Pacific Wind Bands
Vu Nguyen, conductor
Ruth Brittin, guest conductor
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
7:30 pm
Faye Spanos Concert Hall
Lincoln High School Wind Ensemble
Cathy Ettle, conductor
Diablo Valley College Symphonic Band
Kaitlin Bove, conductor
Sea Songs (1924)
(2000/2002)
Lincoln High School Wind Ensemble
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
Rituals (2006)
Michael Markowski (b. 1986)
Diablo Valley College Symphonic Band
Play along with our Paranormal Dance Suite Guessing Game:
• Scan the QR code
• Type in your name
• Select the creature you think best matches the music of each movement
• Submit your guess
• Winners will be announced following the performance
• Claim your prize!
Dance of the Demon (1904)
Dance of the Goblins (1922)
Dance of the Skeletons (1901)
Graceful Ghost Rag (1970/2011)
Eduard Holst (1843–1899)
arr. Herbert L. Clarke
Hans Engelmann (1872–1914)
arr. Lester Brockton
Thomas Allen (1876–1919)
arr. R.E. Hildreth
William Bolcom (b. 1938)
Diablo Valley College Symphonic Band continued
City of Ghosts (2015/2019)
Alex Turley (b. 1995)
Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
Ruth Brittin (b. 1961)
Ruth Brittin, conductor
Katahj Copley (b. 1998)
PROGRAM NOTES
Vaughan Williams: Sea Songs
Written in 1923 for the following year’s Wembley Exhibition, Sea Songs is a march medley of three well-known sea shanties: Princess Royal, Admiral Benbow, and Portsmouth. Written in typical march form with a trio, it was published simultaneously for brass band and wind band, and was later transcribed by the composer for symphony orchestra. It should be noted that Sea Songs was originally intended to be the final movement of Vaughan Williams’s Folk Song Suite.
—Nikk Pilato
Whitacre: Sleep
Sleep began its life as an a capella choral setting, with a magnificent original poem by Charles Anthony Silvestri. The choral-like nature and warm harmonies seemed to call out for the simple and plaintive sound of the winds, and I thought that it might make a gorgeous addition to the wind symphony repertoire. Sleep can be performed as a work for band, or band and mixed chorus.
—Eric Whitacre
Markowski: Shadow Rituals
I can remember sitting in my junior high school band reading through my first Frank Ticheli piece; I remember it because I found his style so unlike the other arrangements and “standards” that we performed. Now, several years later, I realize the remarkable inspiration Ticheli’s music has made on my own writing and growth as a musician. Because of this, Shadow Rituals was written particularly for the Manhattan Beach Music Frank Ticheli Composition Contest and I dedicate it humbly to Frank Ticheli.
—Michael Markowski
Holst/Engelmann/Allen/Bolcom: A Paranormal Dance Suite
Danish composer, playwright, dancer, and actor Eduard Holst was born in Copenhagen. Dance of the Demon was one of his most popular works for piano and was transcribed for concert band at the height of its popularity.
Little information is available on Dance of the Goblins, which was originally a piano "Dance Characteristic," meaning that it was describing some sort of character (in this case, a goblin) through a rousing solo dance. In the 1920s,
PROGRAM NOTES
goblins were considered mischievous creatures that could be dangerous, or simply tricksters, and this personality is evident in the work.
A skeleton dance has been a classic trope of music, theater, and early animation (consider the black-and-white Skeleton Dance of Silly Symphonies produced by Disney from 1929-1939). This Dance of the Skeletons has descriptives in the score including the arrival of the skeletons in a storm, lining up, dancing, "little ones" and "big ones," getting excited, and falling down.
Adapted from his well-known piano composition, here is William Bolcom's version of Graceful Ghost Rag for symphonic band. Written in a moderate ragtime tempo, this work utilizes a transparent scoring style along with soloistic passages that contrast nicely with brief soli features for various sections of the ensemble. The lyric quality lends itself quite well to the rhythmic and syncopated style, making it both uniquely elegant and rewarding.
—Publisher adapted by Breanna Daley
Turley: City of Ghosts
Humans may well be extinct sooner than we'd like to believe. If we were to disappear from the earth tomorrow, what would we leave behind? City of Ghosts imagines a world without people, where only our echoes remain. Buildings decay, slowly overrun by nature. There is movement in the shadows, just out of reach; bursts of color and light bleed through the mist.
This piece was originally commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Cybec Foundation in 2015. This version for wind ensemble was arranged by the composer for John Lynch and the Sydney Conservatorium Wind Symphony in 2019. Diablo Valley College Symphonic Band’s performance on October 3, 2024, was the unofficial world premiere of a piece that has previously never been performed for a public audience.
—Alex Turley Whitacre: Godzilla Eats Las Vegas!
It took me seven years to get my bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and by the time I graduated I was ready to eat Las Vegas.
Tom Leslie asked me to write another piece for the group as I was leaving, and I thought it would be a blast to do something completely ridiculous. The
PROGRAM NOTES
players are called upon to scream in terror, dress like Elvises (Elvi), and play in about thirty different styles from mambo to cheesy lounge music. The audience follows a ‘script’ that I wrote, simulating a campy, over-the-top Godzilla movie (is there any other kind?). I wrote the bulk of the piece while in my first year at Juilliard, and no kidding, I used to act out the script every morning devouring animal crackers, wreaking havoc all over the breakfast table. The ‘script’ was originally twice as long, and had an entire subplot devoted to a young scientist and his love interest. As I started to finish the piece, however, it didn't seem that funny and that story (along with an extended Elvis tribute) ended up on the cutting room floor.
The idea that this piece is being played all over the world in such serious concert venues is the single funniest thing I have ever heard. It has been played on the steps of the Capitol by the United States Marine Band, by the Scottish National Wind Symphony (they play in kilts, so help me God), and I have a video of a Japanese audience visibly confused and shaken by the whole experience. Can you imagine? I'm laughing my head off even as I write this!
Godzilla Eats Las Vegas! was commissioned by the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Thomas G. Leslie, conductor, and had its premiere November 28, 1996.
—Eric Whitacre
Brittin: Golden Vistas
Golden Vistas celebrates Arthur Holton, Jr.'s, fifty years of teaching and service in music education. Art's expertise and experience in conducting, teaching, service to the world of bands and instrumental music, and clarinet performance is matched only by his enormous enthusiasm for his native Golden State of California. Golden Vistas brings musical hints of times special to Art and his wife and chief collaborator of five decades, Kathy Holton: trains approaching, road trips and hikes in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada mountains, and poignant changes of season. Golden Vistas playfully explores 4/4, 5/4 and 6/4 meters, with contrasts of major and minor modes. You'll hear river rocks in the percussion section, the long-long-short-long rhythmic fanfare in the brass (based on the train signal for approaching a railroad crossing), and waterfalls and falling snow depicted in the woodwinds. The lyrical theme in the middle celebrates a long and loving relationship, and everyone gets exciting melodies as this theme grows into an exuberant finale.
PROGRAM NOTES
Shapiro: Moment
Our hearts are equally shaken by moments excruciatingly painful, and transcendentally beautiful. In a world in which emotions are often blunted by the assault of overload, we cannot allow ourselves to ignore profound, inner responses evoked in an instant. Awestruck. Hopeful. Grieving. Longing. Shocked. Weeping. Thinking. Amazed. Waiting. Stunned. Heartbroken. Transported. Hurting. Dreaming. Startled. Dismayed. Delighted. Caring. What are the moments that have moved you?
—Alex Shapiro
Copley: DOPE
The first semester of my masters, I was in a different head space. I had finished writing Where the Sky Has No Stars and at the moment, I felt renewed. I didn’t know what else to write, so I began to write music that felt disingenuous to my spirit (music that will never see the light of day). I was going on autopilot, and I had lost my voice. During one of my lessons at UT Austin, my professor Omar Thomas and I began listening to a piece I had mocked up a couple of days before. We both weren’t feeling it, and finally I asked him to turn off the piece and I told him it didn’t sound like me. I felt lost creatively. He then asked me what music I listen to. I began to name only band music composers. He asked me again, and I told him outside of wind band music I’m in love with rap, R & B, jazz and soul.
Then he asked an important question: “Why do you make a barrier between those ideals?”
I didn’t have an answer. It was a wake-up call for me. Why was I compartmentalizing my musical inspirations?
He continued, “If you create something that is a celebration of who you are, the music you grew up with, and the music that inspires you now... then that would be dope...”
And with that this piece was born. With that realization, I began to create a piece that celebrated all the music that had inspired me throughout my life. From Thundercat to Kendrick Lamar, Miles Davis to Hiatus Kaiyote, I wanted to bring all of these influences together into one cohesive work...one dope work. DOPE is a gumbo of all the music that inspires and influences me from
PROGRAM NOTES
Thundercat to Kendrick Lamar to Miles Davis to Hiatus Kaiyote and more, this piece is in essence a deep look into my musical world.
The piece can be broken up into three parts. Since this work is dedicated to the trail black music has created, inspired and the new horizons it’s reaching, each part is named after a part of the black identity.
UNDENIABLY (which is the partial score) is the opening of the piece. It's gritty, intense with moments of color and undeniable energy. It is carried by a bass line heavily influenced by Thundercat's playing on Kendrick Lamar's Untitled 05 along with Miles Davis's Nardis.
UNAPOLOGETICALLY (the middle section) is a world building vibe and examines just how beautiful the music can be. I explore the colors and stretch them to their limits, but in doing so found new hues within myself and my writings. With this act, I gained heavy inspiration from John Coltrane, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and Hiatus Kaiyote (to name a few).
UNDISPUTEDLY (the finale) is an intense, groove filled statement. Every color explored is here and is in its full potential. It's bold and—like undeniably and unapologetically—undisputedly black. Guided by my love for Tyler, the Creator's Hot Wind Blows, Marvin Gaye's I Want You (due to Kendrick's The Heart series), and Kamasi Washington's Street Fighter Mas, along with Askem.
I hope that DOPE will serve as a tribute to the black musicians who have paved the way and inspired me to create music that is authentic to who I am. I also hope that this piece will inspire others to break down the barriers between their musical influences and create something truly unique and personal.
—Katahj Copley
Kaitlin Bove ’08, ’12 is director of bands and an assistant professor of music at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. She also serves as artistic director and conductor for the BDWinds (the concert ensemble branch of Blue Devils Performing Arts) and the Oakland Municipal Band. In addition, she is a board member of California Band Directors Association where she coordinates the annual Social Impact Consortium and commissions new works for the California All-State Bands.
Bove holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in wind conducting from University of Kentucky and a Masters and Bachelors of music in education from University of the Pacific. She is founder of the And We Were Heard initiative, a volunteer non-profit that matches underrepresented composers of wind band literature with ensembles, generating quality recordings of the music of diverse compositional voices. She is also co-founder of Girls Who Conduct, a mentorship program that supports gender parity on the conducting podium.
Ruth Brittin is professor and coordinator of music education at University of the Pacific, where she has led the undergraduate and graduate programs since 1997. Brittin publishes for wind band and orchestra with Excelcia and Wingert-Jones Publications, and her compositions are featured with All-State and honor ensembles. She conducts and adjudicates ensembles and is an active researcher. Leadership has included serving as editor (International Journal of Music Education and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education), on editorial boards such as Journal of Research in Music Education, and reviewer for national and international journals such as Psychology of Music, Research Studies in Music Education, Journal of Band Research, and College Music Symposium. She served internationally as USA representative for ISME's research commission, and representative for NAfME and CMEA's research divisions. She has been featured as keynote speaker at state music education conferences and as Distinguished Visiting Professor at University of Alabama, Pennsylvania State University, Louisiana State University, and University of North Texas. Brittin also performs on horn professionally throughout Northern California. She has been awarded University of the Pacific’s Eberhardt award, the premier honor for teaching and scholarship, and Pacific’s Faculty Mentor Award.
Cathy Ettle ’93 is currently in her twelfth year directing bands at Lincoln High School and twenty fifth year at Sierra Middle School. Ettle earned her bachelor’s degree in music education and saxophone performance from University of the Pacific. She received her master’s degree in saxophone performance and woodwind pedagogy from Michigan State University. She is a music coordinator for the Lincoln Unified School District. Ettle is also an applied saxophone teacher at San Joaquin Delta College.
Ettle keeps an active performance schedule playing in musical theater productions and ensembles around the Stockton area. She has been a featured soloist with the Stockton Concert Band, the Valley Concert Band and the Zion Chamber Orchestra. In 2017, she was named Northern California Band Director of the Year and in 2018 she was named the San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year.
Vu Nguyen ’00 is an associate professor of music and director of bands at University of the Pacific. He conducts Pacific Wind Bands and teaches courses in conducting and music education. Nguyen maintains an active schedule as a clinician and has served as guest conductor with military bands as well as honor bands across the country. Ensembles under his direction have performed at state music educator conferences, at the Midwest Clinic, and at the College Band Directors National Association Conference.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Nguyen holds degrees in conducting from the University of Washington and the University of Oregon, and he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from University of the Pacific. Prior to his appointment at Pacific, he served in similar roles at the University of Connecticut, University of Indianapolis, and Washington University in St. Louis in addition to being a visiting conductor with the Indiana University Concert Band. He began his teaching career in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. In addition to his academic career, Nguyen recently retired as an officer in the Air National Guard (ANG) where he was the commander and conductor of the ANG Band of the West Coast.
Flute
Isabell Bethke
Konrad Czajkowski
Haley Foley
Kylie Hoang
Savannika Im
Viola Lee
Amulya Nakka
Oboe
Anthony Garcia
Theresa Jiang
Clarinet
Ishaan Ajay, bass
Audrey Bernier
Micah Chan, bass
Mya Cottin Rack
Riley Estavillo
Valerie Montes
Eden Onsy
Timothy Park
Aaron Querida
Xeanna Samifua
Bassoon
Aaron Jauregui
Alto Saxophone
Micayla Cooks
Izaak Hill
Mekiyah Robinson
Janessa Tenio
Kaylee Villagomez
Tenor Saxophone
Santo Avalos
Baritone Saxophone
Ray Dylan Cruz
Horn
Linda Brantley
Atticus Chan
Zoe Compise
Trumpet
Jacob Gillig
Eric Luman
Vincent Meza
Julian Rayray
Angelina Santos
Alonzo Varela
Martin Zaguilan
Trombone
Luca Casillas
Gavin Jin
Jareth Morelia
Tony Tran
Anna Vargas
Euphonium
Chad Ly Tuba
Abraham Figueroa
Cy Nelson
Bass
Gabriel Cordero
Percussion
Sam Castillo
Jazmyn Goloyogo
Moana Halaholo
Zach Herriage
Riley Kirk
Michael Perez
Glenn Pillsbury
Rei Vindiol
Flute
DIABLO VALLEY COLLEGE SYMPHONIC BAND
Thomas Disanto, piccolo
Michelle Farmer
Koda Kennedy, alto
Melina Lozano
Barbara Materna
Ari Muse
Riley Whelan
Oboe
Shadrick Small
Kyle Wright, English horn
Clarinet
Pete Hartstra, contrabass
Jaelen Manuel, bass
Sarah Mcmahon
Lance Moreno
Thomas Simbulan
Henry Warmerdam
Bassoon
Triangle Barrows
Eli Long
Raeleigh Price
Vlad Rodriguez
Alto Saxophone
Conor Topasna
Sandy Walters
Evan Zaitz
Tenor Saxophone
Jonathan Fukushima
Dominic Lotti
Charles Metzler
Baritone Saxophone
Brenda Mendoza
Winter Wong
Horn
Ciera Alkhoury
Cole Evans
Brooke Farrar
Parker Hampson
Robert Stark
Trumpet
Jade Abbett
Lynn Bertram
Lois Kail
Ryuto Nagahashi
Marcanthony Ponce
Trombone
Vander Bowman
Zachariah Friesen, bass
Isaac Oleole
Jeremy Rosenfeld
Dechen Yangjor
Euphonium
Olivia Butcher
Alma Medina
Emmett Wong
Tuba
Adrian Curran
James Hashman
Elijah Lopez
Bass
Elijah Lopez
Percussion
Zarek Araneta
Soren Considine
Jamshid Golabi
Cassidy Lynch
Quinn Obiacoro
Reed Schmitt
Piano
Zarek Araneta
PACIFIC WIND BANDS
Pacific Wind Bands include students who represent music majors, minors, and non-majors from across University of the Pacific. The ensemble performs at least four concerts each academic year. It provides students the opportunity to play a broad range of music for winds, brass, percussion, and keyboards drawn from a repertoire that honors the rich history of the past and looks to the future, ranging from chamber to full wind band instrumentation. Recent premieres and collaborations with composers include Kevin Bobo, Viet Cuong, Kevin Day, Catherine Likhuta, Giovanni Santos, and Alex Shapiro.
Flute
Grace Coon
Riko Hirata
Bobby Singh
Jasmine Valentine
Ethan Williams
Oboe
Walker Austin
Jayden Laumeister
Ernesto Pena
Emily Zamudio
Clarinet
Mitchell Amos
Edmund Bascon
Audrey Ewing
Kaitlyn Ferreira
Tommy Galvin
Jacquéline Hairston
Vanessa Lopez
Abigail Miller
Joseph Schwarz
Andrew Seaver
Leah Troutt
Bassoon
Justin Silva
Nadege Tenorio
Jordan Wier
Saxophone
Ivan Barajas
Tristan McMichael
Marcus Rudes
Ves Turk
Horn
Marcelo Contreras
Jas Lopez
Don Parker
Jada Ramos
Owen Sheridan
Skylar Warren
Trumpet
Parker Deems
Keagan Low
Alex Maldonado
Alayna Ontai
Kamron Qasimi
Yukina Shimokawa
Aiden Webbe
Trombone
Bronson Burfield
William Giancaterino
Miguel Palma
Radley Rutledge
Matthew Young
Euphonium
Victor Alcaraz
Tuba
Seth Morris
Alejandro Villalobos
Bass
Kyle Saelee
Percussion
Hunter Campbell
Ryan Eads
Maddie Karzin
Casey Kim
Matthew Kulm
Jinling Li
Robert McCarl
Peter Norman
Aiden Valdez
Piano
Magdalene Myint
Pacific Faculty Coaches
Brittany Trotter, flute
Kyle Bruckmann, oboe
Patricia Shands, clarinet
Ricardo Martinez, saxophone
Nicolasa Kuster, bassoon
Leonard Ott, trumpet
Sadie Glass, horn
Bruce Chrisp, low brass
Jonathan Latta, percussion ensembles program director
Sonia Leong, piano
Kathryn Schulmeister, double bass
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