2021-2022 Concert Season
Blue2 Showcase Blue2 Winds Blue2 Percussion
Greenwald Foundation PAC Saturday | March 5 | 7:00pm
Lobby Music The King’s Parade (2016)
David Marlatt b. 1973
Taiko á la Tom-Tom (2018)
Steven Wulff b. 1984
Fortune Favors the Bold (2020) Lil’ Pan Melodies (2022)
Cotton Candy (2009)
Matthew R. Putnum Adam Brostowitz b. 1989
Program
David Marlatt b. 1973
The Abandoned Funhouse (2016/2020)
Brian Balmages b. 1975
Les Toréadors from Carmen (1875/2020)
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) arr. Tyler Arcari b. 1989
Andrew Blum, euphonium Log Cabin Blues (1924/1990)
George Hamilton Green (1893-1970) Kendal Schreiber, xylophone arr. Bob Becker
Shimmer (2011)
Ryan Meeboer b. 1978
Due to copyright and privacy laws: You may not publicly display or post recordings (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) of any part of this program.
Program (Continued) Glimmer (2012) with Alexa Zakutansky, cello Noble Gases (2017/2020) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Ivan Trevino b. 1983 Andrew David Perkins b. 1978
Helium Neon Argon Krypton Xenon Radon
Deceptively Warm Coats (2022)
Jahi Moore & Wes Zepecki-Davison b. 1992 / b.1989
—Intermission— Circuit Breaker (2021)
Randall D. Standridge b. 1976
Release the Kraken (2016)
John Willmarth b. 1974
Loch Lomond (2009)
Traditional arr. Mike Forbes b. 1973
Kaleidoscopic Dances (2020/2021)
John Trentadue b. 1994
In the Sky (2020) Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein (2014/2020) Vector (2020)
Patrick Speranza b. 1994 Erika Svanoe b. 1976 Matt Moore b. 1985
Program Notes Cotton Candy (2009)
David Marlatt b. 1973
Cotton Candy is a quick, light and fun tune intended as a closer or encore on a concert. It is musically simple and the harmonies are typical of cartoon or circus music. The title suggests the gaiety that one would encounter at a town fair or circus, eating food that is nothing but sugar! (program notes by the composer) The Abandoned Funhouse (2017/2020)
Brian Balmages b. 1975
The Abandoned Funhouse takes the listener on an eerie tour that can best be described as an unsettling experience with a touch of curiosity and anxiousness. My intent was to compose a piece that was extremely playable, yet I wanted it to sound like a legitimate film score that did not sound watered down. The piano part serves as an integral voice in the composition as well as the orchestration. An optional celesta part is included as well – this can easily be played on a keyboard and adds a great deal to the mildly disturbing mood of the piece. (program notes by the composer) Les Toréadors from Carmen (1875/2020)
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) arr. Tyler Arcari b. 1989
Carmen is widely regarded as the most popular opera ever written. Probably no other opera contains so many melodies which are familiar to the layman. In Les Toréadors Bizet captures the excitement, the romance, and the Spanish color which makes the opera so universally appealing. (program notes by the Manchester College Symphony Orchestra)
Log Cabin Blues (1924/1990)
George Hamilton Green (1893-1970) arr. Bob Becker
American jazz of the 1920s and 1930s achieved a “Golden Age” of popularity and development. This time period showcased everything from vaudeville acts to jazz groups in tucked away towns to high profile jazz orchestras playing in the big cities. It was a genre marked by performers who wanted to not only show their talent, but to add their ideas of how American music should look, sound, and feel. Jazz’s growing popularity helped celebrate the “Roaring Twenties,” but was equally important in helping a beleaguered populace forget the trials of the Great Depression. George Hamilton Green was one of these early jazz musicians and remains one of the most important performers and composers for the xylophone. His recordings highlighted the xylophone in a wide variety of novelty ensembles as they performed his original works in addition to the popular tunes, waltzes, and salon dances of that era. (program notes by the United States Marine Band) Shimmer (2011)
Ryan Meeboer b. 1978
Shimmer is a calm, reflective piece that is reflected by the meaning of the word itself; to shine with a subdued flickering light, as in a reflection on water. The main melody is simple and repeated several times throughout, each time mixed with various harmonies, contrapuntal techniques, rhythmical figures, or counter melodies, to keep the music interesting for performers and listeners. (program notes by the composer) Glimmer (2012)
Ivan Trevino b. 1983
Sometimes, life gets crazy, especially as a full time musician. In between the hustle and bustle of touring, teaching, and bigger life events like getting married and buying a home, I needed an outlet to take a breath and relax. Glimmer speaks to the meditative part of life that we sometimes need to visit. (program notes by the composer)
Noble Gases (2017/2020)
Andrew David Perkins b. 1978
Noble Gases is a set of six short works for flexible quintet (originally saxophone choir), inspired by the six noble gases and their applications: Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr), Xenon (Xe), and the radioactive Radon (Rn). Discovered by Sir William Ramsay, these inert chemical elements are extremely rare in nature and have numerous, important applications in science and technology. These short works can be performed as a suite, individually, or in any combination. (program notes by the composer) Deceptively Warm Coats (2022)
Jahi Moore & Wes Zepecki-Davison b. 1992 / b.1989
When naming drumline warmups or cadences (such as this piece), it is not uncommon for the title to merely be a pun or an inside joke/reference to a shared experience had by the students or instructors that is seemingly unrelated to the musical content. In this instance, Deceptively Warm Coats is a reference to an inside joke between members of the Tundra Line, the drumline of the Green Bay Packers. Staying warm at games is always a challenge in January, and it became even more of an obstacle when the heavy, down-filled winter coats of previous seasons were replaced by what appeared to be fall jackets. Sensing that there was concern, the director sent out an email addressing the concern, stating that the new coats were “deceptively warm.” Turns out, they weren’t - and the use of the phrase ‘deceptively’ in place of the word ‘not’ was born. We hope you enjoy this “deceptively quiet” performance by our Blue2 Drumline! (program notes by Rick Schadt)
Circuit Breaker (2021)
Randall D. Standridge b. 1976
I have written for young band for many years, and I’m always amazed at the perceived limits of what students and performers at this level can and cannot achieve. While their technical development should certainly be taken into consideration, I have also always felt that well written, well-planned music can set them up for success with concepts and skills that are considered “too advanced.” I set out to write a series of these pieces that began with Starfire Fanfare (6/8 Time), Fanfare for the 16th Empire (16th Notes), and Spero (7/8 Time). Circuit Breaker is the latest in this intended series, and it is intended to expose young players to 5/4 Time (or 10/8 if you’re a theory purist, but why die on THAT hill?) and Cut Time. In consideration of this, the ranges have been kept extremely modest and in the lower registers of the instruments, and careful attention was paid to rhythmic repetition to make sure that the students could be successful without being overwhelmed. Doing all of this and creating an aesthetically interesting work was no small task and in this, I hope I have succeeded. The work also contains the option to be performed with “fixed media” or a “backing track.” While this is not required for a successful performance, it will definitely add to the overall experience and help expose students to a developing and evolving aspect of the wind band repertoire. Plus…it’s just fun! Programmatically, Circuit Breaker is intended to evoke the sounds of a video game soundtrack or digital movie score. The computers bleep and blip as our players and audience soar above a landscape of circuit boards and transistors. The work should evoke feelings of energy, excitement, and innovation. (program notes by the composer)
Release the Kraken (2016)
John Willmarth b. 1974
Ancient tales of the Kraken go back as far the 13th century and commonly describe an octopus-like creature that was big enough to crush large ships. Today the legend of the Kraken lives on in sea lore. Release the Kraken is an action-packed, programmatic work that depicts an attack from the mythical sea creature. Dynamic swells at the beginning evoke the image of the giant monster stirring at the bottom of the ocean. As the piece develops, the Kraken emerges, wreaking havoc and destruction. Interplay between the players is meant to portray the creature’s tentacles as they flail wildly in a coordinated attack. At the conclusion, the Kraken descends back into the murky depths from whence it came. (program notes by the composer) Loch Lomond (2009)
Traditional arr. Mike Forbes b. 1973
At the time in Scottish history when Loch Lomond was a new song, the United Kingdom (which united Scotland, England, and Wales) had already been formed. But the Highland Scots wanted a Scottish, not an English King to rule. Led by their Bonnie Prince Charlie they attempted unsuccessfully to depose Britain's King George II. An army of 7,000 Highlanders were defeated on April 16, 1746 at the famous Battle of Culloden Moor. It is this same battle that indirectly gives rise to this beautiful song. After the battle, many Scottish soldiers were imprisoned within England's Carlisle Castle, near the border of Scotland. Loch Lomond tells the story of two Scottish soldiers who were so imprisoned. One of them was to be executed, while the other was to be set free. According to Celtic legend, if someone dies in a foreign land, his spirit will travel to his homeland by "the low road" - the route for the souls of the dead. In the song, the spirit of the dead soldier shall arrive first, while the living soldier will take the "high road" over the mountains, to arrive afterwards. (program notes by Frank Ticheli)
Kaleidoscopic Dances (2020/2021)
John Trentadue b. 1994
As I was flying back home from a trip one bright afternoon, I was enamored by a particular phenomenon that made an appearance in the skyline for only a few minutes. As the plane was high above the clouds, the sunlight glared at such an angle and the passenger window reflected the sunlight at such a point that a perfect circle with all of the colors of the rainbow was formed in the clouds. This particular type of cloud iridescence was fascinating to witness, and it led me to imagine a fiery celebration of colors and sounds contained within this phenomenon. Kaleidoscopic Dances is a light and joyous work in this regard, a fun and youthful celebration of life complimented with a constant sensation of motion. A kaleidoscope of shimmering melodic figures are infused with grooves inspired by heavy metal and progressive rock, creating a sound world both modern in nature and celebratory of some of this planet's most beautiful natural wonders. (program notes by the composer) In the Sky (2020)
Patrick Speranza b. 1994
The title for this piece comes from the lyrics to the children’s song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The musical themes and use of metallic percussion instruments are meant to portray the stars shining “like a diamond in the sky.” In The Sky is intended for developing percussion students. As such, the parts are written at varying levels of difficulty to accommodate students of all levels within a percussion section. (program notes by the composer)
Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein (2014/2020)
Erika Svanoe b. 1976
Knowledge is knowing that Frankenstein is not the monster. Wisdom is knowing that the monster is Frankenstein. Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein imagines a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life whom we colloquially refer to as “Frankenstein.” In her novel, the creature is quite sympathetic. He tries to learn from the world around him and find human connection. Victor Frankenstein, the creature’s creator, is horrified and disgusted by the creature and rejects him. Victor ultimately shuns his responsibility as the creature’s father and leaves him to fend for himself, with dire consequences. I imagine if Mary Shelley were to actually meet her monster, as the creature’s creator she would be quite conflicted. In the novel, the monster is sympathetic and craves human connection. As his creator, she is responsible for teaching the creature what it is to be human, but I imagine the horror in seeing her creation brought to life would overwhelm her sympathy. They meet, circling each other in a dance reflective of a tango. Mary is initially curious and sympathetic, while the creature pleads for compassion. In the moment when the two come together, Mary’s sympathy is overwhelmed by horror and she begins to panic, while the creature becomes furious with her rejection. With the final notes, we are left asking ourselves—who is the real monster? (program notes by the composer) Vector (2020)
Matt Moore b. 1985
Vector is progressive metal masquerading as percussion ensemble, written for keyboard percussion and electronics. The piece aims to bring across the angular, mathematical, and technical aspects of the progressive metal genre while also developing traditional percussion ensemble techniques and listening responsibilities. Vector is performed on marimbas, vibes, xylo/bells, and a trio of MIDI controllers running through Apple’s MainStage software: Malletstation, SPD-SX multi-pad, and a keyboard controller. (program notes by the composer)
Winds Performers Due to the importance of every part, students are listed alphabetically.
Kayli Abbott Jacob Anderson Federico Bellini Andrew Blum Mailen Fingland Kaylyn Geuder Savanah Giebel Jessica Howell Ellie Huebner Madison Husted Charlie Jefferson Katelyn Kaczinski Michael Kaczinski
Natalie Kohlmann Samantha Kohlmann Elyse Lange Ben Lohman Callie Massa Michael Sadowski Gavin Schultz Zack Simonson Josh Stobbe Alaina Talaska Madison Weibel Katharine Wilhelm Claire Wright
Percussion Performers Due to the importance of every part, students are listed alphabetically.
Dominic Barry Logan Basterash Jeremy Boutin Andrew Brandt Sean Braun Willow Conner Jeremy Cotturone Alex DeLeon Anna DeLeon Charlie Essmann Alex Fritz Jack Gilbert Elijah Henken Matthew Jolliffe
Austin Kiselicka Emma Libecki Ilaria Nuccio Austin O'Connor David O'Connor Ryan O'Connor Claire Schiek Eli Schoof Kendal Schreiber Vito Schwartz Nathan Starr Eric Stephan Joshua Stobbe
Instructional Staff Emma Angoli Adam Brostowitz Jesse Clark Nyla Clements Jahi Moore Miko Roman Madeline Rydholm Rick Schadt Wesley Zepecki-Davison
MHS Band Director Percussion Instructor Brass Instructor Woodwind Instructor Percussion Instructor Woodwind Instructor Brass Instructor Percussion Instructor Percussion Instructor
Follow us on social media: @mukwonagobands Mukwonago Bands Mukwonago Bands Keep up with all the Band Department news by following us on social media. New concert recordings posted every week!
Scan for Mukwonago Bands LinkTree
Upcoming Events Date
Time
Event
Location
Mar 11
7:00pm
Drumming for a Difference
MHS West Gym
Mar 12
All Day
Blue2 Perc & Winds Recording Session
MHS Band Room
Mar 15
7:00pm
MHS Bands “Earth & Sky” Concert
Greenwald PAC
Mar 16
7:00pm
PVMS Bands Spring Concert
Greenwald PAC
Mar 29
7:00pm
MHS Marching Band Info Night
MHS Band Room
Apr 21-24
MHS Musical “The Wizard of Oz”
Greenwald PAC
May 16
7:30pm
MHS Bands “One Life Beautiful” Concert
Greenwald PAC
May 17
7:00pm
PVMS Bands Final Concert
Greenwald PAC
May 20
7:00pm
MHS/PVMS Jazz “Jams & Snacks”
MHS Commons
May 30
7:00pm
Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony
Mukwonago Community Library
3rd Annual MASD Percussion Ensemble Benefit Concert
Drumming for A Difference Friday, March 11th @ 7:00pm MHS West Gym Performances by: • PVMS 7th & 8th Grade Percussion Ensembles • MHS Concert & Symphonic Percussion • Blue2 Percussion & Blue2 Winterguard $5 Suggested Donation All proceeds to benefit NAMI Southeast Wisconsin, a local affiliate of the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
Fine Arts Boosters
What We Do We support the arts in the Mukwonago Area School District through volunteerism, fundraising, and advocacy. How Can You Join? https://www.mukwonagofineartsboosters.com/get-involved 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. The meeting info can be found at: https://www.mukwonagofineartsboosters.com/get-involved
MFAB Sulla Cima Members Chris & April Barron The Boerger Family Jim & Barb Brown Busse Penneau Family The Caryl Family Kyle & Kristin Christensen The Cotturone Family Czeshinski Family Dave and Marin Dobbs The Fleischer Family The Fingland Family The Gilbert Family
The Groser Family Colin and Marci Hughes The Jefferson Family Robert and Shannon Krause Family The Marrari Family The Mersfelder Family Chris and Katy O'Connor Panetta Family The Pilon Family Pete and Annette Piranio The Sherrod Family Mike and Michelle Simonson
The Turk Family Sheri and Derek Watkins and Family The Weibel Family The Wilhelm Family Grandma & Grandpa Wilhelm The Winiarski Family John Grundman John & Kelly Witte Rick & Laura Witte Jarret & Anne Church
MFAB Sulla Cima Business Members Accent On Dance Alliance Manufacturing Group Eaton Employee Engagement Committee Kay's Academy of Dance Mukwonago Animal Hospital Mukwonago Family Dental Mukwonago Kiwanis Club Schreiber Financial Services Wood'n It Be Nice End of the Leash
For more information on upcoming events, visit our website: 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 Steven R. Williams, Ph.D., Director of Human Resources Andy Wegner, District Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds Zachary Ortiz, District & Community Programs Supervisor Jim Darin, MHS Principal Sarah Dianich, & Stephanie Krenz, MHS Associate Principals William Plant, MHS Dean of Students Andy Trudell, MHS Activities Director Dean Kovnesky, MHS Head Custodian MHS Custodial Staff Jenny Peterson, PVMS Band Director PJ Uhazie, MHS Choir Director Julie Hanisch, MHS Drama Director Dale Wimer and Alexa Zakutansky, MHS Orchestra Directors Lori Wildemann, PVMS Choir Director Sarah Oftedahl, PVMS Orchestra Director Amanda Caretta-Hull, Nyla Clements & Ben Warrichaiet, MES Band Directors Carolyn Atwell, Kathy Doty, Riley Roberson & Caryn Ruesch, MES Music Teachers Joseph Coldwell, PAC Technical Coordinator Carmen Scott, PAC House Manager & Technical Assistant PAC Usher Corps PAC Student Crew JoAnn Barkley, District Printing Mukwonago Fine Arts Boosters