The San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble
Suite Dreams
October 27, 2024, 2:30pm: Texas A&M University - San Antonio, Program
Superman Suite
Main Theme, The Planet Krypton, The March of the Villains, Can You read My Mind, Finale
John Williams (b. 1932), arr Bob Lowden
First Suite in Eb for Military Band Op. 28, No. 1
I. Chaconne
II. Intermezzo
III. March
Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934)
Festal Scenes for Band
Yasuhide Ito (b. 1960)
Suite Dreams
Steven Bryant (b. 1972)
Dreamcatcher for Wind Ensemble
Anthony Barfield (b. 1983) arr. Christian Paarup
Amparito Roca
Jaime Texador (1884 - 1957), arr. Aubrey Winter
Program Notes
Superman Suite - John Williams, arr Bob Lowden. In a career that spans five decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage. He has served as music director and laureate conductor of one of the country’s treasured musical institutions, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and he maintains thriving artistic relationships with many of the world’s great orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mr. Williams has received a variety of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honor, the Olympic Order, and numerous Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. He remains one of our nation’s most distinguished and contributive musical voices. When great movie music is the topic, one name comes to the minds of most of us: John Williams. This towering score, as arranged for your concert band by Bob Lowden, contains all of the famous John Williams musical trademarks -drama, power, and massive sound blocks. The medley contains: "Theme from Superman" * "The Planet Krypton" * "The March of the Villians" and "Finale." Here is John Williams at his finest!
First Suite in E-flat - Gustav Holst, now considered one of the masterworks and cornerstones of the band literature. Although completed in 1909, the suite didn't receive its official premiere until 11 years later on June 23rd, 1920, by an ensemble of 165 musicians at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall. However, the work was originally conceived to be performed by ensembles significantly smaller than the one at Kneller Hall. During this time period there was no standardized instrumentation among the hundreds of British military bands of the day, and as a result no significant literature had been previously written for the band medium; most British bands up to then performed arrangements of popular orchestral pieces. In order to ensure the suite would be accessible to as many bands as possible, Holst ingeniously scored the work so that it could be played by a minimum of 19 musicians, with 16 additional parts that could be added or removed without compromising the integrity of the work.
Festal Scenes - Yasuhide Ito Born on December 7, 1960 in Hamamatsu City, Japan, Ito began his musical studies early in life, taking piano lessons as a young child and composition lessons during high school. Ito attended the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, earning both bachelors and masters degrees in Music Composition. Ito’s prolific compositional output includes more than one thousand works, over ninety of which are pieces for concert band. He currently serves as a professor of composition at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Kawasaki, Japan.
One of Ito’s most popular works for concert band, Festal Scenes, was composed in 1986 through a commission from the Ominato Band of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The work was premiered by the Ominato Band that October and later received its United States premiere by the University of Illinois at the joint American Bandmasters Association and Japanese Bandmasters Association convention in March of 1987, with Ito guest conducting. The work is a combination of four folk songs from the Aomori Prefecture in the northern part of Japan’s main island of Honshu. Ito was inspired to compose the piece after receiving a letter from a friend who said “everything seems like a paradise blooming all together. Life is a festival, indeed.”
Suite Dreams - Steven Bryant
This is the fourth work in Bryant’s Parody Suite, a collection of loving tributes to wind band classics. Bryant uses the word “parody” without irony. He did not seek to belittle or ridicule the original piece; rather he sought to “remix” the original pieces “as filtered through (his) hazy memory of playing these works when (he) was a student.” The source material of Suite Dreams is Gustav Holst’s First Suite for Military Band, specifically Holst’s inverted chaconne theme of the first movement. Suite Dreams takes the form of a fantasia, where rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic elements of Hoist’s theme float through Bryant’s compositional textures.
The unique texture of Suite Dream' stems from the post-modern techniques Bryant utilizes throughout the piece. One such technique is the frequent use of aleatoric figures throughout the piece. Bryant provides the musicians with guidelines for each aleatoric section: a set of pitches to perform (or in many cases hum!), a dynamic range to perform a note, and a time period in which the musicians must perform these actions. He, though, allows the musicians to choose how and when each musical event occurs. Interspersing aleatoric sections throughout the more traditionally composed piece creates a mood of controlled chaos, allowing elements of the Holst and of Bryant’s own invention to come in and out of focus throughout the piece.
Dreamcatcher for Wind Ensemble - Anthony Barfield
Mr. Barfield holds degrees in trombone performance from the Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music. His primary trombone instructors include Joseph Alessi, Dr. Per Brevig, Jay Evans and Dan Drill. Anthony studied composition with C.P. First, Avner Dorman, Thomas Cabaniss, and Nils Vigeland.
As a trombonist Mr. Barfield can be heard on recordings including Dvorak Symphony No. 7 & 8 (Malaysian Philharmonic), Donnie McClurkin's We Are All One (Live), Demondrae Thurman's Soliloquies with the University Of Alabama Wind Ensemble, Lisa McClendon's Live at the House of Blues and others. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Dizzy's Coca Cola Club, Alice Tully Hall, and the Kennedy Center. Known for his lyrical writing style, Barfield's compositions have been performed throughout the U.S. and Europe. He has received commissions from groups such as the University of Kentucky Wind Ensemble and Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at the 2012 New York Wind Band Festival where his work Here We Rest was performed. In demand as a composer in residence, Mr. Barfield has worked with groups such as the University of Scranton Singers, Manhattan School of Music Brass Ensemble and The Baldwin Wind Symphony. Dreamcatcher for Wind Ensemble was commissioned by Dr. Matthew Mireles and the St. Mary's University Wind Ensemble in San Antonio, Texas.
Amparito Roca - Jaime Texador, arr. Aubrey Winter. Jaime Texidor Dalmau was a composer, conductor, and publisher who lived most of his life in Baracaldo, a city in northern Spain. He was born in Barcelona, and it is said that he played saxophone in a military band for several years. He conducted the Baracaldo municipal band from 1927 to 1936. He composed so much band music during this period that he established his own publishing company. Many of his compositions were in the style of the paso doble. This lively music is a fast and dramatic march in duple meter, modeled after the drama of the bull ring. There is some mystery attached to Amparito Roca. Although Texidor’s name is on this edition, the music may have been written in 1925 by British bandmaster Reginald Ridewood. It is believed that Ridewood wrote the music but failed to apply for a copyright. Texidor rearranged the piece for Spanish bands and reissued it under copyright as his own composition in 1936. Variations in dynamics in the main melody and ornamentation from the flute add color to the composition.
San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble Personnel
Albert Aguilar, Musical Director - Conductor in Residence
Nieves Villasenor - Artistic Director
Kevin Rooney - Associate Conductor
Flute
Melanie Cruz
Sophia Constantino
Rubi Covarrubias
Amile Honstein
Amanda Keammerer
Kerena Lopez
^Sirena Nuñez
Alfred Rivera
Denzel Rubio-Gomez
Joshua Ruedas
Skye Alekzandr
Oboe
Makayla Aguilar
Selya Santillan-Massey
Clarinet
Jacob Bennett
Michael Cepeda
^Emmanuel Espinoza
Ramon Gallardo
Meredith Lawson
Victor Leija
Diego Martinez
James Moreno
Elyssa Utz
Bass Clarinet
^Matthew Reyes
Jesse Rodriguez
Saxophone
Joaquin Acuff (Tenor)
Benjamin Bhogte (Alto)
Marc Bhogte (Alto)
Brandon Dabbs (Alto)
Vinny Dorazio (Alto)
Joshua Pearson (Alto)
Sophia Pena (Bari)
Christopher Sanchez (Tenor)
Jerin Smith (Tenor)
Sara Villarreal (Bari)
Andy Wen (Alto)
Trumpet
Isaiah Gallegos
Ariana Gomez
Yoshua Murillo
Sky Nguyen
^Miguel Perez
Christopher Philpott
Paul Salazar
Sergio Sampayo
Andrew Vela
French Horn
^Jeremiah Berrera
Reynaldo Calderon
Eileen Martinez
Rebecca Meffert
Samantha Streger
Tenor Trombone
Barrett Codieck
Joshua Garza
Francisco Moran
Fidencio Oviedo
^Adam Williams
Bass Trombone
Kevin Torres
Euphonium
Jacob Arras
Joshua Benavides
Finley Farrar
Anyla Reed
Tuba
Julie Dotson
Izcalli Guadarrama
^Robert Lawson
Manuel Martinez
^Nick Mayes
Ti Mitchell
Esteban Santos
Percussion
^Juan Aguirre
Rene Garcia
Cody Myre
Xavier Ortiz
Kevin Rooney
^Section Leader
Dr. Nieves Villaseñor III - Artistic Director, Conductor
Dr Villaseñor is the Director of Bands and Coordinator of Music Education at University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. At UIW, he is the Director of the UIW Marching Cardinals, directs the UIW Wind Ensemble, and leads the UIW Cardinal Red Basketball Band. As Coordinator of Music Education and the Instrumental Area, Dr Villaseñor teaches courses in instrumental music education and the music-major sequence conducting course.
Previously, Dr. Villaseñor served as Visiting Assistant Director of Bands at James Madison University, where he served as Assistant Director of the Marching Royal Dukes, Director of the JMU Pep Band, and conducted the JMU Symphonic Band. He also served as artist-in-residence at the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC) in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Dr. Villaseñor hails from the transient military community of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Dr. Villaseñor completed his candidacy for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting with a cognate in Nonprofit Organizations from the University of Florida. He holds a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from Syracuse University, a Bachelor of Arts in Music in Saxophone from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and an Associate of Fine Arts in Music and Music Education from CoastalCarolina Community College in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
As a strong advocate for community music and avid collaborator of area musicians, Dr. Villaseñor was the founder and artistic director of the San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble, a program offering of Crossmen Youth Arts Academy and ensemble-in-residence at Texas A&M University San Antonio. He served as the Director of Secondary-School Music at Jubilee San Antonio Charter School and developed the school’s first-ever band and color guard program. Dr Villaseñor was also a performer in the WGI Independent World Class Silver Medalist Indoor Winds unit Crossmen Winds and a saxophonist with River City Big Band based out of San Antonio. In New York, Dr. Villaseñor competed with DCA Open Class Finalist corps White Sabers Drum & Bugle Corps, was a performer with activist ensemble Unity Street Band, and became co-founder of the region’s first WGI Independent Indoor Winds unit, Vortex Indoor Winds. In 2022, Dr Villaseñor was selected as the recipient of University of Florida’s Graduate Teaching Award for his work with the introductory music-major conducting course.
Dr. Villaseñor serves annually on the instrumental music faculty of the North Carolina Governor’s School East at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, the nation’s oldest statewide summer residential program for academically and intellectually gifted high school students.
Kevin Rooney - Associate Director
Kevin Rooney is excited to begin his first year as the Associate Director of the San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble. He is in his third year as the Head Director at Morales Junior High in Uvalde, TX. He also serves as an assistant with the high school marching band, writing custom music and drill for the program. Prior to working in Uvalde, Kevin began his teaching career as an assistant in Mason, Texas in the heart of the hill country
Kevin is a native Oregonian, earning his Bachelor’s in Music Education and his Master’s in Teaching from Oregon State University While at OSU, Kevin performed with the Marching Band, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble, where he had the privilege to work with Dr. Chris Chapman and David Maslanka on a recording of Maslanka's Mass in 2017. His favorite memory from his time at OSU though was meeting his future wife Jess in the marching band. Kevin and Jess (who plays horn in SACWE) live in San Antonio with their one-year-old dog Juniper, and their two cats: Souri, and Bug.
Albert Aguilar - Musical Director/Conductor:
Mr. Aguilar is a graduate of Dillard McCollum High School in the Harlandale Independent School District, and The University of Texas at San Antonio. At UTSA, Mr. Aguilar studied conducting under the baton of Dr. Robert Rustowicz and was the Ensemble Associate for Dr. Kenneth Williams. Mr. Aguilar studied Saxophone, Clarinet and Flute under the tutelage of John Buchanan and Morgan King.
Mr. Aguilar has been a music educator in the San Antonio area for 25 years. Mr. Aguilar is the co-founder of the Homeschool Orchestra & Music Education ("H.O.M.E.") teaching band classes from beginning band to advanced band and the Full Orchestra. Before co-founding H.O.M.E., Mr. Aguilar was the founding Musical Director and Conductor of the San Antonio Youth Wind Ensemble (SAYWE) at St. Philip’s College. There, he collaborated with several notable composers, conductors and ensembles such as Frank Ticheli, Jerry Junkin, Larry Livingston, the Heart of Texas Concert Band, the 323rd Fort Sam's "Own" Army Band and the San Antonio Symphony Mr Aguilar also conducted the San Antonio Youth Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall in New York City Mr Aguilar’s passion for serving youth in the community also led him to the position of Musical Director of the Academy of Fine Arts Jazz Ensemble (AFA Jazz), Music Director of the St Philip’s College Summer Theatre Company, Woodwind Instructor for the Academy of Fine Arts at St Philip's College and as Assistant Director of Bands in the Northeast Independent School District Currently, Mr Aguilar is building brand new band and theater programs at the Westwood Campus of Jubilee Academies and has served as Musical Director for the San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble since 2019
Mr Aguilar is an active adjudicator for UIL Solo & Ensemble Contests, Concert and Sightreading Contests and the TMEA All District, Region, Area and State Auditions Mr Aguilar is also an active music arranger and clinician for high school marching and concert bands throughout the state and has two publications; Woodwind Techniques and Exercises and Major Scales and Articulation Exercises that have been used by several Middle School and High School Band Directors as well as private instructors. Mr. Aguilar is a founding member of The San Antonio Wind Symphony (SAWS) and a member of The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and The Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA)
Join us for our next concert
“Illumination - A Holiday Concert” on December 15, 2024 - 2:30pm Texas A&M University - San Antonio One University Way, San Antonio, TX. 78224 www.sacwe.org
Crossmen Youth Arts Academy (www.crossmen.org) is a 501(c)(3) youth development organization assisting young people in becoming outstanding individuals through music and the performing arts. Originating as the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps in 1974 on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Crossmen relocated to San Antonio in 2006. A perennial Drum Corps International (DCI) World Champion Finalist, the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps has served thousands of students throughout its history, providing not only music education and high level performance opportunities, but using these to give our members the skills they need to succeed no matter where they go in life.
The San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble and the San Antonio Jazz Collective align their mission to that of Crossmen Youth Arts Academy by striving to enrich and shape the lives of young musicians and performers through the performing arts. Family, honesty, perseverance, dedication, independence, interdependence and excellence are taught and practiced by each and every member at Crossmen, SACWE and The Collective.
SACWE and Crossmen Youth Arts Academy extend their sincere gratitude to Dr. Martha Saywell, the Texas A&M University - San Antonio staff and administration for their support in producing this concert.
The San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble is a proud member of the Greater San Antonio Community Bands Association.