2019-2020 Concert Season
Flight to the Light The Music of Mike Forbes Concert Band Symphonic Band Wind Ensemble
Mike Forbes, Tuba Emma Angoli, Conductor Cameron Vinson, Conductor
Greenwald Foundation PAC Monday | March 2 | 7:00pm
Due to copyright and privacy laws: You may not publicly display or post recordings (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) of any part of this program. If recording, please be considerate of those around you by choosing seats that reduce the chance that a recording device will distract from the performance experience of other audience members.
Program Concert Band Battle Quest (2013)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
The Carnival of Venice (1868 / 2019)
Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825-1889) arr. Mike Forbes
Mike Forbes, Tuba
Symphonic Band Mike Forbes b. 1973
Dance of the Trolls (2014) Capriccio (2009)
Mike Forbes, Tuba
Mike Forbes b. 1973
Wind Ensemble Glacier Canyon (2016)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
B’Witchin’ (2015)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
Exodus: Flight to the Light (2020)*
Mike Forbes b. 1973
* - World Premiere
Thank You! The Band Program would like to thank the Mukwonago Education Foundation for their generous contribution to the Mike Forbes Commission & Composer-In-Residence Project. About the Mukwonago Education Foundation: The Mukwonago Education Foundation funds new ideas and student opportunities—unfunded by the school district—that would otherwise go unrealized. From skilled trades to technology and much more, the Education Foundation funds academic experiences aligned with our mission. That mission exposes students to learning opportunities otherwise unfunded by the school district. More than 95% of donor contributions directly fund new ideas to impact student achievement in our school district. Contributions are tax deductible. Fiscal responsibility and effective use of funds drive every decision. Grant requests are considered twice annually. And these grants fill gaps where school district funding falls short or risk seems too great.
For more information on the Mukwonago Education Foundation or on how to donate, visit their website: www.mukwonagoeducationfoundation.org
About Mike Forbes An artist of widely diverse musical talents, Mike Forbes (b. 1973, currently living near Madison, WI) “… is an outstanding tubist with a solid, colorful tone, terrific technical skills, and dramatic flair” (American Record Guide). He can be heard on his 2 solo albums on Summit Records: Forbes Plays Koetsier (Summit Records) where he features all seven works for solo tuba by Dutch composer, Jan Koetsier, and his more recently released Forbes Plays Forbes featuring his own compositions for tuba, He has been a featured tubist with the Guy's All Star Shoe band on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keiller and also gave the first ever solo tuba recital on Wisconsin Public Radio’s popular broadcast, Live from the Chazen. He has very recently collaborated with European Tuba Phenom, Sérgio Carolino in a new group called the "TransAtlantic Tuba Connection" and their new recording "Full Tilt" featuring many of his new works for tuba duo and drums was recently released. Staff Sergeant Forbes began his career as a tubist with the U.S. Army Band, "Pershing’s Own" and subsequently served on the music faculties at universities along the East Coast and in the Midwest. Recently, he has been in high demand in Iberia as the Guest Tuba Lecturer at the Superior Conservatories in Malaga (Spain), Porto (Portugal), at the international music festivals in Salceda (Spain) and Alcobaça (Portugal). Adding to his Spanish-speaking residencies, he lectured at the "Wind & Song" brass festival at the San Juan Music Conservatory in Puerto Rico and served as a guest artist at the 2018 Texcoco Music Festival near Mexico City. In 2019 he found himself soloing with "All About That Bass" tuba quartet in Oslo & Tromsø, Norway and appearing as guest soloist and chamber coach in Taipei, Taiwan. (program notes continued on next page)
He regularly presented clinics, masterclasses, and concerts internationally in Portugal ("Gravissimo" in Alcobaça), as well as throughout high schools and colleges in the United States. In 2020, he will be heading the the Geneva International Tuba Competition in Switzerland to adjudicate the premiere of his new "Alpine Concerto"--a work commissioned as the final round test piece for the competition. An extremely prolific chamber musician, Forbes has founded the Isthmus Brass (Wisconsin's leading large brass ensemble also with a Summit Records release: "Isthmus Brass Christmas") and the Isthmus Brass Quintet (a contemporary ensemble of trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba and percussion). He has also co-founded the Sotto Voce Quartet, America’s premiere tuba/ euphonium quartet. Sotto Voce enjoys an international touring schedule and has released a number of recordings also on Summit Records. Thanks to a large commission from the International Tuba/Euphonium Association (ITEA), Forbes has recently created a large new work entitled "Concerto for Tuba/Euphonium Quartet" and premiered it at the 2019 ITEC in Iowa. Their latest CD, "Take This Hammer: Works Composed for Sotto Voce" feature two of Forbes's original works for quartet: "Bridge: A Mini-Requiem for Countertenor and Tuba Quartet" and "Four Miniatures," a work Forbes was commissioned to write for the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference Tuba Quartet Competition held in Budapest, Hungary in 2004. The other recordings also feature Forbes’s many compositions and arrangements for the quartet genre, many of which can be found in the Editions BIM catalog. The quartet has performed special concerts at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Texas Music Educators Convention as well as at the BrassWind Festival in Bergen, Norway. In addition to the works for Sotto Voce, Forbes is a regularly commissioned composer currently serving as a low brass specialist for Kendor Music and as a middle & high school band and orchestra composer for Carl Fischer and FJH Music publishing companies. He was recently commissioned by WSMA to compose a new work for the High School State Honors Orchestra and the premiere of the work "Rolling Boil" can be seen here on PBS. Other recent commissions include a new Tuba Concerto the Swiss Forum's International Competition in Geneva 2020, a 4-tuba quartet for Jim Self and USC Tuba Studio, the National Band Association of Wisconsin (to compose a new work for their 25th State Band Festival) as well as for a host of high school and university wind ensembles including… (program notes continued on next page)
…the University of Alabama (Deja Vu), UW-Platteville (Summer Camp), and UWLa Crosse (WI) (Ice Flow). Forbes has repeatedly won the Dallas Wind Symphony Fanfare Composition Competition and his works have received numerous awards and accolades by U.S. Army Band, Humboldt Brass Festival, and the International Tuba-Euphonium Association. His entire catalogue of compositions and arrangements are featured on his publishing website: eBrassMusic.com. As the founder of the Isthmus Brass and Sotto Voce, Forbes regularly performs and records throughout the Midwest on both the tuba, euphonium, and the bass trombone. He is the Principal Tubist with the La Crosse and Manitowoc Symphonies and has also performed with the Toledo Symphony, Porto Symphony (Portugal), Madison Symphony, and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. He also has performed as principal tuba with the Milwaukee based Starry Nights Summer Festival Orchestra, as well as the Aspen, Chautauqua, and Hot Springs Music Festival orchestras. Dr. Forbes is currently an Associate Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He studied at the University of Maryland (DMA), the University of Wisconsin-Madison (MM), and during his junior year at Penn State (BM) he took an exchange to Manchester, England where he continued his studies the University of Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music. His foremost teachers have included John Stevens, Toby Hanks, Gene Pokorny, Marty Erickson, and Mark Lusk. Mike Forbes is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
Program Notes Battle Quest (2013)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
As a youngster, I often felt overwhelmed by the many powers surrounding my existence in middle school. The one time I felt invincible was when I was performing on my tuba with the band. There was something about the combined actions of all of us working together in harmony on a piece of music that made me feel, just for that moment, invincible. Battle Quest was written for those young souls searching for a sense of empowerment in their lives, especially through the gift of music. The heroic sense of power and over-arching theme in the horns/clarinets is ever-present in this work, even while the band hurdles over rhythmic and melodic challenges. Battle Quest was written to make every young musician feel like the hero that they truly are when they step into the world of music. (Program Notes by Mike Forbes) The Carnival of Venice (1868 / 2019)
Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825-1889) arr. Mike Forbes
Jean-Baptiste Arban is widely considered to be the first virtuoso of the cornet à piston, or ‘valved cornet’, a close relative of the modern trumpet. Inspired by the virtuosic technique of violinist & composer Niccolò Paganini, Arban attempted to (and succeeded in) proving that the cornet was a true solo instrument. He published a book of his methods titled “Grande méthode complète pour cornet à pistons et de saxhorn”. It is still studied by modern brass players today, now more commonly referred to just as “The Arban’s” or “the Trumpeter’s Bible”. The Carnival of Venice is based off of a Neapolitan folk tune called “Oh Mama, Mama Cara”. It was popularized by Paganini who wrote twenty variations on it and used the title “Il Carnivale Di Venezia”. Arban’s variations on The Carnival of Venice remains to this day one of the great showpieces for cornet soloists. (or, in the case of this arrangement, tuba soloists). (Program Notes by Rick Schadt)
Dance of the Trolls (2014)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
Dance of the Trolls is the resulting work from a 5-week composition residency that I was invited to give at Mount Horeb Middle and High schools. The sessions included discussions on the art and technique of composition as well as an opportunity for the students to try their hand at creating motives. We then manipulated these motives in all kinds of interesting and creative ways (upsidedown, backwards, slower, faster, higher, lower, etc.). In the end, I took a few of these motives developed by the students and created a piece around them. Mount Horeb is an interesting little suburb outside of Madison, Wisconsin, where I currently reside with my family. Due to the early immigration trends in this area of the country, the town is highly steeped in Norwegian traditions. In fact, the main street is referred to as “The Trollway” as many of the unique shops there boast wood-carved trolls in their front yards or storefronts. This composition is intended to portray what might happen late at night after all of the tourists and shopkeepers have headed off to bed. I musically imagined the mystery of all those troll statuettes (some very small and others quite large and clumsy) getting a drink at the local brewery, The Grumpy Troll, then dancing in the streets until sunrise. (Program Notes by Mike Forbes) Capriccio (2009)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
A “capriccio” is a lively piece of music that is typically free in form, lively in tempo, and brilliant in style. Mike Forbes spoke of his Capriccio as being the outcome of composing without a specific roadmap in mind, producing the 3 distinct sections heard throughout the piece. The result is an exciting, original musical journey that showcases a tuba soloist’s “…virtuosity and and agility on an instrument that’s too seldom given the artistic credit it deserves.” Mr. Forbes describes the the three-part work as having “…a heroic main theme, soaring lyrical melodies, and a super-charged finish.” It is an eight minute tour-de-force that is sure to excite audiences and challenge their preconceptions of what is possible on the tuba. (Program Notes by Rick Schadt; quotes from the composer’s notes)
Glacier Canyon (2016)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
Glacier Canyon was written in celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the All-State Junior Band and in honor of one of its original founders, Connie Kramer. The National Band Association, Wisconsin Chapter organized a consortium of twelve school districts from across the state of Wisconsin for this commission. As ice age glaciers forge their way across the earth they forever change the geological topography of the land they cover; sometimes developing dramatic mountains and beautiful deep canyons. In much the same way, Connie Kramer forever changed the topography of music education in the State of Wisconsin. She was known to have touched thousands of young musical lives and left an enduring legacy effecting generations of future music educators. This work is a depiction of both Connie’s inspirational legacy and those dramatic elements found across Wisconsin’s landscape. While Glacier Canyon is not specifically programmatic, the piece has programmatic elements. The work begins with the idea walking up to and peering down into a vast glacier canyon. The piece then picks up steam as one imagines white-water rafting through the turbulent waters of the canyon below. The serene American beauty of the surroundings can be heard and felt in the folkloric lyrical middle section of the work, before one last romp through the rapids. It was truly an honor to be asked to compose this work for this important celebratory event. (Program Notes by Mike Forbes)
B’Witchin’ (2015)
Mike Forbes b. 1973
This programmatic work for band depicts the "B'witchin'" qualities of music. At first, haunting dissonances are heard. Then, this motive evolves with a tender harmonic treatment to become far more pleasing...becoming warm and attractive even. The piece has lulled the listener into a trance...YOU'VE BEEN BEWITCHED! You must run and escape this curse! What follows is a fast, Shostakovichesque burlesque. Finally, you've outrun the curse and defeated it's maker, but somehow something in you has changed forever and the work ends on a heroic, oddly pleasing yet deranged processional to a final dark cadence....now you possess the ability to bewitch others with your music. (Program Notes by Mike Forbes) Exodus: Flight to the Light (2020)* * - World Premiere
Mike Forbes b. 1973
Commissioned by the Mukwonago High School Wind Ensemble, the process of composing Exodus: Flight to the Light began with a meeting between Mr. Forbes and the students in the ensemble. The students were able to share the musical elements they were interested in having in their new piece, ranging from generic big picture ideas (“dark & sinister sounding”, “epic”, “fast”) to oddly specific requests (“using bass bows on vibraphone”, “very low horn parts”). During that meeting, Mr. Forbes also noticed the marching machine on the shelf (an instrument somewhat uncommon to high school programs) and determined that he would find a way to utilize it in the composition. Exodus: Flight to the Light is based off of the bat colonies of Bracken Cave, located near San Antonio, TX. According to Bat Conservation International, “the cave is home to more than 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats, making it the world’s largest bat colony and one of the largest concentrations of mammals on Earth. The emergence of these millions of bats, as they spiral out of the cave at dusk for their nightly insect hunt, is an unforgettable sight.” Not only did this piece satisfy the requests of the students, but (unbeknownst to Mr. Forbes during the time of composition) San Antonio has a special place in Mrs. Angoli’s heart as it holds many fond memories from the first big trip she took with her future husband while they were dating. (Program Notes by Rick Schadt with quotes from batcon.org)
Concert Band Due to the importance of every part, students are listed alphabetically.
Flute Mackenzie Dunn Emily Henrichs Andrew Seiske Jamie Stephan
Alto Sax Michael Kaczinski Ilyssa Kafka Jaylen Korth Dylan Ragon
Bassoon Sierra Huser
Tenor Saxophone Parker Paulson
Clarinet Tyler Bachaus Aryanna Besson Grace Hinterlong Karlee Knurr Jeramie Kositzke Alex Rodriguez Paige Stephan Jordan Wells Bass Clarinet Rylee Radtke Kyle Wilde
Bari Saxophone Kasey Kubash Trumpet Sheen Mathia Alexander Peppler Zachary Plestina Alissa Schwichtenberg
Trombone Madison Glaser Danica Jenna Ethan Miller Baritone Eva Koos Tuba David Winiarski Percussion Sean Braun Brandon Forster Cloey Jacoux Cooper Johnson Christian Matthew Andrew Ziegler
Symphonic Band Due to the importance of every part, students are listed alphabetically.
Flute Haley Hendrickson Patience Henry Lizz Kunz Emily Lund Elli Melka Lizzy Meszarosch Madeline Murphy Taylor Otto Bella Romo Rebecca Teeters Sarah Ullrich Clarinet Natalie Dreger Abby Erman Logan Fritsch Kira Goldbach Alexa Matson Elizabeth McCullough Hannah Meyer Sophia Riedel Madeline Wilhelm Bass Clarinet Stephanie Ewald Alexis Marra Josh Peterson
Alto Saxophone Ellie Huebner Nick Rabiego Brynn Schmitz-Guy Tenor Saxophone Lydia Bourgeois-Krause Andrew Ruenzel McKenna Sherrod Bari Saxophone Wyatt Scheier Trumpet PJ Block Dylan Osvatic Josh Savoie Caleb Turk Lauren Wilke Horn JJ Oryszczyn Darren Wheat
Trombone Maya Barron Thomas D’ Acquisto Gabriel Pett Joshua Stobbe Aaron Sweetman Baritone Ariana Hanrahan Tuba Ed Pilon Luke Treutelaar Percussion Jeremy Boutin Andy Brandt Alex DeLeon Matthew Janson Emma Libecki Kyle Nettesheim Ryan O’Connor
Wind Ensemble Due to the importance of every part, students are listed alphabetically.
Flute Katie Gunderson Amanda Jakab* Sophia Knudsen Monique Noll Paige Wilde Mackenzie Yergens Oboe Andie Barron Amelia Boerger Clarinet Brooke Conner Erica Goldbach Lauren Jakab Samantha Kohlmann Molly Myers Jordan Rezutek Bass Clarinet Paige Stephan
Alto Saxophone Emma Henkhaus Grace Kearney McKenna Sherrod Tenor Saxophone Julian Barlow Diego Foley Bari Saxophone Sabrina Cowan Aiden McKenzie Trumpet Matthew Bloom Ben Bushey Noah Fairchild Hugh Wesselhoff Spencer Wodushek Horn Hannah Herbst Sarah Miller Lauren Mueller Alayna Sikac
Trombone Lily Carlson Tyler Gibson Maddy Krieger Maddox Peeples Baritone Andrew Blum Mary Ann Romagna Tuba Joey Peterson David Savignac String Bass Morgan Tews Percussion Cara Chalupsky Maddie Hess Kendal Schreiber Kylie Stark Olivia Trapp Kenna Yeager
* - Indicates student doubles on piano
2nd Annual “Drumming for a Difference” Concert Mukwonago’s Districtwide Percussion Ensemble Concert
or f g n i Drumm e c n e r a Diffe Saturday, April 4th @ 7:00pm MHS West Gym
Performances by: • MHS & PVMS Percussion Ensembles • Featured Student Soloists • Blue2 Percussion & Blue2 Winterguard $5 Suggested Donation All proceeds to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization the creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Upcoming Band Events Date
Time
Event
Location
Mar 5
7:00pm
PVMS Band Concert “Wanderlust”
Greenwald PAC
Mar 9
7:00pm
MHS/PVMS Jazz Bands “Cabaret” Concert
Greenwald PAC
Mar 14
All Day
MASD Elementary Instrumental Festival
PVMS Large Gym
Apr 4
7:00pm
2nd Annual Drumming for a Difference Concert
MHS West Gym
Apr 25-26
All Day
PVMS Wisconsin Dells Music Festival Showcase
Chula Vista Resort Wisconsin Dells
May 13
7:00pm
MHS/PVMS Combined Jazz Concert
Greenwald PAC
May 19
7:00pm
PVMS Final Band Concert
Greenwald PAC
May 20
8:00pm
MHS Bands “Forces of Nature” Concert
Greenwald PAC
May 25
TBA
MHS Marching Band Memorial Day Parade
N. Rochester Street
June 2
2:45pm
PVMS Music Awards
PVMS Cafeteria
June 3
6:00pm
Combined Music Dept Awards Night & Senior Showcase
MHS Commons
For more information on upcoming events, visit our new website: www.mukwonagobands.org
Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters MFAB Sulla Cima Members The Anspach Family The Baumann Family The Bloom Family The Boerger Family Eric and Lisa Brandt James and Barbara Brown The Busse Family The Chilicki Family The Christensen Family The Cotturone Family The Cowan Family Carol Cox The Czeshinski Family The D'Amour Family Kirk and Tracy Davies The DeLeon Family Dave and Marin Dobbs Niko Dulin-Hackett Family
Kurt and Cherie Esmeier The Fleischer Family Michelle Geuder The Goldbach Family The Gronseth Family Aaron and Toni Gunderson Dan and Dawn Henkhaus The Herrick Family Colin and Marci Hughes The Kaczinski Family The Knudsen Family The Kohlmann Family The Krause Family The Marrari Family John and Tammy McCormack Don and Suzette Meyer Chris and Katy O'Connor The Panetta Family
The Peterson Family The Pett Family The Pilon Family The Radtke Family The Ruenzel Family Art and Lisa Schneider Family The Schreindl Family The Sherrod Family The Smith Family Kevin and Niki Trapp Pete and Starr Tronchet The Turk Family The Vanevenhoven Family The Watkins Family The Wilhelm Family The Winkelman Family The Wos Family
MFAB Sulla Cima Business Members Accent on Dance Alliance Manufacturing Group Davies Orthodontics Mukwonago Animal Hospital Mukwonago Kiwanis The Rotary Club of Mukwonago Schreiber Financial Services Wilde Automotive Group
Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters What We Do We support the arts in the Mukwonago Area School District through volunteerism, fundraising, and advocacy. How We’ve Made a Difference • Raised $25,000 in support of the new 6’1” Kawai Grand Piano • Provided over $2,500 in scholarships for summer camps to dozens of students • Provided over $1,800 in scholarships to graduating seniors • Supported numerous mini-grants including: - A new marimba for the Elementary Band Program - A new electric cello and bass for the High School Orchestra Program - New Show Choir dresses for the High School Choral Program - Costume Racks for the High School Drama Program Membership Dues Membership Dues support around 25% of the MFAB budget. There are options available for every family ($30, $60, or $90) and a business membership option ($250) for our community partners. Note that some funding for each individual art is based on the percentage of families it has registered for MFAB. Simply by signing up, you are supporting your student! How Can You Join? 1) Register Online; credit card payments accepted. https://www.mukwonagofineartsboosters.com/get-involved —-OR—2) Fill out the form on the next page and turn it, along with a check into your student’s director. You may also mail the form to Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters, 930 N. Rochester, Mukwonago, WI 53149. Want to Become More Involved? Attend a meeting! Meetings are the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm in the PVMS Choir Room.
Supporting Our Students, Advancing the Arts For more information on upcoming events, visit our website: www.mukwonagofineartsboosters.com
Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters Membership Registration September 1, 2019 - August 31, 2020 Check One:
▢Renewal Membership
▢ New Membership
Name Address
Phone
Email(s)
Student(s) Name(s) & Grade Level(s)
Student(s) Fine Arts Involvement (Please check all that apply for your family): ▢ art ▢ band ▢ choir ▢ drama/musical ▢ orchestra Membership Level (all memberships also include (1) MFAB window cling) $30 ▢ Principianti $60 ▢ Intermezzo - (1) MFAB can cooler $90 ▢ Sulla Cima - name on website & in all MASD fine arts programs and choice of drawstring bag, reusable grocery bag, or aluminum water bottle $250 ▢ Sulla Cima Business Membership - name in all MASD fine arts programs (please email masdmfab@gmail.com for a business membership letter) Mail this form and check payable to “MFAB” to: Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters 930 N. Rochester Mukwonago, WI 53149 masdmfab@gmail.com
www.mukwonagofineartsboosters.com
Special Thanks MASD Board of Education Shawn McNulty, MASD Superintendent Stephanie Blue, Director of Student Learning Tom Karthausser, Director of Business Affairs Ben Kossow, Coordinator of Student Assessment Data and Analysis Christine Bowden, Director of Pupil Services Dustin Lehman, Coordinator of College and Career Readiness Susan Muenter, Director of Human Resources Eric Weier, Pupil Services Program Support Coordinator Curt Wiebelhaus, District Construction Coordinator Andy Wegner, District Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds Jim Darin, MHS Principal Colleen Hoyne, MHS Associate Principal Bill Plant, MHS Associate Principal Sarah Dianich, MHS Dean of Students Andy Trudell, MHS Activities Director Dean Kovnesky, MHS Head Custodian Luke Spielman, PVMS Principal Lee Libecki, PVMS Associate Principal Holly Bodish, PVMS Dean of Students Jennifer Peterson, PVMS Band Director Amanda Caretta-Hull, Nyla Clements & Ben Warrichaiet, MES Band Directors PJ Uhazie, MHS Choir Director Lori Wildemann, PVMS Choir Director Dale Wimer and Alexa Zakutansky, MHS Orchestra Directors Sarah Oftedahl, PVMS Orchestra Director Emilee Deck, Kathy Doty, Adam Hackbarth & Caryn Ruesch, MES Music Teachers JoAnn Barkley, District Printing Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters