skills, and a host of other qualities essential for successful living.�

Edward H. Rensi

President, McDonald’s

The Aledo Independent School District presents the

aledo

Middle School Honor Winds

Ryan Johnstone Director

Joey Qualls

Assistant Director

Tanner Trigg

Director of Percussion

Cindy Lansford Guest Conductor

Victoria Luperi

Principal Clarinet, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Guest Soloist

The Midwest Clinic

An International Band and Orchestra Conference 4:00 p.m.

Friday, December 20, 2013 McCormick Place West Skyline Ballroom W375AB Chicago, Illinois

Congratulatory Letters

About Aledo, Texas Aledo is located 20 miles west of Fort Worth, Texas and was settled in the late 1870’s as a result of the expanded Texas & Pacific Railway Company. A coal and water refueling station was the first stop in Parker County for west-bound trains and it became known as Parker Station. However, when mail marked "Parker County" found its way out of the mail car at "Parker Station," the U.S. Post Office directed the smaller community to find a distinct name. As a result, the community was named in 1882 for the hometown of a railroad official from Aledo, Illinois. Today, Aledo has a population of more than 2,800 people.

About the Aledo Independent School District and the Aledo Band Program The Aledo Independent School District serves over 4,800 students from families in the Aledo, Willow Park, Annetta, Annetta South, and Hudson Oaks communities. The district has four elementary schools for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Secondary schools include: McAnally Intermediate (grade six), Aledo Middle School (grades seven and eight), Daniel Ninth Grade Center, and Aledo High School.

The Aledo Independent School district offers an extensive music program from kindergarten through high school. Beginner instrumentalists are taught in homogeneous classes and receive one hour of band instruction daily in sixth grade. In the spring, beginner students audition for one of three ability-based concert bands at Aledo Middle School. All three bands compete at UIL, Texas’s co-curricular accountability model. The top two ensembles also compete in at least one invitational festival per year. The top band is active in the Texas Music Educators Association's Honor Band process and other taped competitions, such as the National Wind Band Honors. In the fall, middle school band students have the option to compete for placement in a TMEA All-Region Band, and in the spring, all students prepare solos for a rating-based competition or for an in-class performance.

To improve individual skills and musicianship, students in the AMS Band Program attend weekly section rehearsals, and many students take advantage of private lessons through the Aledo Music Enrichment Program. In addition to their commitment to band, AMS Band students are also highly involved in National Junior Honor Society, Student Council, Yearbook/Journalism, Athletics, Art, Cheerleading, Colorguard, Theatre, and/or other outside-of-school activities.

The McAnally Intermediate and Aledo Middle School Band Program comprise the first phase of a seven-year program of instrumental music instruction that culminates at Daniel Ninth Grade Center and Aledo High School. It is our hope that participation in the Aledo Band program will foster a better understanding and appreciation of music and help students carry with them the knowledge, skills, and attitudes which will help to make them more complete and valuable members of society. The middle school band program (including sixth grade students) serves more than 260 students. Altogether, the Aledo Band Program serves more than 500 students in AISD. While the individual student’s achievement in music is our primary goal, it is the commitment to each other that all of our members share which allows for our program’s success.

Acknowledgements Aledo ISD Administration

Aledo ISD Board of Trustees

Dr. Derek Citty — Superintendent

Jay Stringer — President

Lynn McKinney — Deputy Superintendent

David Davis — Vice President

Denise Dugger — Executive Director of Accountability & Professional Development

Johnny Campbell — Secretary

Earl Husfeld — Chief Financial Officer

Hoyt Harris

Kathy Allen — Executive Director of Curriculum

Bobby J Rigues

Steve Bartley

David Tillman Aledo Middle School Administration Cheryl Jones — Principal Zachary Tarrant — Assistant Principal

Aledo Music Enrichment Program – AMS Staff

Mandy Musselwhite — Assistant Principal

Flute:

Janis Grannell, Elaine Versic

Oboe:

Karen Victor

Bassoon:

Ryan Morris

Clarinet:

Susan Ishii, Rachel Lynn, Kate Whaley

Jake Albin — Associate Director, Aledo High School

Saxophone:

Preston Lewis

Tanner Trigg — Director of Percussion, Aledo ISD

French Horn:

Dr. Derek Wright

Ryan Johnstone — Aledo Middle School/ McAnally Intermediate

Trumpet:

John Cummings, Beth Losos

Joey Qualls — Aledo Middle School/ McAnally Intermediate

Trombone:

Dutch Ode

Euphonium/Tuba: Mario Morales

Aledo ISD Band Staff Joey Paul — Director of Bands

Mike Robinson — McAnally Intermediate/ Aledo Middle School

Percussion:

Jacob Remington, Olivia Schlaegel

Partners in Music Education Maestro Sponsor ($10,000+ level)

Aledo ISD

Concerto Sponsor

Grand Staff Sponsors

Forte Sponsors

($5000-$9,999 level)

($2,500-$4,999 level)

($1,000-$2,499 level)

Pressman Printing (in-kind)

Aledo Band Boosters

BNSF

Cash Cow Fundraising (in-kind)

Cris & Kristi Hall

Troubadour Consultants, LLC

Pulidos Mexican Restaurant

Crescendo Sponsors ($500-$999 level)

A & G Piping

Galloway/Wood Family

Johnny Paul’s Music Shop

The Flower Shop in Aledo

Gittings Photography (in kind)

Scott & Patty Pennington (in kind)

Hot Tamalez

Texas Bank Financial

Weir Oil & Gas

Program Capilano Fanfare

Steve Smith

(Alfred 2010, Grade 3, Performance Time 2:15)

Mr. Steve Smith, an active clinician, has worked with teachers and students throughout the United States and Australia, providing leadership training for high school band students across the state of Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of North Texas in 1998 and his Master’s degree from UNT in 2012, and he recently joined the team at Hal Leonard as an Instrumental Editor.

Capilano Fanfare is named after the Capilano Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This energetic piece hopes to capture the majesty and serenity of this beautiful area in Southwestern Canada, at the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. The park is home to a large population of bald eagles, and this can be heard in the soaring melodic lines throughout the piece. The Capilano Suspension Bridge, one of the longest of its kind in the world, is represented by the musical suspensions throughout the fanfare.

The brass version of the work was a winner of the Dallas Wind Symphony Call for Fanfares in 2010. Mr. Smith, a Texan for over 30 years, is proud to have the Aledo Middle School Honor Winds perform the recently published concert band version at the 2013 Midwest Clinic.

Satiric Dances for Comedy by Aristophanes (Movt. 3) Norman Dello Joio

(Associated Music Publishers/Hal Leonard 1975, Grade 4, Performance Time 2:30)

Norman Dello Joio (1913-2008) descends from a long line of Italian church organists. After receiving a scholarship to study at the Juilliard School of Music, he believed that composition suited his interests better than being an organist. Dello Joio studied under Paul Hindemith who went on to praise the lyrical nature of his music. A prolific composer, Dello Joio has written for chorus, orchestra, and band, along with many works for solo instruments.

Satiric Dances was commissioned by the Concord Band, Massachusetts, to commemorate the Bicentennial of April 19, 1775, the day that launched the American War for Independence. Dello Joio stipulated that the work be based on a piece he had used as background music for a comedy by Aristophanes, a comic dramatist of ancient Greece whose plays employed satire towards the political and social issues of fifth century Athens.

The final movement is introduced by driving sixteenth notes on the bongos and is the fastest of the three-movement composition. The quick turns and dynamics evoke images of the objects that were the titles of Aristophanes’s plays: Clouds, Wasps, and Birds.

Psalm 42

Samuel R. Hazo

(Boosey & Hawkes 2004, Grade 2, Performance Time 2:30

IIn 2003, Samuel R. Hazo (b.1966) became the first composer in history to be awarded the winner of both composition contests sponsored by the National Band Association. He has composed for the professional, university, and public school levels in addition to writing original scores for television, radio, and the stage. Mr. Hazo’s compositions have been performed and recorded worldwide, earning him a listing of “Top Twenty Compositions of All Time” for wind band.

Psalm 42 is dedicated to the McCurrie family of Upper St. Claire, Pennsylvania, whose youngest son lost his battle with “Deletion 13-Q Syndrome” at five years of age. Hazo, who had taught trumpet to his three older brothers, came to know and respect the family well: “Every time I saw Mrs. McCurrie at the school, she always had Gregory in her arms. Even as he aged, his growing body never seemed heavy to her.…Watching the McCurrie family raise Greg with an unfathomable amount of challenges, and finally sharing in their grief at this funeral, provided me with the opportunity to see people whose sense of love and faith were most deserving of admiration.” This performance features a newly-composed opening from the pen of the composer, showcasing two solo trumpets, which are accompanied by two bassoons in the fifth bar.

Nightcrawler

John B Hedges

(Manuscript, Grade 4, Performance Time 5:30)

Composer John B Hedges writes: The older I get the more interested I am in the things that fascinated me as a kid. Among those things were comics. Particularly Marvel comics.

Particularly Marvel’s Uncanny X-men of the early 80’s. And my favorite X-man was Kurt Wagner, better known as Nightcrawler.

Like so many X-men, Nightcrawler had depth and complexity and was a victim of the persecution that was so central to the civil-rights-era story of these ‘mutants.’ But Nightcrawler’s social issues were a little more severe than most. Besides being a mutant, he looked like a blue version of the devil, complete with tail. His persecution took on a whole level and his youth was spent being chased by mobs throughout Germany for being a demon. Ironically, Nightcrawler was himself one of the most overtly religious Marvel characters of the time. As a superhero, he was agile, quick, and could teleport with a ‘BAMF’ and a whiff of sulfur. And unlike his darker compatriot, Wolverine, his damaging past did not render him angry and jaded, but he was instead joyful, a prankster and a devoted friend. We should all be so superhuman. Nightcrawler was not just fun to read, but was a good role model for a middle school kid looking for heroes.

This piece a short tribute to one of my childhood heroes and the central idea in the work is the conflict between Nightcrawler’s joyful, kinetic spirit and the prejudice and anger that seemed to follow him wherever he went. Nightcrawler was written for the extraordinary young musicians of the Aledo Middle School Honor Winds from Aledo, Texas, who are the same age now that I was when Kurt Wagner’s story first inspired me.

Solo de Concours André Messager/Arr. Jack Snavely

(Kendor Music 1967, Grade 3 (Band)/Grade 5 (Clarinet), Performance Time 5:30)

A student of Saint-Saëns and Fauré, André Messager (1853-1929) was active in Paris as a composer and conductor. His works include operas, operettas, and songs in the late-Romantic style. In the 1920s, he also wrote popular songs in the latest chanson/cabaret style and was in highdemand as a conductor. The biographer John Wagstaff writes that Messager’s music is notable for its fine orchestration, easy-flowing melody, and skillfully-written music, dance-like in character.

Solo de Concours (1899) “contest solo” was written to be performed at the annual contest at the Paris Conservatory. Each year original contest compositions are written for the purpose of both testing and taxing the students. Integrating tempi changes, accentuations, timbre, and technique, this brilliant solo is an exciting piece of music for both performer and audience showcasing musicianship at its finest. A good performance should prove musically satisfying to all concerned … the soloist, the band and the audience.

Power Struggle Nathan Daughtrey

(C. Alan Publications 2009, Grade 4, Performance Time 4:45)

Composer and percussionist Nathan Daughtrey (b. 1975) has distinguished himself in recent years as an artist of great range. Described as “fresh and imaginative” (Percussive Notes) and “evocatively crafted” (IU Herald Times), his works have been performed by individuals and ensemble of all levels at festival and venues around the world. With several awards to his credit and with over 50 publications, Dr. Daughtrey is in great demand for commissions and clinics. Dr. Daughtrey is also extremely active and sought after as a solo marimba artist and clinician. His performances have taken him throughout the United States and overseas.

Dedicated to the Lincoln-Way Central High School Percussion Ensemble, Power Struggle features a balanced ensemble of four keyboard percussion and four battery percussion. The struggle is apparent from the opening bars of the piece, with the two halves of the ensemble competing for attention in an exhilarating and bombastic fashion. The struggle subsides briefly as the keyboards present a new melody and the battery provides a quietly grooving backdrop. The two opposing sections of the ensemble continue this struggle, inwardly and outwardly, until the end of the piece.

Ironclads (The Monitor and the Merrimack)

William Owens

(FJH Music Company 2012, Grade 2, Performance Time 3:40)

William Owens (b. 1963) is a native of Gary, Indiana. He is a seasoned music educator and very active as a composer, clinician and conductor throughout the United States and Canada. His compositional style for young ensembles display a practical, erudite approach which has firmly established him as a leader in the field. Since 1993, Mr. Owens has written over 150 commissioned and published works for concert band, string orchestra and small ensemble. His music has been performed both nationally and abroad.

After the outbreak of the American Civil War, the Confederacy built a superior fleet with iron clad ships. The USS Merrimack launched an assault on the Union warships and inferior wooden vessels. She ultimately met her match with the Unions’ armored challenger, the USS Monitor. The two ironclads shortly squared off and commenced battle, but after hours of fighting, neither vessel could claim an advantage.

Ironclads captures the fierceness and raw savagery of the battle that would change naval warfare forever. The introduction begins forebodingly by way of percussion and brass, signifying the initial meeting of the two titans. The music suddenly assumes an intense quick tempo, engaging various styles and volumes to portend the ferocity of the vessels in combat. Tonal dissonance and flurry of percussion colors are used as well to connate the fury of battle and the rigid determination of two factions interlocked in an infamous chapter of the most terrible war in American history.

Shadows Unleashed

Brian Balmages

(FJH Music Company 2013, Grade 1, Performance Time 2:30)

Brian Balmages is an award-winning composer and conductor. His music has been performed throughout the world, including premieres at the College Band Directors National Conference, the Midwest Clinic, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center. His commissions have included musicians and leading orchestras throughout the world. Balmages’s music was also performed as part of the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, which was attended by both President Obama and Vice President Biden.

Exuding a dark and somewhat mischievous character, Shadows Unleashed paints a picture of shadows moving into and out of darkness as they carry on a ritualistic dance. At times the music sounds playful, yet at other times it takes on a more sinister character. As the shadows are “unleashed” by various instruments, they continue their ritualistic dance, the energy of the piece increases as well. Dissonances become more prevalent, and vocal effects enhance the contemporary nature of the piece.

Danse Carnivale (Danse No. 2) Randall D. Standridge

(Grand Mesa Music Publishers 2013, Grade 3, Performance Time 3:20)

Randall Standridge, born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, received his Master’s in Music Composition from Arkansas State University. Mr. Standridge is currently published by Grand Mesa Music, Wingert-Jones Music, Band Works Publications, Twin Towers Music, Jon Ross Music, and Northeastern Music Publications. Mr. Standridge has had several of his pieces performed internationally and has had seven pieces selected to the J.W. Pepper’s editor’s choice. His music is gaining recognition as worthwhile literature for concert festivals and band concerts across the United States.

“Danse Carnivale was inspired by the many great can-cans, galops, and quick-steps that populate the music repertoire…. Some of my favorite dances for orchestra are the Brahms Hungarian Dances. I have always loved the interplay of drama and humor that pervades these pieces.”

(Standridge) The work presents challenges in tempi, style, dynamics and modality. For this performance, the composer has written a special percussion break, which will feature a tambourine ensemble comprised of wind players, and a special tribute to the Lone Star State!

2010-2011 Honors Band Flute

Clarinet

Bass Clarinet

Alto Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Breanna Cazares 2 Morgan Cooley 1, 2 Madison Hardick 1, 2, 3 Taylor Hendrix 2 Abby Losos 1, 2

Julia Barkell 2 Bethany Coughlin 1, 2, 3 Jacqui Denny 1, 2 Sydni Pham 1, 2 Gwen Reilly 2 Lauren Saenz 2 Jade Seay 2 Sarah Shoptaw 2 Kailee Strain 2

Lauren Barbeau 1, 2 Vivian Phan 2

Nicholas Chavez 2,3 Tanner Legvold 1, 2 Madelyn Russo 2

Kevin Kerrigan 2, 3

Oboe Kara Norman 1, 2, 3

Bassoon Sarah Haeussler 1, 2, 3 Magdalene Mallory 1, 2

Tenor Saxophone Jimmy Hyde 2, 3

Trumpet Jacob Hall 1, 2 Travis Reddout 1, 2 Taylor Smith 1, 2, 3 Blaine Tatum 2 Graham Ziegler

French Horn

Trombone

Euphonium

Percussion

Brennen Baker 2 Christina Durrington Havyn Engle 2 Harrison Greene 2 James Laing Hannah Wood 1, 2

Rylan Akers 1 Beau Ballard 1, 2 Matthew DeLorenzo 2 Joshua Hall 2 Christian Gaffner 2 Connor McCoy 2

Zach Davis Austin Ferrell 1, 2, 3 Mary Katherine Gamez 2 Jack Mayer 2

Lennart Barron 1, 2, 3 Molly Bartell Brandon Delaune Alyssa Hickerson Alexa Parker 1, 2 Evan Pennington 2 Conner Robb Blake Smith 2 Kolby Terrell 2

Tuba Payton Byars 2, 3 Truen Johnson Alex Petrosky 2

1 Denotes Honor Winds 2012-2013 Member 2 Denotes All-Region Band Member 3 Denotes All-Region First Chair

Sections

Flutes Breanna Cazares, Morgan Cooley, Madison Hardick, Taylor Hendrix, Abby Losos

Clarinets Julia Barkell, Bethany Coughlin, Jacqui Denny, Sydni Pham, Gwen Reilly, Lauren Saenz, Jade Seay, Sarah Shoptaw, Kailee Strain

Bass Clarinets Lauren Barbeau, Vivian Phan

Oboe Kara Norman

Bassoons Sarah Haeussler, Magdalene Mallory

Alto Saxophones Nicholas Chavez, Tanner Legvold, Madelyn Russo

Tenor Saxophone Jimmy Hyde

Baritone Saxophone Kevin Kerrigan

Trumpets Jacob Hall, Travis Reddout, Taylor Smith, Blaine Tatum, Graham Ziegler

French Horns Brennen Baker, Christina Durrington, Havyn Engle, Harrison Greene, James Laing, Hannah Wood

Sections

Trombones Rylan Akers, Beau Ballard, Matthew DeLorenzo, Joshua Hall, Christian Gaffner, Connor McCoy

Percussion Lennart Barron, Molly Bartell, Brandon Delaune, Alyssa Hickerson, Alexa Parker, Evan Pennington, Conner Robb, Blake Smith, Kolby Terrell

Euphoniums Zach Davis, Austin Ferrell, Mary Katherine Gamez, Jack Mayer

Tubas Payton Byars, Truen Johnson, Alex Petrosky

2012-2013 H onor Winds Flute Morgan Cooley Madison Hardick Abby Losos Kaitlyn Montgomery Cassady West Oboe Emily Byles Sydney Gloor Kara Norman

Alto Saxophone Grace Demers Conner Dorsett Emma Hulce Tenor Saxophone Cameron Allen Baritone Saxophone John Plunk

Clarinet Seth Bell Alyssa Bobalik Bethany Coughlin Jacqui Denny Michaela Mott Sydni Pham

Trumpet Sarah Duncan Parker Ferrell Jacob Hall Caitlin Nichols Travis Reddout Taylor Smith

Bass Clarinet Lauren Barbeau Kelly Marshall

French Horn Gina Cason Kelsey Farley Kristen Tatum Hannah Wood

Bassoon Sarah Haeussler Magdalene Mallory

Program Submitted to the Midwest Clinic: His Honor – Fillmore/Fennell Courtly Airs and Dances, Mvts. 1, 2, 4, and 6 – Nelson

Trombone Rylan Akers Beau Ballard Joanna Bastian Hank James Tommio Porter William Walther Euphonium Mary Bolf Haley Granier Emma Haeussler John Miller Tuba Garrett Dorsett Brian McGee Brooklyn Riley David Vogel Percussion Lennart Barron Grant Goldberg Alex Parker Quade Parker Daniel Stone Elissa Tatum

Conductors Ryan Johnstone Ryan Johnstone has been director of Aledo Middle School Band program since 2009. Previously, Mr. Johnstone was an Associate Director at Aledo High School for three years. His bands at Aledo High School earned sweepstakes at UIL and invitational festivals all throughout his time there. In addition to his graduate degree from Yale University, Mr. Johnstone holds a Bachelor or Music Performance from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA. In 2012, Mr. Johnstone was honored by Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Mu, being named “Texas Young Bandmaster of the Year.”

In his current position at Aledo Middle School, Mr. Johnstone conducts the Honor Winds and assists with Symphonic Winds and Concert Band. He also teaches beginning brass students at McAnally Intermediate School, Aledo ISD's 6th Grade Campus.

The Aledo Middle School Honor Winds is a consistent sweepstakes award winner at UIL and invitational festivals. The group has twice been named a "National Winner" in the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors Competition and has also been awarded "Best in Class" and “Overall Outstanding Band” Honors at many invitational festivals. The AMS Honor Winds has advanced to the Texas Music Educators Association’s State Honor Band Competition twice under his direction, placing 4th in 2011 and 2nd in 2013.

Students in the AMS band program have also experienced great success in region band auditions and solo contests under his leadership and guidance. Symphonic Winds and Concert Band, two other performing ensembles within the AMS Band program, are also consistent sweepstakes award winners at UIL and invitational festivals.

In addition to his teaching at Aledo Middle School, Mr. Johnstone is active as a guest clinician and music education consultant for other public school music programs in the greater Dallas/Ft. Worth area. He has also been a guest conductor/teacher for the Baylor University and TCU Summer Music Camps and has served on the brass staff for the Crossmen Drum Corps based in San Antonio, Texas. His professional affiliations include membership in the Texas Music Educators Association and Texas Bandmasters Association.

Mr. Johnstone enjoys motivating young musicians to reach their full potential on a daily basis. The cornerstone of his music education philosophy is the belief that the many lessons taught and positive habits learned through music serve as a catalyst and the foundation for each child’s success in life. He feels privileged and honored to have many fellow music educators, mentors, and friends who have influenced his teaching and career thus far, and he is grateful for his family and fiancée, Rachel Lynn, for their tremendous love and support.

Joey Qualls Joey Qualls has been a music educator within the Aledo Band Program since 2005. Mr. Qualls is a graduate of University of Texas at Arlington, where he was a member of the Marching Band, Percussion Ensemble, Winter Drumline, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. Prior to attending UTA, Mr. Qualls studied at University of North Texas and Navarro College. He was a member of the Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps, where he marched snare drum and was the first age-out in the corps history.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Qualls was an assistant band director at Aledo High School and Aledo Middle School, respectively. He also served five years as Aledo’s percussion specialist and one year as Director of Percussion. Mr. Qualls’ bands have achieved consistent UIL Sweepstakes ratings, as well as unanimous first division ratings and “Best in Class” honors at several area festivals.

Mr. Qualls is an active percussion clinician in the DFW area. His teaching influences include Tom Van Schaik, Dr. Michael Varner, Sandi Rennick, Nathan Ratliff, Joey Carter, Jeff Ausdemore, and Ed Stephan. Mr. Qualls’ professional affiliations include Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and the Percussive Arts Society.

Mr. Qualls considers himself privileged to teach in Aledo and credits his success to God and to the many mentors, band directors, and teachers that He has placed in his life. It is their influence, knowledge, and passion that motivates him to elevate his students to the highest level of performance possible.

When Mr. Qualls is not at the band hall, he enjoys cycling, spending time at the lake, and photography. He also enjoys spending time with family and the occasional game of what he calls “ball hunting.” (Most people know it as “golf.”)

Tanner Trigg Tanner Trigg is currently the Director of Percussion at the Aledo ISD in Aledo, Texas. Prior to his experience in Aledo, he assisted with the renowned percussion programs of Duncanville and Marcus High Schools. Tanner holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Christian University where he was a student of Dr. Brian West. Additional studies have been with percussionists Paul Rennick, Sandi Rennick, Richard Gipson, Joey Carter, and Alan Joanis.

As a performer, Mr. Trigg has shared the stage with artists Mark Ford, Bob Becker, Brian Zator, and Darren Dyke. He has had the opportunity to perform as a clinician twice with the Phantom Regiment Percussion Ensemble and twice as a showcase artist with Birdville High School and Texas Christian University percussion groups at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He was a member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corp from 2008 to 2010. With Phantom Regiment he received two Fred Sanford High Percussion Awards and placed first in Drum Corps International World Championships.

Other performing groups consist of Winter Guard International’s Surround Sound Percussion Ensemble years 2006 and 2007, as well as the Texas Christian University Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Steel Band, and Indoor Drumline from 2007 to 2011. Since 2012, Mr. Trigg has been on the percussion staff of the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps.

Cindy Lansford After graduating with a degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University in 1976, Cindy Lansford began her teaching career at Robert E. Lee High School in her hometown of Baytown, Texas. After relocating to north Texas in 1978, she began a twelve-year stint in the Plano Independent School District, first at Plano Senior High School followed by ten years at Carpenter Middle School. In 1991, Ms. Lansford joined the Birdville Independent School District and taught at Haltom High School with Greg Hull and David Bertman. It was here that she began studying with Eddie Green, Professor Emeritus, University of Houston. In 1996, she moved to North Ridge Middle School in the BISD, where she taught with James Smith until her retirement in 2007.

During her tenure at Carpenter, Ms. Lansford was named Teacher of the Year and was a recipient of the Ross Perot Excellence in Teaching Award. She was again named Teacher of the Year at North Ridge. Ms. Lansford served on the Prescribed Music List selection committee from 2002 to 2006 and served her regions throughout the years in various leadership positions. She has been a frequent presenter at conventions for both Texas and Oklahoma Music Educators Associations. She has also been a frequent presenter at the Texas and Oklahoma Bandmasters Associations as well as through the TBA Professional Development program. In 2008, Ms. Lansford received the Meritorious Achievement Award from the Texas Bandmasters Association.

The bands under Ms. Lansford’s direction enjoyed much success throughout the years. Continuous achievement at UIL contests, numerous festivals, as well as state recognition were the norm, and individual student accomplishments were status quo. In 2004, the North Ridge Middle School Band was awarded the prestigious Sudler Cup award presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to outstanding middle school bands.

In 2005, the North Ridge Honors Band performed at the Fifty-Ninth Annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. In 2006, the North Ridge Band was the first middle school band program to be recognized by the Texas Bandmasters Association as “An Exemplary Program.”

The 2007-2008 school year marked the first year of retirement from a public school position for Ms. Lansford, and she started her second “career” doing freelance work as a consultant, clinician, mentor, adjudicator, and teacher. She has been in contact with hundreds of teachers and thousands of students through region bands and band camps throughout the South and Midwest as well as one-on-one work with individual programs and teachers.

Ms. Lansford resides in Keller with her husband, Gary Whitman, professor of clarinet at Texas Christian University. He is the bass clarinetist for the Fort Worth Symphony and is a past president of the International Clarinet Association. They are enjoying numerous travel opportunities through their association with these institutions as well as an occasional vacation.

Ms. Lansford’s professional affiliations include Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and she is currently serving as vice president of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu.

Special Guests Ana Victoria Luperi Victoria Luperi is the principal clarinetist with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Caminos del Inka Ensemble. She previously served as principal with the Winnipeg Symphony.

An active chamber musician, Ms. Luperi has performed at Marlboro, the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, the Academie Musicale Villecroze in France, the Mainly Mozart Spotlight Series, the Fort Worth Chamber Music Society, and the Elan and Basically Beethoven Series.

She has been featured on NPR Performance Today and on CBC Radio.

Ms. Luperi is a graduate of the Curtis Institute where she studied with Donald Montanaro.

She has been on Faculty at the University of Texas, Austin; Brandon University; the Hartwick and New York Summer Music Festivals; the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia; and the Buffet Academy in Jacksonville, Florida.

Ms. Luperi is a Vandoren Artist and Clinician, as well as a Buffet Group USA Performing Artist.

She currently serves as Adjunct Faculty at Texas Christian University. She resides in Fort Worth with her husband, Andrés Franco, Resident Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

John B Hedges Born in Delaware in 1974, composer and conductor John B Hedges spent his youth with rock and r&b music, performing musical theater and playing baseball. The son of a rock musician and an educator, John B began studying classical music in earnest at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his B.A. in Music in 1994 and his M.M. from Westminster Choir College in 1997. He then completed post-graduate studies at the Curtis Institute of Music.

He spent several summers at the Aspen Music Festival studying with John Harbison and George Tsontakis and at the Britten-Pears School with Oliver Knussen and Magnus Lindberg.

From 2001 to 2004, John B apprenticed with composer/conductor Oliver Knussen, working with the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Cleveland Orchestras, the London Sinfonietta and Amsterdam’s Schoenberg and Asko Ensembles. He also served as assistant to composer Tan Dun on the Metropolitan Opera premiere of The First Emperor. During this time John B traveled to China and Japan, preparing performances, participating in workshops and orchestrating on the Feng Xiaogang film, The Banquet.

John B has conducted concerts at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Academie Musicale de Villecroze and the Aldeburgh Festival and his compositions have been performed throughout North America and Europe. His most recent compositions show a remarkable range: ‘Snikt, bub!’, a portrait of Marvel Comics’ Wolverine for piano quartet; A Shipwreck Opera in One Act in collaboration with fiction writer Aimee Bender; Exeter Riddles, a set of Anglo-Saxon choral works; On the Good Foot, a tribute to the late James Brown for large chamber ensemble; and Fantasía sobre Yma Sumac, a concerto for clarinet & orchestra inspired by the eclectic music of Peruvian songstress Yma Sumac. The latter was premiered by clarinetist Victoria Luperi and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra where John B served as composer-in-residence for the 2011-2012 season. John B also received a 2013 residency with the Richmond Symphony funded by New Music USA for performances of Prayers of Rain and Wind, a concerto written for and performed by Philly Orchestra Assistant Principal Bassist, Joseph Conyers. In addition, John B has produced orchestral arrangements for the Minnesota Orchestra as well as the eclectic string trio Time for Three.

Recipient of a Theodore Presser Career Grant and Independence Foundation Fellowship, John B has also been awarded grants and fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Meet the Composer, and multiple residencies at the artists’ community Yaddo. He currently lives in Havertown, PA with his wife, visual artist Lynn Palewicz, and their son, Bran.

Special Thanks To the Aledo Middle School Band Parents, for their continued and endless support of the band program and music education!

Our families, thank you for supporting all of us with your love, understanding, and appreciation.

Our band parent volunteers, for all you do throughout the school year! We couldn’t do it without you.

Sarah Laing, Sherri Echols, Mary Tatum, and Patty Pennington, thank you for all of your outstanding service to the band program and specifically to this Midwest project. This would not have been possible without each of you.

Scott Pennington, for the conductors’ photography and for lending your expertise.

Robin Wilson, for all of your time and expertise in designing our amazing programs.

Cheryl Jones, Zach Tarrant, Mandy Musselwhite, Principals of Aledo Middle School, for your support of the Aledo Middle School Band Program.

The Aledo Middle School faculty and staff, for sharing our students and supporting them and our program.

Mr. Jay Stringer and Pressman Printing, for your kind generosity and assistance with printing our programs and other projects related to this journey.

Rick Bettinger and Gittings Photography, for your amazing section and full band photos.

Johnny and Jeanan Paul and the staff at Johnny Paul’s Music Shop, for your excellent service to our band students and families.

The Aledo Band Boosters, for your unwavering support and commitment to helping our students and the program in so many ways.

Joey Paul, Jake Albin, Tanner Trigg, Karen Paul, and Michael Robinson, for being supporting colleagues and lending a hand whenever called upon.

Bryan Youngblood and TCU School of Music, for being gracious hosts for our Midwest Send-Off concert.

John B Hedges, for sharing your amazing talent with our students and showcasing them on your new piece, Nightcrawler.

Howard Hurd, for your creativity, constructions skills, and service in putting together risers and sound shields for the band.

AMS Band Council, for your tremendous service, leadership, and care in making the band program the best it can be. You guys are amazing!

Aledo Music Enrichment Program Lesson Teachers, for your tremendous guidance and commitment to our students and the band staff. We are so fortunate to have such an incredible group of inspiring musicians to help mold our students into what they are today! Thank you for being such a valuable resource and lending your pedagogical expertise to the band staff.

Jackie Hayslip, for your infectious spirit and fearless approach to fundraising. Thanks for all of your work in helping us fund this incredible opportunity for our students.

Victoria Luperi, for sharing your artistry, musicianship, and talent with our students. Working with you inspires and challenges the students and conductor alike.

Colleagues and friends for whom we are grateful, including, but not limited to: Cindy Lansford, Rachel Lynn, Jeff Bradford, Monica Dominguez, Robert Herrings, William Owens, Sam Hazo, James McNair, Victoria Luperi, Andres Franco, Bill Watson, David Burks, Hunter Lewis, Christopher Sebesta, Jolette Wine, Steve Smith, Brian Balmages, Randall D. Standridge, Matthew Hiller, and Jordan Warner.

My Personal Thanks To God, for your strength, love, guidance, and countless blessings.

Aledo Middle School Honor Winds of 2013-2013: Thank you for your unwavering and selfless commitment to excellence throughout your time at McAnally and AMS. You have set the standard for years of young musicians to follow, and I will forever be grateful to you!

Aledo Middle School Honor Winds Of 2013-2014: Thank you for your patience, time, and hard work in preparation for this once-in-a-lifetime performance. The directors admire you more than you will ever know, and we feel honored to be called your teachers! You are a special group of young people, full of charm, wit, and passion…. Thank you for being an inspiration to us all!

My Fiancée, Rachel Lynn: Thank you for being a constant inspiration to me, and for sharing your amazing gifts with the students in the AMS band program. I am the luckiest man on earth.

My Dad And Mom: Thank you for EVERYTHING! Your support of me, in music and in life, has allowed me to pursue this passion with these incredible students and future leaders. Your encouragement paved the way to so many memories and experiences that are priceless. Most of all, thank you for loving me.

My Brother, Aunts, Uncles, Nephews, Cousins, And Other Extended Family: Thanks for rooting for me, encouraging me and just being there.

Joey, Tanner, And Michael: Thank you so much for your hard work, dedication, and devotion to our students and the band program. You are all invaluable team members, and I will forever be indebted to you for all you’ve done and continue to do for our kids.

Joey Paul And Jake Albin: Thank you for all you do for the band students at Aledo High! Our students are fortunate to have such caring and dedicated music educators.

Cindy Lansford: Wow…where do I begin? Thank you for being such a great mentor and friend to our staff. You never cease to inspire me with your creativity, experience, and knowledge, and I know our program would not be the same without you. I am so glad I made that infamous phone call several years ago. You’re the best, and you will always be welcome in our band hall!