UAlbany Concert Band & Symphony Orchestra

The University atAlbany sits at the confluence of the Hudson andMohawkriversonthetraditionallandsoftheKanien’keháka and Muh-he-con-neok people, who stewarded this land for generations before the arrival of European colonists.The Kanien’keháka (People of the Flint) and Muh-he-con-neok (PeopleoftheWatersthatareNeverStill)aremorecommonly knowntodayastheMohawkHaudenosauneeandStockbridgeMunsee Band of Mohicans. Despite the similarity of their westernized names, the Mohawk and Mohican were culturally and linguistically distinct.

The UAlbany community recognizes that we live and work on the homelands of sovereign Indigenous nations with rich histories and cultures that continue today – both within NewYork and beyond.

As an institution devoted to teaching, scholarship, and service, we strive to understand and learn from our history and to affirm Indigenous rights and issues.To this end, we are committed to cultivating reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities focused on equity, social justice, and sustainability – and dismantling legacies of colonization.

Cover photo: Tatiana Desardouin, Passion Fruit Dance Company | Photo by Loreto Jamlig

Photo this page: UAlbany Performing Arts Center | Photo by Patrick Ferlo

Photo: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

Department of Music and Theatre University at Albany presents:

UAlbany Concert Band

Kevin Champagne, conductor and

UAlbany

Symphony Orchestra

Christopher David Neubert , conductor

Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 7:30pm

Main Theatre

UAlbany Performing Arts Center

Sovereign Variants…………………………..James Curnow

Bolero………………………………………….Maurice Ravel Arr. James Bocook

Kilimanjaro: An African Portrait…………Robert Washburn

The Lion King ………..Elton John, Tim Rice, Hans Zimmer Arr. John Higgins

Brian

Program Notes

Sovereign Variants – James Curnow

This piece was originally commissioned by the King City Senior Concert Band in Ontarion, Canada. A solid fanfare begins the piece, that leads into variations of that fanfare (hence the title). After a jaunty middle section that goes through major and minor variations, the main melody returns for a climactic finale. James Curnow has taught at public schools and universities. He has composed dozens of pieces of music for bands and small ensembles.

Bolero – Maurice Ravel, Arr. James Bocook

Bolero had its premier performance at the Paris Opera in 1928 as ballet music, though it is rarely staged as a ballet anymore. Much to Ravel’s surprise, this became his most popular composition. He thought orchestras would not want to perform it. Ravel played the melody for a friend, saying” Don’t you think it has an insistent quality? I’m going to repeat it a number of times, without any development, gradually increasing the orchestra the best I can.” This piece gained more popularity when it played a crucial part in the 1979 movie “10”.

Kilimanjaro: An African Portrait – Robert Washburn

This composition is in three connected movements.

1. The Plain: The Serengeti – A slow and somewhat static musical representation.

2. The People: Masai Dance – A percussion heavy, lively syncopated celebration.

3. The Mountain: Kilimanjaro – A grand and majestic finale.

The Lion King – Elton John, Tim Rice, Hans Zimmer, Arr. John Higgins

We celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie with this well arranged medley. The Lion King is a top rated movie, which won many awards including multiple Oscars and Grammys. This medley features Circle of Life, I Just Can’t Wait To Be King, Be Prepared, Hakuna Matata, Can You Feel The Love Tonight, and King Of Pride Rock.

Brian Balmages – Summer Dances

Brian Balmages (born January 24, 1975) is an American composer, conductor, and music educator. He primarily composes wind ensemble works.

Balmages was born in Baltimore. His father was a trumpet player and his mother was an opera singer. He obtained a B.M. in Music Industry from James Madison University, with a focus on trumpet performance, and an M.M. in Media Scoring and Production from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.

Initially, Balmages played trumpet in a Miami orchestra. Later, he concentrated on composition, teaching, music publishing, and on conducting nationwide. Internationally, Balmages has conducted in Canada, Italy, and Australia. He is the assistant director of bands and orchestras at Towson University and the director of instrumental publications at the FJH Music Company.

Jaromir Weinberger – Schwanda the Bagpiper

Schwanda the Bagpiper (Czech: Švanda dudák), written in 1926, is an opera in two acts and five scenes, with music by Jaromír Weinberger to a Czech libretto by Miloš Kareš, based on the drama Strakonický dudák aneb Hody divých žen (The Bagpiper of Strakonice) by Josef Kajetán Tyl.

Its first performance was in Prague at the Czech National Opera in April 1927; and the first German production followed (in the translation by Max Brod as Schwanda der Dude-lsackpfeifer), at Breslau on 16 December 1928. After that success, Germanlanguage productions proliferated around the world, with over 2000 performances taking place during the next decade.

At the time the opera, with its occasional use of Czech folk material, enjoyed considerable success, with translations into 17 languages. The opera fell from the repertory when the composer's music was banned by the Nazi regimes of Austria and Germany during the late 1930s; and although it is still revived occasionally, orchestral performances of the "Polka and Fugue" drawn from the opera are more regularly heard in concert.

Performers

UAlbany Concert Band

Kevin Champagne, Conductor

Piccolo

Brianna Boyce

Flute

Mia Call

Britney Davila

Alisha Lai

Chelsea Roque

Sara St. Preuve

Bailey Tator

Isabella Vuono

Grace Wright

Mudra Patel

Oboe

Henry Deuel

Alex Oates

Clarinet

Skumbuzo, DeBus

Kaitlyn Dembowski

Joy Johnson

Alexis Trendell

Bass Clarinet

Ken Rapp

Alto Saxophone

Edwin Aguilar

Chelsea Dorner

Brian Feder

Randy Knarr

Jack Piranio

Tenor

Saxophone

James Caruso

Jordynne Marshall

Baritone

Saxophone

Molly O’Toole

Trumpet

Sean Cummins

Austin Gray

Keziah Job

Carly Johnson

Timothy Te

Kal Tellefsen

French Horn

Emma Clements

Jonah Hauf

Andrew Meng

Trombone

William Lemus Silva

Andrew Scaptura

Euphonium

Tsvi Gold

Sylvar Nazario-Goodwin

Jay Smith

Tuba

Amenya Brown

Allison Castro

Spencer Dodge

Jordan Teo

Electric Bass

Matt Bassin

Jeong Il Kim

Percussion

Milan Jevmerov

Lillian Magurno

Raul Martinez

Aeden Perry

Ciara Reilly

Tyler Roberts

Renee Scott

Jonathan Wolter

UAlbany Symphony Orchestra

Christopher David Neubert, Conductor

Violins

Bryan Fonder

Concertmaster

Nicole Maher

Logan Stone

Allison Ellis

Deirdre Williams

Anthony Parillo

Amanda Sue

Principal

Hope Savercool

Nicole Orellana

Madelyn Knopfke

Katy Christman

Olivia Arsenicos

Cristina Schiaffo

Lin Song

Abigail Johnson

Alina Campbell

Marcella Reiter

Melissa Yusaitis

Violas

Dara Ribis

Principal

Melissa Rosas

Samamtha Dalton

Jaime Kendrick

Catherine Rafferty

Robert Lombardo

Angela Van Ness

Cellos

Sosuke Aizawa

Principal

Andrew Craner

Joseph Regan

Cellos (ct’d.)

Connor Gordon

Alisa Bielert

Rachel Morris

Abigail Tsuji

Lucy Skidmore

Seth Chaiken

Double Basses

Erik Laurin

Principal

Mary Lemak

Connor Hoolan

Joey Aragones

Finley Jones

Piccolo

Laura Dodge

Flutes

Melynda Matheke

Brianna Boyce

Laura Dodge

Oboes

Tyler Leicht

Ian Cohen

Clarinets

Henry Deuel

James Affatigato

Carmen Gregor

Bassoon

Laura Canham-Lunde

Jennifer Fullam

French Horns

Jonah Hauf

Priscilla Duskin

Sarah Howard

Trumpets

Michael Dietlein

Ethan Chen

Vincent Amodeo

Trombones

Caleb Clapper

Jessica Watson

Matthew Scheidt

Tuba

Jacob Reiter

Tympani

Jonathan Wolter

Percussion

Yeajee Chon

Harp

Karlinda Caldicott

Organ

Duncan Cumming Orchestra

Librarian and Management

Hope Savercool

The UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s six theatres, three lounges and other spaces are available for rental.

The UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s six theatres, three lounges and other spaces are available for rental.

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HOUSE POLICIES

Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management and its staff.

The use of photographic or recording devices of any kind during most performances is strictly prohibited.

There is no food or drink allowed in the theatres, nor is smoking allowed in UAlbany buildings.

. To avoid disrupting the performance, kindly disable any noise making electronic devices you may have with you.

Please take time to note the location of the fire exits nearest to you. In the event of an emergency, an announcement will be made from the stage. Please proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly fashion.

Created and produced by the University Art Museum, NYS Writers Institute and UAlbany Performing Arts Center in collaboration with WAMC Northeast Public Radio, this popular series features leading figures from a variety of artistic disciplines in conversation about their creative inspirations, their craft and their careers. “Roundtable” host Joe Donahue conducts live on-stage interviews followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Dayton Contemporary Dance Co

October 20

Passion Fruit Dance Co November 4

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Co December 2

Mark Morris Dance Group January 25

with Ellen Sinopoli Dance Co

Capital Trio - January 27 *

Monica Bill Barnes & Co February 3

No Gravity Theatre February 9

Savion Glover April 13

Ellen Sinopoli Dance Co May 18

Packages

Photo: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

Troy, Albany, Schenectady and SaratogaSprings,NY

The UAlbany Performing Arts Center is no longer operating a box office. All ticketing is done on-line and can be easily navigated from the web site provided through the QR code above or address below.

www.albany.edu/pac/tickets