DeForest Middle School

Winter Band Concert

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

7th and 8th Grade and Jazz Band7:00pm

Director - James Skaleski

Winter Concert Program – December 3, 2013

Pre-Concert Performances Starting at 6:40 and ending at 6:50

Grade 7 Concert Band Valiance………………………………………………..…………………………………..Robert W. Smith Ancient Voices…………………………………………………………………………….Michael Sweeney Imperium………………………………………………………………………………….Michael Sweeney At the Feast of Stephen………………………………………….……Traditional Carol, arr. Scott Watson Dark Fortress…………………………………………………………………………………...…Rob Grice

Grade 8 Concert Band The Forge of Vulcan………………………………………………………..…………… Michael Sweeney Psalm 42………………………………………………………....….English Folk Song, arr. Samuel R. Hazo Paradox…………………………….………….......................................................................…….Michael Story Christmas Swings………………………………………………………..……..Arranged by Johnnie Vinson

Featuring “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Frosty the Snowman”, and “Here Comes Santa Claus”

Jazz Band Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star………………………………..……………...……Traditional, arr. Rich DeRosa Soul Bossa Nova……………………………………………………………Quincy Jones, arr. Mike Lewis

Please join us for a post-concert social at the Culver’s in DeForest (Highway V off I-94) starting immediately

after the concerts until 10 PM.

Please be great guests and DeForest School representatives by keeping their restaurant as clean as possible so they can close quickly after 10! ☺

“Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.”

- Jimi Hendrix

Find the DMS Bands online! sites.google.com/a/deforestschools.org/band

In this season of thanks, we would like to acknowledge the following:

Kristin Freedlund, guest conductor from Arcadia Middle School (Arcadia, WI) for 2 days of work with these kids!

All the music faculty (and non-music faculty) in the DeForest School District that have been endlessly supportive (music staff: Brandon Bautz, Michael Bjork, Maggie Condon, Robin Edmiston, Danielle Iskandarani, and Sussanah Sasman) and my mentor Deb Evans. The DeForest Music Parents Association for their extraordinary support of music education here in DeForest.

The wonderful administration at the middle school: Kim Christian, Paul Herrick, and Bill Huebsch. Brett Price and staff for their support and administration of this beautiful performing arts facility.

All of the band students for the sacrifices they have made and all the energy they have poured into their work – they inspire and energize me every day. Mark Sieger for all of his contributions to this program and ongoing support.

All the parents for their support – including my own that continue to come to all my concerts.

7th

Grade Band – About the Music / Upcoming Events

Robert W. Smith – Valiance - A Heroic Overture

for Band (2007)

Bold and exciting, Valiance (A Heroic Overture for

Band) by Robert W. Smith was composed as a

concert overture for the young band. Inspired by a

hero’s celebratory return, the opening fanfare

introduces the main theme that follows in a stately

processional setting. The melody is developed

throughout including a short fugue that leads to the

dramatic conclusion.

Michael Sweeney – Ancient Voices (1994) This composition is suggestive of the moods and

sounds of early civilizations. Since there has not been

an attempt to depict any specific culture, this piece

may conjure thoughts of early peoples of this

continent. Or it may bring to mind even earlier

populations who used the bones of Mammoths and

other animals as musical instruments tens of thousands

of years ago. I encourage you to use your

imaginations as you listen to the music.

-Michael Sweeney

Michael Sweeney – Imperium (1992) This composition is built primarily on a 3-note melodic

motif (concert G, F, and A-flat). In addition, a 2-

measure pulsating rhythmic pattern is used as a

unifying element throughout. These two musical ideas

are developed using a variety of harmonic and

textural settings to create dramatic points in the music

as well as a final sense of resolution.

-Michael Sweeney

Traditional Carol, arranged by Scott Watson –

At the Feast of Stephen (2008)

This novel setting of the traditional carol “Good King

Wenceslas” will musically transport you and the

students to the royal Christmas banquet hall of a

medieval king!

This old carol tells the story of a legendary 10th-

century monarch, Duke Wenceslas of Bohemia, who

went out in the severe cold to give charity to the poor

on December 26, also known as St. Stephens Day. The

well-known 13th-century carol tune, as well as

additional original material in period style, vividly

conjures a lively celebration of Christmas in the high

Middle Ages.

“Come now ye lords and ladies to the Feast of

Stephen and upon your instruments faire make most

merry this Yule-tide!”

-Scott Watson

Rob Grice – Dark Fortress (2004)

Dark Fortress does not have a particular narrative,

but the music resembles that of an epic fight sequence

in a movie. This is Mr. Skaleski’s interpretation,

although you may have your own:

Continuing on our middle ages theme from Feast of

Stephen, there now arises an evil that wishes to

vanquish all good in the world. This evil is represented

in the low instruments that come shortly after the tune

starts, chasing after our hero (represented by eighth

notes in various instruments, starting with trumpets)

riding on his trusty, galloping horse.

The ensemble plays as one to build up to the first of

many confrontations. The clarinets represent the

maneuvering of our hero as he/she tries to develop a

strategy to defeat the evil force, interjected with

confrontations. A battle ensues, and it appears our

hero is victorious. However, it is never quite that easy.

You can hear rises and falls in dynamics as a

dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues. Finally,

good prevails as the sword of our hero swings true,

represented in the slapstick/whip.

Upcoming Events

Please check the DMS Band web site

for information, assignments, and the

calendar of events.

sites.google.com/a/deforestschools.org/band

8th

Grade Band – About the Music

Diego Velázquez – Apolo en la Fragua de Vulcano

(Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan) Oil on canvas - 1630

Michael Sweeney – The Forge of Vulcan

(1997)

In Greek and Roman mythology, Vulcan was the god

of fire and metal working. The Forge of Vulcan

musically describes the moods and sounds of an

imaginary workplace of this ancient blacksmith.

The Forge of Vulcan was commissioned by the Thomas

Jefferson Middle School Band, led by director Lois

O’Keefe, in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

-Michael Sweeney

English Folk Song, arr. Samuel R. Hazo –

Psalm 42 (2004) Psalm 42 is dedicated to the McCurrie family of

Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania. I so admired this

family’s faith and strength, that I felt compelled to

arrange this chorale for them. As a teacher, I often

get to see children and their families at the most

joyous as well as the most devastating times in their

lives. An unfortunate example of the latter was when I

attended five-year-old Gregory McCurrie’s funeral

mass in 2002.

Gregory was born with a condition called “Deletion

13-Q Syndrome.” Even though it was an unrelated

heart condition that caused his passing at age 5,

Deletion 13-Q made him completely reliant on others

even for the simplest of physical tasks or

communication. I taught trumpet to his three older

brothers, and had gotten to know their family through

involvement in band. 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. It always seemed that her love for him

provided her with an admirable and unflinching

strength that only mothers have.

Watching the McCurrie family raise Greg with an

unfathomable number of challenges, and finally

sharing in their grief at his funeral, provided me with

the opportunity to see people whose sense of love

and faith were most deserving of admiration.

At Gregory’s funeral mass, the first selection the

congregation was asked to sing was Psalm 42. I kept

the melody in my head the whole way back to work,

where I scored this arrangement. Two of his brothers,

who were in our school band, played this for the first

time in our winter concert. It is a tribute to Gregory’s

memory, and to the unconditional love he gave, and

that his brothers, sister, and parents returned in

abundance.

-Sam Hazo

Michael Story – Paradox (2006)

Paradox derives its name primarily as a reference to

the “Tritone Paradox”, which was first described by

Diana Deutsch at the University of California, San

Diego in 1986. Deutsch discovered that when pairs of

electronically synthesized pitches, a half-octave or

tritone apart, were played consecutively, some

listeners heard an ascending pattern while others

heard a descending one. This was quite amazing to

many musicians, who were absolutely confident in

their listening abilities yet totally disagreed whether

the pair of pitches was going up or down. Paradox

explores the interval of the tritone, both melodically

and harmonically.

Another, lesser application of the word paradox,

which the dictionary defines as “a situation that

appears to be absurd or contradictory”, is

demonstrated in the apparent contradictory nature of

the music itself, moving from unusual to exotic modal

qualities to more traditional settings.

-Michael Story

Arranged by Johnnie Vinson – Christmas

Swings (2010)

Christmas Swings features three popular tunes that

feature a “swung” rhythm, where sets of eighth notes

that are typically straight in classical music are

weighted in a triplet feel, with the first two of the

three notes in the triplet tied together. This type of

interpretation is characteristic of most jazz music. This

medley features “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Frosty the

Snowman”, and “Here Comes Santa Claus.”

7th Grade Band Flute Nick Bartelheim Lexi Blaski Katelyn Buchda* Ashley Cass* Briana Filsinger Jina Glasgow Kayla Gotzion Lizzy Horner Alyssa Koch Abby Miller Skylar Olson Kathryn Overman Autumn Stephens Oboe Isabel Larson Corinne Schultz Clarinet Rachel Anderson Kelsy Capstran Brynn Freitag Jordan Kind Alex Lippman* Betsy Overman Emilee Schroud Audrey Williams Jacqui Zaragoza

Bass Clarinet Keigan Jordan* Alto Sax Jack Bogan Lauren Haag Joshua Hatch Tyler Hill* Jessica Parks* Joe Paske Rachel Poyner Naadir Srayi Hayley Swenson Taylor Wentz Elle Wright Tenor Sax Ashley Eisler Baritone Sax Nahuel Recoba

Trumpet Xavier Accola Gavin Bovre* Tina Godat Paul Hundhausen Shelby LaFear Sarah Langdon* Trinity Lerum Tristan Mack* Justin McKay Travis Nelson* Cammi Riemer Sarah Stouffer-Lerch* Sage Williams* Horn Jacob Burgener* Jeremy Doty Joseph Schauf Trombone Alex Grabowski Travis Graf Patrick Mowbray Sam Virnig

Baritone/Euphonium Kaitlin Durnen Zach Hughes Shane Truswell* Tuba Sam Neuman* Percussion Dustin Anderson* Jacob Chambers* Bailey Dye Jackie Hanson* Camryn Hargraves* Avery Johnson Julia Tagliapietra Morgan Wiegel Violin Abby Miller* Piano / Keyboard Bass Dustin Anderson* Ashley Cass* Jackie Hanson* *=Jazz Band Member

8th Grade Band

Flute Abi Buschmann Grace Fanson* Nicole Grams Heather Hansen Joelle Kenyon* Miranda Lenz* Hailey Nolden Anna Pilecky Sadie Renard* Ava VanDommelen Oboe Olive Foster* Molly Vang

Clarinet Sidney Bergeron* Samantha Gabris Callista Heth Savannah Kind Kaitlyn Younger Bass Clarinet Jocelyn Reneau Alto Sax Morgan Chadwick* Stephanie Eder Bergen Fitzgerald Jordan Hundt Ben Kennedy Ethan Martin Amber Taugher Adrianna Thousand* Tenor Sax Max Gjertson*

Trumpet Kaylie Ault Jada Bauer Ardit Beluli Nate Castrogiovanni* Evan Ebert Kyle Esser Lilly Hall* Alaina Houghton-Chamberlain Gage Worden Horn Brooke Yocum Trombone Anja Brandl* Dylan Marquardt Colton Stark Joshua Thurber Lauren Weikert*

Euphonium Trinity Bell Lily Long Liam Sullivan* Tuba John Koehler Luke Walsvik Percussion Amelia Boehning Emily Chermak Griffin Dobson Allison Durst Nikki Fay Emilio Morales Lucas Szepieniec *=Jazz Band Member

Music Parents Craft Fair: December 7 from 8 AM to 3 PM (at Yahara Elementary School) High School Band Concert: December 5 at 7 PM

6th Grade Band and Choir Concert: December 10 at 7 PM High School Choir Concert: December 12 at 7 PM

High School Jazz and Show Choir: December 16 at 7 PM 7th and 8th Grade Choir Concert: December 17 at 7 PM