“Pandemic Potpourri, Part 2”Tuesday, February 23, 2021 • 7:30pm

Lyell B. Clay Concert TheatreCollege of Creative Arts

School of Music

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITYADMINISTRATION

E. Gordon Gee ................................................................................PresidentMaryanne Reed .......................................................Vice-President & ProvostKeith Jackson ..................................................Dean, College of Creative ArtsJohn Hendricks ...............................Associate Dean, College of Creative ArtsMichael Ibrahim .......................................................Director, School of Music

CREATIVE ARTS CENTERJamie Whoolery ......................Coordinator of Production Services & FacilitiesMark Price ......................................................Assistant Facilities CoordinatorPeter McCumber ................................................................Facilities ManagerMichael McGinley ...............................................................Facilities Manager

UPCOMING WVU BANDS EVENTSSymphonic Band Concert ............................................February 25, 7:30 pmWind Symphony Concert ..................................................March 30, 7:30 pm

To receive reminders for upcoming events, text CONCERT to 304-935-5444.

WVU BANDS OFFICECreative Arts Center, Suite 2101

P.O. Box 6111Morgantown, WV 26506

304-293-3097

bands.wvu.edu

WindSymphonyDr. Scott C. Tobias, conductor

Mr. Mark Wallace, graduate conductor

PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF

WVU Wind SymphonyDr. Scott C. Tobias, conductor

JULIE GIROUX Overture in Five Flat (b. 1961)

RYAN GEORGE Firefly (b. 1978)

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Marche Militaire Française (1835-1921) TRANS. MARK HINDSLEY

WILLIAM GRANT STILL Summerland (1895-1978) ARR. DANE TETER

Mr. Mark Wallace, conductor

JOHN WILLIAMS Midway March (b.1932) TRANS. PAUL LAVENDER

RON NELSON Rocky Point Holiday (b. 1929)

BANDS FACULTY & STAFF

Scott C. TobiasDirector of Bands

Cheldon R. WilliamsAssociate Director of Bands

Andrew OrtegaGraduate Assitant

Ken PfrommGraduate Assistant

Mark WallaceGraduate Assistant

Lamar RiddickProgram Assistant

Don WilcoxDirector of Bands Emeritus

STUDIO FACULTY

Nina AssimakopoulosFlute

Cynthia AndersonOboe

Lynn HilemanBassoon

John WeigandClarinet

Jeffery SiegfriedSaxophone

Robert SearsTrumpet

Jonas ThomsHorn

Hakeem BilalTrombone

Carson McTeerEuphonium/Tuba

George WillisPercussion

Michael VercelliPercussion

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

PROGRAM NOTES PERSONNEL Flute

Oboe

Bassoon

Clarinet

Alto Saxophone

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Horn

Trumpet

Trombone

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Percussion

Jacey CraytonMechanicsburg, PA - Music Performance (BM)

Katie LoayzaBurke, VA - Music Education (BM)

Juan Carlos NarvaezElizabeth, NJ - Music Performance (BM)

Ethan Nylander*Middletown, DE - Music Performance (BM)

Ashley Rogers Pineville, LA - Music Performance (BM)

Geoffrey MadgePittsburgh, PA - Music Performance (BM)

EJ Wogaman*Springfield, VA - Music Education (BM)

Eli Hall Left Hand, WV - Music Performance (BM) Bohdan Shevchenko*

Kamianske, Ukraine - Music Performance (MM)

Mandi BearjarSummerhill, PA - Music Education (BM)

Juan Gonzalez Gonzalez*Cartagena Bolivar, Colombia - Music Perfor-mance (DMA)

Armâan KarimpourOna, WV - Music Performance (BM)

Rachel PellegreenFredericksburg, VA - Music Education (BM)

Morgan StrattonDover, DE - Music Education (BM)

Desiree TedrowNew Freeport, PA - Music Education (BM)

Micah BuserRidgeley, WV - Music Education (BM)

Patrick SmithCatlett, VA - Music Education (BM)

Mark Wallace*Dayton, OH - Conducting (MM)

Genesis BerriosPrince George’s, MD - Music Education (BM)

Nathaniel PenvenBlacksburg, VA - Music Education (BM)

Amelia DolceJamestown, NY - Music Therapy (BM)

Annie MoonFrostburg, MD - Music Education (BM)

Alicia Rafter*Williamsport, MD - Music Performance (MM)

Haley SmithFairfax, VA - Music Education (BM)

Lara BonatestaBranchburg, NJ - Journalism (BS)

Noah ByrneSpringfield, VA - Music Education (BM)

Jonna DwyerDavidsonville, MD - Music (BA) & Spanish (BA)

Trevor FoyBluefield, WV - Music Performance (BM)

Garrett GorbyMorgantown, WV - Music Performance (BM)

David Riggs*Wilmington, NC - Music Performance (BM)

Jakob BakerPhilippi, WV - Music Education (BM)

Douglas Shaffer*Morgantown, WV - Music Education (BM)

Andrew OrtegaTitusville, PA - Music Performance (DMA)

Cameron Cornwall*Leesburg, VA - Music Education (BM)

Aaron Freeman*Annandale, VA - Music Education (BM)

Cameron TefftWoodbridge, VA - Music Performance (BM)

Mikala FlingBelleville, WV - Music Therapy (BM)

Jonah HenthorneWheeling, WV - Music Education (BM)

Christopher LittleBristow, VA - Music Education (BM)

Robert ShamblenCrofton, MD - Music Education (BM)

Andrew SimonetteCanonsburg, PA - Music Education (BM)

Overture in Five Flat / Julie Giroux (b. 1961)

O verture in Five Flat was composed for Dr. Lowell E. Graham and the 2010-2011 Missouri All-State Band. According to the composer, “The first page of the score sums up the nature of this piece by stating: ‘Quarter note = you’ve got 5 minutes.’”

In his notes for the piece, Dr. Lowell Graham states, “Overture in Five Flat reflects the passion for speed and power that the composer and I share. As usual we did not talk about the work at all while it was being composed. Like a race car, hot-rod, or super bike, this composition was built to run, not idle. One could make up many great stories about Overture in Five Flat, and all would work. Simiply, there is no underlying deep mystical or philosophical concept. It is not in the key of D-flat Major or B-flat minor. This music is about time, speed, and raw power! It is a piece that pushes the bounds of safety.

Overture in Five Flat is a fine-tuned machine of visceral power waiting to be unleashed. It is there ready to burn the rubber off the tires, throwing you back with the force of brutal and instant torque. In anticipation, you know that your heart will be pounding as the adrenalin rush hits you like a sledge hammer. It is waiting for you.

Now you slam the accelerator to the floor or twist the throttle to the max. Your physical senses are sharpened to a razor’s edge as you engage in the melding of machine and speed. It rumbles instantly to life as the motor screams with all of it power while speed shifting through the gears. It is fast and loud working in perfect synchronization. When you cross the finish line, you are out of breath shouting, ‘Let’s do it again.’ This is not only speed, but addictive speed.

As usual, the makers of Overture in Five Flat take no responsibility for mishaps, crashes, or damages. Have fune and always wear your safety equipment.”

Firefly / Ryan George (b. 1978)

I’m amazed at how children use their imagination to transform the ordinary and normal into the extraordinary and fantastic. Just about anything they come across can be used to spark their fantasies and usher their minds into unseen worlds. A stick on the ground becomes a

wand with magical powers or a sword to fight off bad guys. A collection of rocks turns into bured treasure and a blanket stretched over two chairs becomes a cave to hide in. And things found in nature; birds, waterfalls, flowers, and even insects take on mythic identities when viewed through the eyes of a child.

The idea for Firefly was born one night as I watched my 4-year old become mesmerized by a firefly that had wandered into our front yard. When I asked her what she thought of the “firefly” she looked at me with a puzzled look and said with a corrective tone, “Dad, that is not a firefly...that’s Tinkerbell, and she’s coming to take me with her on an advernture!”

Firefly is dedicated to my daughters Sophia and Nyla, who ignite my imagination and bring awe and wonder into my life everyday.

- Ryan George

PERSONNEL PROGRAM NOTES

Marche Militaire Française / Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)trans. Mark Hindsley

The subtitle of Saint-Saëns’ Algerian Suite is “Picturesque Impressions of a Voyage to Algiers.” Of its four movements, three are decidely oriental in coloring. The fourth, the Military March, is by contrast quite French; it was intended to emphasize the contrast

found at Algiers between the native and the French settlements. In a note on the score the composer emphasized the fact that he not only felt joyful at seeing French soldiers, but he was conscious of the security he enjoyed under their protection.

(note from Band Music Notes)

Summerland / William Grant Still (1895-1978)arr. Dane Teter

Summerland was originally the second of Three Visions for piano, but was recast by the composer for different instrumentation. Lazy and relaxed, it evokes a quiet, warm afternoon, or alternatively is a portrait of promised beauty in the afterlife.

William Grant Still, one of America’s foremost composers of the early Twentieth century, studied music at Wilberforce University, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the New England Conservatory of Music. He initially composed in a modernist style but later merged musical aspects of his African-American heritage with traditional European classical forms to form a unique style.

(note from windrep.org and University of North Texas)

Midway March / John Williams (b. 1932)trans. Paul Lavender

W hen I was young, I remember my father recounting to me that, during his childhood, he’d heard and seen John Philip Sousa conduct his famous band. And so, when the opportunity emerged to compose music for the film Midway, I tried to write an

orchestral march that would be American in spirit, with a jazzy nautical swagger, and would fit squarely in the tradition of the great American marches that I’ve loved since my youth.

- John Williams

Rocky Point Holiday / Ron Nelson (b. 1929)

R ocky Point Holiday was a commission from Frank Bencriscutto and the University of Minnesota band for a tour of Russia. It was composed between 1968 and 1969. Bencriscutto had heard Nelson’s orchestral work Savannah River Holiday and decided

he wanted something virtuostic to take with him on the Russian tour. When Nelson asked about the limitations of the band, Bencriscutto told him there were none. “I’m going to write a tremendously difficult piece,” Nelson warned him. “That’s fine,” replied Bencriscutto, and thus Rocky Point Holiday was born. Nelson says, “This was a pivotal moment in my notion of wind ensemble scoring, in which I focused on orchestrating in an extremely transparent way.” The bulk of the work on the composition occurred while Nelson was on vacation at a Rhode Island seaside resort. Rocky Point is an amusement park over a hundred years old, located in Warwick Neck, RI.

(note by Nikk Pilato)

Dr. Scott C. Tobias currently holds the position of Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at West Virginia University where his responsibilities include conducting the WVU Wind Symphony, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, and providing administrative leadership for the WVU Bands program. Prior to his appointment at West Virginia University, Dr. Tobias served as Director of Bands at the University of Central Florida and as Associate Director of Bands at Appalachian State University. He also previously served as a high school band director in the public schools of Georgia and South Carolina.

Bands under Dr. Tobias’ direction have performed nationally and internationally at events such as the New York Wind Band Festival in Carnegie Hall, the Western International Band Clinic, the Cabalgata de Reyes (Madrid, Spain), the London New Year’s Day Parade, and the

Bands of America National Concert Band Festival. Dr. Tobias also remains active as a guest conductor and clinician conducting collegiate honor bands, all-state bands, and district honor bands throughout the United States. Dr. Tobias is a recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence and has been named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. While at Appalachian State University, he was also recognized with the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award as well as the Hayes School of Music Outstanding Teacher Award.

A native of South Carolina, Dr. Tobias earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Furman University, the Master of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Georgia. Dr. Tobias presently serves as Past President of the National Band Association and President of the Big 12 Band Directors Association. Additional professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, West Virginia Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

PROGRAM NOTES PERSONNEL Flute

Oboe

Bassoon

Clarinet

Alto Saxophone

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Horn

Trumpet

Trombone

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Percussion

Harp

Jacey CraytonMechanicsburg, PA - Music Performance (BM)

Katie LoayzaBurke, VA - Music Education (BM)

Juan Carlos NarvaezElizabeth, NJ - Music Performance (BM)

Ethan Nylander*Middletown, DE - Music Performance (BM)

Ashley Rogers Pineville, LA - Music Performance (BM)

Geoffrey MadgePittsburgh, PA - Music Performance (BM)

EJ Wogaman*Springfield, VA - Music Education (BM)

Eli Hall Left Hand, WV - Music Performance (BM) Bohdan Shevchenko*

Kamianske, Ukraine - Music Performance (MM)

Mandi BearjarSummerhill, PA - Music Education (BM)

Juan Gonzalez Gonzalez*Cartagena Bolivar, Colombia - Music Perfor-mance (DMA)

Armâan KarimpourOna, WV - Music Performance (BM)

Rachel PellegreenFredericksburg, VA - Music Education (BM)

Morgan StrattonDover, DE - Music Education (BM)

Desiree TedrowNew Freeport, PA - Music Education (BM)

Micah BuserRidgeley, WV - Music Education (BM)

Patrick SmithCatlett, VA - Music Education (BM)

Mark Wallace*Dayton, OH - Conducting (MM)

Genesis BerriosPrince George’s, MD - Music Education (BM)

Nathaniel PenvenBlacksburg, VA - Music Education (BM)

Amelia DolceJamestown, NY - Music Therapy (BM)

Annie MoonFrostburg, MD - Music Education (BM)

Alicia Rafter*Williamsport, MD - Music Performance (MM)

Haley SmithFairfax, VA - Music Education (BM)

Lara BonatestaBranchburg, NJ - Journalism (BS)

Noah ByrneSpringfield, VA - Music Education (BM)

Jonna DwyerDavidsonville, MD - Music (BA) & Spanish (BA)

Trevor FoyBluefield, WV - Music Performance (BM)

Garrett GorbyMorgantown, WV - Music Performance (BM)

David Riggs*Wilmington, NC - Music Performance (BM)

Jakob BakerPhilippi, WV - Music Education (BM)

Douglas Shaffer*Morgantown, WV - Music Education (BM)

Andrew OrtegaTitusville, PA - Music Performance (DMA)

Cameron Cornwall*Leesburg, VA - Music Education (BM)

Aaron Freeman*Annandale, VA - Music Education (BM)

Cameron TefftWoodbridge, VA - Music Performance (BM)

Mikala FlingBelleville, WV - Music Therapy (BM)

Jonah HenthorneWheeling, WV - Music Education (BM)

Christopher LittleBristow, VA - Music Education (BM)

Robert ShamblenCrofton, MD - Music Education (BM)

Andrew SimonetteCanonsburg, PA - Music Education (BM)

Christine MazzaProfessor of Harp - West Virginia University

Overture in Five Flat / Julie Giroux (b. 1961)

O verture in Five Flat was composed for Dr. Lowell E. Graham and the 2010-2011 Missouri All-State Band. According to the composer, “The first page of the score sums up the nature of this piece by stating: ‘Quarter note = you’ve got 5 minutes.’”

In his notes for the piece, Dr. Lowell Graham states, “Overture in Five Flat reflects the passion for speed and power that the composer and I share. As usual we did not talk about the work at all while it was being composed. Like a race car, hot-rod, or super bike, this composition was built to run, not idle. One could make up many great stories about Overture in Five Flat, and all would work. Simiply, there is no underlying deep mystical or philosophical concept. It is not in the key of D-flat Major or B-flat minor. This music is about time, speed, and raw power! It is a piece that pushes the bounds of safety.

Overture in Five Flat is a fine-tuned machine of visceral power waiting to be unleashed. It is there ready to burn the rubber off the tires, throwing you back with the force of brutal and instant torque. In anticipation, you know that your heart will be pounding as the adrenalin rush hits you like a sledge hammer. It is waiting for you.

Now you slam the accelerator to the floor or twist the throttle to the max. Your physical senses are sharpened to a razor’s edge as you engage in the melding of machine and speed. It rumbles instantly to life as the motor screams with all of it power while speed shifting through the gears. It is fast and loud working in perfect synchronization. When you cross the finish line, you are out of breath shouting, ‘Let’s do it again.’ This is not only speed, but addictive speed.

As usual, the makers of Overture in Five Flat take no responsibility for mishaps, crashes, or damages. Have fune and always wear your safety equipment.”

Firefly / Ryan George (b. 1978)

I’m amazed at how children use their imagination to transform the ordinary and normal into the extraordinary and fantastic. Just about anything they come across can be used to spark their fantasies and usher their minds into unseen worlds. A stick on the ground becomes a

wand with magical powers or a sword to fight off bad guys. A collection of rocks turns into bured treasure and a blanket stretched over two chairs becomes a cave to hide in. And things found in nature; birds, waterfalls, flowers, and even insects take on mythic identities when viewed through the eyes of a child.

The idea for Firefly was born one night as I watched my 4-year old become mesmerized by a firefly that had wandered into our front yard. When I asked her what she thought of the “firefly” she looked at me with a puzzled look and said with a corrective tone, “Dad, that is not a firefly...that’s Tinkerbell, and she’s coming to take me with her on an advernture!”

Firefly is dedicated to my daughters Sophia and Nyla, who ignite my imagination and bring awe and wonder into my life everyday.

- Ryan George

PERSONNEL PROGRAM NOTES

Marche Militaire Française / Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)trans. Mark Hindsley

The subtitle of Saint-Saëns’ Algerian Suite is “Picturesque Impressions of a Voyage to Algiers.” Of its four movements, three are decidely oriental in coloring. The fourth, the Military March, is by contrast quite French; it was intended to emphasize the contrast

found at Algiers between the native and the French settlements. In a note on the score the composer emphasized the fact that he not only felt joyful at seeing French soldiers, but he was conscious of the security he enjoyed under their protection.

(note from Band Music Notes)

Summerland / William Grant Still (1895-1978)arr. Dane Teter

Summerland was originally the second of Three Visions for piano, but was recast by the composer for different instrumentation. Lazy and relaxed, it evokes a quiet, warm afternoon, or alternatively is a portrait of promised beauty in the afterlife.

William Grant Still, one of America’s foremost composers of the early Twentieth century, studied music at Wilberforce University, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the New England Conservatory of Music. He initially composed in a modernist style but later merged musical aspects of his African-American heritage with traditional European classical forms to form a unique style.

(note from windrep.org and University of North Texas)

Midway March / John Williams (b. 1932)trans. Paul Lavender

W hen I was young, I remember my father recounting to me that, during his childhood, he’d heard and seen John Philip Sousa conduct his famous band. And so, when the opportunity emerged to compose music for the film Midway, I tried to write an

orchestral march that would be American in spirit, with a jazzy nautical swagger, and would fit squarely in the tradition of the great American marches that I’ve loved since my youth.

- John Williams

Rocky Point Holiday / Ron Nelson (b. 1929)

R ocky Point Holiday was a commission from Frank Bencriscutto and the University of Minnesota band for a tour of Russia. It was composed between 1968 and 1969. Bencriscutto had heard Nelson’s orchestral work Savannah River Holiday and decided

he wanted something virtuostic to take with him on the Russian tour. When Nelson asked about the limitations of the band, Bencriscutto told him there were none. “I’m going to write a tremendously difficult piece,” Nelson warned him. “That’s fine,” replied Bencriscutto, and thus Rocky Point Holiday was born. Nelson says, “This was a pivotal moment in my notion of wind ensemble scoring, in which I focused on orchestrating in an extremely transparent way.” The bulk of the work on the composition occurred while Nelson was on vacation at a Rhode Island seaside resort. Rocky Point is an amusement park over a hundred years old, located in Warwick Neck, RI.

(note by Nikk Pilato)

Dr. Scott C. Tobias currently holds the position of Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at West Virginia University where his responsibilities include conducting the WVU Wind Symphony, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, and providing administrative leadership for the WVU Bands program. Prior to his appointment at West Virginia University, Dr. Tobias served as Director of Bands at the University of Central Florida and as Associate Director of Bands at Appalachian State University. He also previously served as a high school band director in the public schools of Georgia and South Carolina.

Bands under Dr. Tobias’ direction have performed nationally and internationally at events such as the New York Wind Band Festival in Carnegie Hall, the Western International Band Clinic, the Cabalgata de Reyes (Madrid, Spain), the London New Year’s Day Parade, and the

Bands of America National Concert Band Festival. Dr. Tobias also remains active as a guest conductor and clinician conducting collegiate honor bands, all-state bands, and district honor bands throughout the United States. Dr. Tobias is a recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence and has been named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. While at Appalachian State University, he was also recognized with the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award as well as the Hayes School of Music Outstanding Teacher Award.

A native of South Carolina, Dr. Tobias earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Furman University, the Master of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Georgia. Dr. Tobias presently serves as Past President of the National Band Association and President of the Big 12 Band Directors Association. Additional professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, West Virginia Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF

WVU Wind SymphonyDr. Scott C. Tobias, conductor

JULIE GIROUX Overture in Five Flat (b. 1961)

RYAN GEORGE Firefly (b. 1978)

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Marche Militaire Française (1835-1921) TRANS. MARK HINDSLEY

WILLIAM GRANT STILL Summerland (1895-1978) ARR. DANE TETER

Mr. Mark Wallace, conductor

JOHN WILLIAMS Midway March (b.1932) TRANS. PAUL LAVENDER

RON NELSON Rocky Point Holiday (b. 1929)

BANDS FACULTY & STAFF

Scott C. TobiasDirector of Bands

Cheldon R. WilliamsAssociate Director of Bands

Andrew OrtegaGraduate Assitant

Ken PfrommGraduate Assistant

Mark WallaceGraduate Assistant

Lamar RiddickProgram Assistant

Don WilcoxDirector of Bands Emeritus

STUDIO FACULTY

Nina AssimakopoulosFlute

Cynthia AndersonOboe

Lynn HilemanBassoon

John WeigandClarinet

Jeffery SiegfriedSaxophone

Robert SearsTrumpet

Jonas ThomsHorn

Hakeem BilalTrombone

Carson McTeerEuphonium/Tuba

George WillisPercussion

Michael VercelliPercussion

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

“Pandemic Potpourri, Part 2”Tuesday, February 23, 2021 • 7:30pm

Lyell B. Clay Concert TheatreCollege of Creative Arts

School of Music

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITYADMINISTRATION

E. Gordon Gee ................................................................................PresidentMaryanne Reed .......................................................Vice-President & ProvostKeith Jackson ..................................................Dean, College of Creative ArtsJohn Hendricks ...............................Associate Dean, College of Creative ArtsMichael Ibrahim .......................................................Director, School of Music

CREATIVE ARTS CENTERJamie Whoolery ......................Coordinator of Production Services & FacilitiesMark Price ......................................................Assistant Facilities CoordinatorPeter McCumber ................................................................Facilities ManagerMichael McGinley ...............................................................Facilities Manager

UPCOMING WVU BANDS EVENTSSymphonic Band Concert ............................................February 25, 7:30 pmWind Symphony Concert ..................................................March 30, 7:30 pm

To receive reminders for upcoming events, text CONCERT to 304-935-5444.

WVU BANDS OFFICECreative Arts Center, Suite 2101

P.O. Box 6111Morgantown, WV 26506

304-293-3097

bands.wvu.edu

WindSymphonyDr. Scott C. Tobias, conductor

Mr. Mark Wallace, graduate conductor