Wind Orchestra and Symphonic Winds by UTRGVSoM

PRESENTS

WIND ORCHESTRA & SYMPHONIC WINDS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 7 PM UTRGV PAC, EDINBURG

PROGRAM

SYMPHONIC WINDS

Allison Davis, conductor

Breaking Through Chandler Wilson (b. 1984)

Sleep Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

- Featuring guest musicians from the UTRGV Concert Chorale -

Chasing Sunlight Cait Nishimura (b. 1991)

- Led by student conductor Abraham Saldaña -

Forerunner Mat Campbell (b. 1992)

- CONSORTIUM PREMIERE, conducted by Mat Campbell -

Supercollider Mat Campbell (b. 1992)

- conducted by Mat Campbell –

SYMPHONIC WINDS PERSONNEL

P I C C O L O

N a d i a V i l l a n u e v a *

F L U T E

J o s h u a D e L e o n

C a l e b G o n z a l e z

N i k o H e r n a n d e z

F e l i x R o d r i g u e z *

A s h l e y T a p i a

J a y l i n V e l a

E v e l y n V i l l a l o n

O B O E

C l a u d i a Q u i n t a n a

M e d i n a +

O B O E

O r l a n d o C a s t a ñ o

A b r a h a m S a l d a n a *

C L A R I N E T

J o s e A g u i l a r +

P a i g e D e l g a d o

K a r o l i n a L e a l M o g u e l +

A s h l e y L e e * +

A l e j a n d r o M o r e n o +

D i o g o P e r a l e s +

A i d a n P e r e z

R o m a n V a l e n c i a n o +

B A S S

C L A R I N E T

J o n a t h a n G u z m a n

J u l i a n M a r t i n e z +

A L T O

S A X O P H O N E

L i a m L o z a n o

R o q u e M a r t i n e z

A d r i a n R a m i r e z

R o l a n d o R o m a n *

T E N O R

S A X O P H O N E

S h e r l y n F a r i a s

J o r d a n S a l d a n a

B A R I T O N E S A X O P H O N E

M a t t h e w A y a l a

D i e g o D o m i n g u e z

F R E N C H H O R N

A m a n d a Q u i n t a n i l l a

D a v i d O l g u i n *

R o b e r t S a l a s +

J o s h u a T o r r e s

T R U M P E T

J e s u s F l o r e s

D a n i e l G r a n a d o s

J o s h u a L i r a *

M a r k o M u n o z

C e s a r T o v a r

T E N O R

R O M B O N E

J o s e A r e l l a n o

M a r e l y E n r i q u e z

Jhon Escobar*

Daniel Lozano

Christopher Treviño

BASS

TROMBONE

Julian Montalvo

Efren Zapata

EUPHONIUM

Jorge Ayala

Joseph Cardona

Gilbert Moya

Steven Vallejo*

TUBA

Jacob Garibay

Raphael Gonzalez

Marty Gutierrez*

Jaime Zamarripa

PERCUSSION

Edgar Facundo De Leon+

Alexa Jolet

Michelle Molina

Ramsey Ramirez*

Roberto Adam Reyna+

Eric Salazar

PIANO

Amir Karimi+

+denotes guest musician

*denotes section leader

SYMPHONIC WINDS

PERSONNEL

U T R G V C o n c e r t C h o r a l e G u e s t M u s i c i a n s

M a r i a n n e B o s i t a

M a r i s o l M i r e l e s

D r . M a t t h e w C o f f e y G e m m a M o r e n o

V a l e r i a C r u z A l l y s a P e r e z

E l y s s i a F e Z a c h R a m s e y

A d a m G a r c i a S e r g i o R e y n a

A l e x a G o n z a l e z

M a r i a h G u e l

D a n i e l l e R o c h a

M e l o d e e R o d r i g u e z

K a y l e e L o p e z N e s t o r S i l v a

G r e g Z u n i g a

PROGRAM NOTES

Breaking Through by Chandler Wilson, 2021 4’45”

Chandler L. Wilson is the Assistant Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Florida State University His responsibilities with athletic bands include being a part of the creative team behind the Marching Chiefs and FSU’s athletic pep band program, Seminole Sound, which primarily supports the men ’ s basketball program as well as the women ’ s basketball and volleyball programs As a part of the wind band conducting and music education faculty, Dr. Wilson teaches courses in music education and conducts the University Concert Band.

A native of Miami, FL, Dr. Wilson attended Florida A&M University (FAMU) where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. While a student at FAMU, he served as the University Band President and section leader of the saxophones. During his time at FAMU, he was selected as the student arranger and conductor for the marching and symphonic bands and was selected as one of the first student staff members for the "Marching 100". Dr. Wilson earned a Master of Arts in Wind Band Conducting from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph D in Music Education with an emphasis in Wind Band Conducting from Florida State University.

Many of Dr. Wilson's compositions have been premiered and performed on the concert band stage with All-County/District Honor Bands and All-State Bands. His works have also been performed at the Music for All National Festival and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. His composition, Legends of the Galaxy (A Cosmic Fanfare), was ranked in the Top 100 band compositions in the American Band College/Band World Magazine/Western International Band Clinic Literature List for 2016 and one of his most recent work, Suite FortyFour, was performed at the 2019 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic by the Hikarigaoka Girls’ High School Wind Orchestra

Breaking Through was commissioned by the 2021 Big Bend All-District Honor Band, in Tallahassee, FL, to honor the high school graduating classes of 2020 and 2021.

PROGRAM NOTES

“From graduation, prom, senior trips, musical performances, and more, their senior year has been less than ideal due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 Life puts us in difficult situations where barriers need to be broken, and many of times these barriers are out of our control. But with friends, family, and music we can always encourage each other to keep Breaking through…”

Sleep by Eric Whitacre , 2000 (b. 1970) 5’30” Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, is among today’s most popular musicians. His works are programmed worldwide and his ground-breaking Virtual Choirs have united 100,000 singers from more than 145 countries. Born in Nevada in 1970, Eric is a graduate of The Juilliard School. He is currently Visiting Composer at Pembroke College, Cambridge University (UK) and is an Ambassador for the Royal College of Music (London). He recently completed two terms as Artist in Residence with the Los Angeles Master Chorale In the 2022-2023 season, the Cincinnati Pops and the National Symphony Orchestra premiered a new commission: Prelude in C. Eric is proud to be a Yamaha Artist.

His compositions have been widely recorded and his debut album as a conductor on Universal, Light and Gold, went straight to the top of the charts, earning him a Grammy. His most recent album is a collaboration with VOCES8 on Universal Decca entitled Home featuring The Sacred Veil alongside other works spanning his thirty-year composition career. As a guest conductor he has drawn capacity audiences to concerts with many of the world’s leading orchestras and choirs in venues such as Carnegie Hall (New York), Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), the Royal Albert Hall and Buckingham Palace (London). Insatiably curious and a lover of all types of music, Eric has worked with legendary Hollywood composers Hans Zimmer, John Powell and Jeff Beal as well as British pop icons Laura Mvula, Imogen Heap and Annie Lennox Major classical commissions have been written for the BBC Proms, Minnesota Orchestra, Rundfunkchor Berlin, The Tallis Scholars, Chanticleer, Cincinnati Pops, Kantorei, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, National Children’s Chorus of America and The King’s Singers. Widely considered to be the pioneer of Virtual Choirs, Eric created his first project as an experiment in social media and digital technology. . ”

PROGRAM NOTES

Virtual Choir 1: Lux Aurumque was published in 2010 and featured 185 singers from 12 countries. Ten years-on in 2020, Virtual Choir 6: Sing Gently – written for the Virtual Choir during the global pandemic that shook the world, COVID-19 – featured 17,562 singers from 129 countries. Previous Virtual Choir projects include ‘Glow’ written for the Winter Dreams holiday show at Disneyland© Adventure Park, California, and the Virtual Youth Choir, a major fundraiser for UNICEF. To date, the Virtual Choirs have registered over 60 million views and have been seen on global TV.

Whitacre’s personal notes about Sleep are as follows:

“In the winter of 1999 I was contacted by Ms. Julia Armstrong, a lawyer and professional mezzo-soprano living in Austin, Texas. She wanted to commission a choral work from me that would be premiered by the Austin ProChorus (Kinley Lange, cond.), a terrific chorus in which she regularly performed

The circumstances around the commission were certainly memorable. She wanted to commission the piece in memory of her parents, who had died within weeks of each other after more fifty years of marriage; and she wanted me to set her favorite poem, Robert Frost’s immortal Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. I was deeply moved by her spirit and her request, and agreed to take on the commission.

I took my time with the piece, crafting it note by note until I felt that it was exactly the way I wanted it. The poem is perfect, truly a gem, and my general approach was to try to get out of the way of the words and let them work their magic We premiered the piece in Austin, October 2000, and the piece was well received. Rene Clausen gave it a glorious performance at the ACDA National Convention in the spring of 2001, and soon after I began receiving letters, emails, and phone calls from conductors trying to get a hold of the work

And here was my tragic mistake: I never secured permission to use the poem. Robert Frost’s poetry has been under tight control from his estate since his death, and until a few years ago only Randall Thompson (Frostiana) had been given permission to set his poetry In 1997, out of the blue, the estate released a number of titles, and at least twenty

PROGRAM NOTES

composers set and published Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening for chorus. When I looked online and saw all of these new and different settings, I naturally (and naively) assumed that it was open to anyone Little did I know that the Robert Frost Estate had shut down ANY use of the poem just months before, ostensibly because of this plethora of new settings.

After a LONG legal battle (many letters, many representatives), the estate of Robert Frost and their publisher, Henry Holt Inc., sternly and formally forbid me from using the poem for publication or performance until the poem became public domain in 2038

I was crushed. The piece was dead, and would sit under my bed for the next 37 years because of some ridiculous ruling by heirs and lawyers. After many discussions with my wife, I decided that I would ask my friend and brilliant poet Charles Anthony Silvestri (Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine, Lux Aurumque, Nox Aurumque, Her Sacred Spirit Soars) to set new words to the music I had already written. This was an enormous task, because I was asking him to not only write a poem that had the exact structure of the Frost, but that would even incorporate key words from “Stopping”, like ‘sleep’. Tony wrote an absolutely exquisite poem, finding a completely different (but equally beautiful) message in the music I had already written. I actually prefer Tony’s poem now

And there it is. My setting of Robert Frost’s Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening no longer exists.”

Chasing Sunlight by Cait Nishimura, 2017 2’45”

Cait Nishimura (she/her) is a Japanese Canadian composer based in Waterloo, Ontario. Known for writing nature-inspired, programmatic music, Cait has established herself as a prominent voice in the concert band community. Cait’s music has been presented at The Midwest Clinic, MusicFest Canada, and numerous other international conferences and festivals. Her work has become increasingly popular among educational music programs and within the professional new music scene, with new works being regularly commissioned and performed by ensembles and individuals around the world.

PROGRAM NOTES

Cait is committed to creating contemporary music that is approachable, relevant, and enjoyable for all; before transitioning to a full-time career as a composer, she taught instrumental music and continues to prioritize and advocate for the value of music education. She actively seeks opportunities to connect personally with the communities for whom she writes, and she is passionate about empowering others through art She strives to set a positive example for future generations of musicians– especially those from historically underrepresented groups– through her creative work and her dedication to mental health awareness. As a lifelong environmentalist, she not only draws inspiration from the natural world but also uses her platform to advocate for conservation awareness and action.

Cait was the winner of the Canadian Band Association’s composition prize in 2017 and is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre She holds degrees in music and education from the University of Toronto, but is an advocate of people pursuing their passions regardless of their field of study. All works are self-published under Cait Nishimura Music.

“Chasing Sunlight was inspired by the experience of driving west into the setting sun, as if trying to keep up with the earth's rotation to catch the last few rays of light before dusk. The steady eighth note motif throughout the piece represents this sense of urgency, while the soaring, lyrical themes depict the warmth and radiance of the sun low in the sky.

Just as the sun will always set, humans must accept the impermanence of all things in life, and make the most of every opportunity before it has passed. Chasing Sunlight also represents the ongoing pursuit of these opportunities.”

Forerunner by Mat Campbell, 2023 10’00”

“Forerunner is about going against the grain, breaking free from the past, and embarking on your journey to become the predecessor to your descendants, whether in a familial sense, an educational one, or as an overall contribution to a community The piece opens with a mysterious atmosphere sounded by the piano, voices, and clarinets, setting the stage for the journey to come. The opening notes in the

PROGRAM NOTES

piano musically spell out my mother's name, "D-O-R-A," while the euphonium solo represents my dad, who played euphonium in grade school These musical elements represent my parents encouraging me to reach for the stars and forge my path. As the opening slow section unfolds, the music builds and ascends in melody and harmony in the trumpets, horns, and trombones, representing the call to push forward and reach higher and higher Meanwhile, the low woodwinds and low brass percolate with random flurries of notes, representing an internal uncertainty when one is about to embark on a transformative journey.

Throughout the opening minutes, the music in the brass section metaphorically calls to the audience to reflect on how they've arrived at this point and how they can go on or change even just one aspect of their lives. As the musical material becomes more intense, the frantic woodwinds represent further criticisms from others or even your thoughts: discouraging you or trying to stop you from going out and striving for better. They don't want you to think for yourself. They want you to continue their path because "they've always done it that way. " But what if there's another way? A better way? This cautiously optimistic feeling is sounded in the low voices, asking, "Where do we go from here?"

After the slow opening section, we enter the blinding light of the unknown and begin our Journey. The aural landscapes blossom in intellectual yet intuitive ways. Solos in the brass instruments continue to pay homage to my father, while new ideas start to unfold - signaling unsure progress to an unknown destination These textures continue to flourish and evolve until the climax of the piece, where the brass perform swells in brilliant cacophonies over dizzying woodwind canons and shimmering percussion, capturing the honor and grandeur of what means to be a forerunner:

A reflection or rejection of their ancestors' ways

A representation of the collective effort needed to bring about real change

A predecessor for what's to come

A synergy of past, present, and future.

PROGRAM NOTES

…All of these ideas, which culminate in a spectacular swell, lead to the transition to the final section of the piece. These moments exist in a stillness that calls back to the “cautiously optimistic” chords before the Journey, and we ask ourselves if we have truly broken apart from tradition to forge a new life not only for ourselves but also those who come after us while still paying respect to those who came before us…

After settling into a final resolution, Forerunner concludes with an atmosphere of shimmering metallic textures floating over ever rising sustained chords, which are now played with a sentiment of resolution and accord This section depicts two ideas: the beautiful possibilities that our descendants may have due to our actions, and our ancestors’ transmigration from this life into the next. The euphonium solo returns with a meandering melody, inspired by music from the Journey, and it reminds us that everything is going to be okay. This sentiment is echoed in a nostalgic comfort in vulnerability, through a melodic transformation of my mother’s name. These final moments call to inspire listeners to embrace the challenges ahead, strive toward a brighter future, and ultimately ask one more time:

How are you a forerunner?”

Supercollider by Mat Campbell, 2020 2’10”

Supercollider (formerly known as Clusterflux) is a fantastic addition to any program as an opener or closer. High-energy rhythms depict a bed of thick and ever-evolving texture. The clear melodies and countermelodies (for instance in the trumpets and horns at the beginning) represent the collisions of subatomic particles With all of these various collisions happening all at once, it may be a bit overwhelming. You need not worry. This science experiment is over in the blink of an eye.

Supercollider was premiered by the Oklahoma City University Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Matthew Mailman, on September 14, 2023.

ABOUT THE C

M a t h e w “ M a t ” A a r o n C a m p b e l l ( b . 1 9 9 2 ) s t a r t e d h i s m u s i c a l j o u r n e y a t t h e a g e o f e i g h t w h e n h e t o o k p i a n o l e s s o n s f o l l o w e d b y i n f o r m a l l e s s o n s o n h o w t o p l a y d r u m s e t H i s s t u d i e s c o n t i n u e d t h r o u g h m i d d l e s c h o o l a n d h i g h s c h o o l w i t h p e r c u s s i o n a s h i s p r i m a r y i n s t r u m e n t

M a t h e w i s o r i g i n a l l y f r o m t h e L a

H e r m o s a b a r r i o i n S a n B e n i t o , a s m a l l t o w n f o u n d i n t h e R i o

G r a n d e V a l l e y i n D e e p S o u t h

T e x a s M u c h o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n i n t h i s r e g i o n i s u n d e r p r i v i l e g e d a n d

M a t h e w ’ s f a m i l y w a s n o e x c e p t i o n . t h e m o s t o f l i m i t e d r e s o u r c e s , h e h

s p e e c h - i m p e d e d v o i c e t o u p l i f t t h u n d e r r e p r e s e n t e d L a t i n x a r t i s t s a n d c o l l a b o r a t o r s f r o m t h e R i o G r a n d e V a l l e y

H e i s a n a l u m n u s o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T e x a s R i o G r a n d e V a l l e y w h e r e h e e a r n e d h i s B M i n E d u c a t i o n a s w e l l a s s t u d i e d p e r c u s s i o n a n d c o m p o s i t i o n w i t h D r J o e M o o r e I I I C a m p b e l l g r a d u a t e d w i t h H i g h H o n o r s f r o m O k l a h o m a C i t y U n i v e r s i t y e a r n i n g a d o u b l e M M i n M u s i c C o m p o s i t i o n a n d W i n d C o n d u c t i n g u n d e r t h e t u t e l a g e o f D r E d w a r d K n i g h t a n d D r M a t t h e w M a i l m a n , r e s p e c t i v e l y . H e i s a p r o u d m e m b e r o f t h e P i K a p p a L a m b d a S o c i e t y - A l p h a U p s i l o n C h a p t e r

A s a n a w a r d - w i n n i n g c o m p o s e r , M a t h a s c o l l a b o r a t e d w i t h v a r i o u s e d u c a t o r s a n d m u s i c i a n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e n a t i o n H i s p a s s i o n f o r c o m p o s i n g a n d c o n d u c t i n g l e d t o c o n d u c t i n g w o r l d p r e m i e r e s w i t h v a r i o u s s t u d e n t e n s e m b l e s a t t h e s t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l l e v e l s H e h a s c o n d u c t e d h i s w o r k s a t T h e N a t i o n a l F l u t e C o n v e n t i o n , C l a r i n e t F e s t , a n d t h e T e x a s M u s i c E d u c a t o r ’ s C o n f e r e n c e . H i s m u s i c h a s b e e n c e l e b r a t e d b y c o n d u c t o r s a n d e n s e m b l e s a t v a r i o u s e v e n t s i n L o s A n g e l e s , A u s t i n , O k l a h o m a C i t y , t h e N a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o f P e r c u s s i o n P e d a g o g y , N e w M u s i c o n t h e B a y o u , a n d a t T h e M i d w e s t C l i n i c i n C h i c a g o . H i s m u s i c h a s b e e n r e v i e w e d i n j o u r n a l s s u c h a s P e r c u s s i v e A r t s S o c i e t y ’ s P e r c u s s i v e N o t e s a n d t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C l a r i n e t A s s o c i a t i o n ’ s T h e C l a r i n e t . H i s m u s i c i s s e l f - p u b l i s h e d a n d a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h C A l a n P u b l i c a t i o n s H i s p i e c e I n t o t h e V o i d : A S t u d y i n D i s e m b o d i e d C o n s c i o u s n e s s

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

w a s a w a r d e d f i r s t p r i z e i n t h e S A T B C h o r u s a n d P e r c u s s i o n ( 3 - 5

P l a y e r s ) C a t e g o r y o f t h e 2 0 1 5 P e r c u s s i v e A r t s S o c i e t y C o m p o s i t i o n C o n t e s t

M a t i s a n a s p i r i n g m e d i a c o m p o s e r w h e r e h e f o c u s e s o n w r i t i n g m u s i c p r i m a r i l y f o r v i d e o g a m e s a n d f i l m s o f v a r y i n g l e n g t h N o t a b l e p r o j e c t s i n c l u d e t h e A r i ’ s J o u r n e y O r i g i n a l V i d e o G a m e S o u n d t r a c k a v a i l a b l e f o r s t r e a m i n g a n d p u r c h a s i n g o n v a r i o u s p l a t f o r m s

W h i l e f o r m i n g a c a r e e r a s a c o m p o s e r a n d p r o d u c e r i n b o t h t h e c o n c e r t a n d m e d i a m u s i c w o r l d s , M a t i s c u r r e n t l y a M u s i c E n g r a v i n g a n d A u d i o / V i d e o S p e c i a l i s t a t C A l a n P u b l i c a t i o n s a n d a n A d j u n c t P r o f e s s o r o f M u s i c P r o d u c t i o n a t t h e A c a d e m y o f C o n t e m p o r a r y M u s i c a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C e n t r a l O k l a h o m a D r . A l l i s o n D a v i s s e r v e s a s A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r o f M u s i c E d u c a t i o n a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T e x a s R i o G r a n d e V a l l e y , w h e r e s h e c u r r e n t l y t e a c h e s m u s i c e d u c a t i o n c o u r s e s a n d d i r e c t s t h e S y m p h o n i c W i n d s . A n O h i o n a t i v e w i t h r o o t s i n M a s s a c h u s e t t s , D r D a v i s h o l d s a D o c t o r o f P h i l o s o p h y i n M u s i c E d u c a t i o n f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M i s s o u r i w i t h a C o g n a t e i n W i n d C o n d u c t i n g a n d B a n d P e d a g o g y , a M a s t e r o f M u s i c i n M u s i c E d u c a t i o n w i t h a S p e c i a l i z a t i o n i n W i n d C o n d u c t i n g f r o m B o w l i n g G r e e n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , a n d a B a c h e l o r o f M u s i c E d u c a t i o n f r o m B o w l i n g G r e e n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y S h e h a s w o r k e d w i t h t o p - t i e r c o l l e g i a t e e n s e m b l e s a n d a t h l e t i c b a n d s i n b o t h t h e S o u t h e a s t e r n a n d M i d - A m e r i c a n C o n f e r e n c e s s i n c e 2 0 1 8 . D r . D a v i s a l s o s e r v e d a s t h e W o o d w i n d D i r e c t o r f o r t h e R o c k B r i d g e H i g h S c h o o l b a n d p r o g r a m i n C o l u m b i a , M O a n d f o u n d e d t h e M i s s o u r i Y o u t h S y m p h o n i c B a n d S h e h a s h a d t h e p l e a s u r e o f s t u d y i n g w i t h D r . B r i a n S i l v e y , D r . W e n d y S i m s , D r . A m y K n o p p s , D r K e n T h o m p s o n , a n d D r B r u c e M o s s

D r . D a v i s ’ s p r i m a r y a r e a s o f r e s e a r c h f o c u s o n i n s t r u m e n t a l

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

c o n d u c t i n g a n d r e h e a r s a l t e c h n i q u e s , p r e s e r v i c e m u s i c e d u c a t i o n c u r r i c u l a , r e p e r t o i r e s e l e c t i o n , a n d d e m o c r a t i c p r a c t i c e s i n l a r g e e n s e m b l e s e t t i n g s H e r d i s s e r t a t i o n , A M u l t i p l e C a s e S t u d y o f P r e s e r v i c e M u s i c E d u c a t o r s E x p e r i e n c e s i n R e h e a r s a l C l i n i c , i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f s e c o n d a r y i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c e d u c a t i o n m a j o r s i n a n a d v a n c e d c o n d u c t i n g a n d r e h e a r s a l s k i l l s c o u r s e D r D a v i s i s a c t i v e i n b o t h s t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l r e s e a r c h s e t t i n g s , p r e s e n t i n g a t c o n f e r e n c e s a n d p u b l i s h i n g i n b o t h p e e r - r e f e r e e d a n d p r a c t i t i o n e r j o u r n a l s P r i o r t o h e r u n i v e r s i t y t e a c h i n g e x p e r i e n c e , D r . D a v i s t a u g h t a c o m b i n a t i o n o f s e c o n d a r y b a n d , c h o i r , g e n e r a l m u s i c , a n d m a r c h i n g b a n d i n t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l s o f O h i o D u e t o h e r t i m e s p e n t w i t h a d i v e r s e s t u d e n t p o p u l a t i o n s , s h e h a s a d v o c a t e d f o r t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f c o n t e m p o r a r y m u s i c b y m i n o r i t i z e d c o m p o s e r s E n s e m b l e s u n d e r D r D a v i s ’ s d i r e c t i o n h a v e p r e m i e r e d w o r k s b y C o r y B r o d a c k , E m i l i o J o s é G o n z á l e z , a n d Y o e l l T e w o l d e ( s t u d e n t c o m p o s e r ) , a n d s h e h a s w o r k e d c l o s e l y w i t h o t h e r a c c l a i m e d c o m p o s e r s i n c l u d i n g K a t a h j C o p l e y , K e v i n D a y , G r a c e B a u g h e r D u n l a p , K e l i j a h D u n t o n , R o s h a n n e E t e z a d y , a n d J e n n i f e r J o l l e y S h e a c t i v e l y i n t e g r a t e s t e c h n o l o g y i n b o t h l e c t u r e - b a s e d a n d e n s e m b l e - r e h e a r s a l s e t t i n g s , i n c l u d i n g u t i l i z i n g F o r S c o r e i n f u l l e n s e m b l e r e h e a r s a l s a n d f r e q u e n t l y h o s t i n g c o l l a b o r a t i v e Z o o m s e s s i o n s w i t h c o m p o s e r s , t o c r e a t e a m o r e i n t e r a c t i v e a n d e n h a n c e d s t u d e n t e x p e r i e n c e D r D a v i s r e g u l a r l y w o r k s a s a n a d j u d i c a t o r , c l i n i c i a n , a n d m u s i c a r r a n g e r f o r b a n d s o f a l l a b i l i t y l e v e l s a n d a g e r a n g e s a r o u n d t h e c o u n t r y

D r . M a t t h e w C o f f e y i s A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r o f C h o r a l S t u d i e s a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T e x a s R i o G r a n d e V a l l e y w h e r e h e c o n d u c t s t h e U n i v e r s i t y C h o i r a n d t e a c h e s c o u r s e w o r k i n c o n d u c t i n g a n d s e c o n d a r y c h o r a l m e t h o d s H e h o l d s t h e D o c t o r o f M u s i c a l A r t s i n C h o r a l C o n d u c t i n g f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C i n c i n n a t i C o l l e g eC o n s e r v a t o r y o f M u s i c ( C C M ) a n d d e g r e e s i n M u s i c E d u c a t i o n f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f H o u s t o n a n d S a m H o u s t o n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

A t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C i n c i n n a t i , h e s e r v e d a s t h e c o n d u c t o r o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C i n c i n n a t i M e n ’ s C h o r u s , a 1 0 0 - y e a r - o l d e n s e m b l e t h a t c o m p r i s e s s t u d e n t s f r o m a l l 1 4 U C c o l l e g e s . H e a l s o s u p e r v i s e d u n d e r g r a d u a t e M u s i c E d u c a t i o n s t u d e n t s i n t h e i r s t u d e n t t e a c h i n g p l a c e m e n t s , t a u g h t p r i v a t e c o n d u c t i n g l e s s o n s t o u n d e r g r a d u a t e a n d g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s , a n d s e r v e d a s a s s i s t a n t c o n d u c t o r o f t h e u n d e r g r a d u a t e o p e r a W h i l e i n C i n c i n n a t i , h e s e r v e d o n t h e m u s i c s t a f f o f K n o x P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h a n d s a n g p r o f e s s i o n a l l y w i t h t h e V o c a l A r t s E n s e m b l e o f

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

C i n c i n n a t i , c o n d u c t e d b y

G R A M M Y ® a w a r d w i n n e r , C r a i g H e l l a J o h n s o n

D u r i n g h i s 1 1 y e a r s a s a h i g h s c h o o l c h o r a l d i r e c t o r i n t h e H o u s t o n a r e a , 4 5 o f D r . C o f f e y ’ s s t u d e n t s w e r e n a m e d t o a T e x a s A l l - S t a t e C h o i r W h i l e a t R i d g e P o i n t H i g h

S c h o o l i n F o r t B e n d I S D , h e o v e r s a w a 3 4 6 % i n c r e a s e i n e n r o l l m e n t i n c h o r a l p r o g r a m s a n d t h e i n s t i t u t i o n o f a y e a r l y

M a s t e r w o r k s c o n c e r t w i t h p r o f e s s i o n a l c h a m b e r o r c h e s t r a . H i s c u r r e n t r e s e a r c h i n t e r e s t s i n c l u d e t h e s a c r e d c h o r a l m u s i c o f M i c h a e l H a y d n , p r e - s e r v i c e m u s i c t e a c h e r e d u c a t i o n , a n d r e h e a r s a l p e d a g o g y . H e h a s s t u d i e d c o n d u c t i n g w i t h J o e

M i l l e r , E a r l R i v e r s , B r e t t S c o t t , a n d A l l e n H i g h t o w e r a n d p a r t i c i p a t e d i n c o n d u c t i n g

m a s t e r c l a s s e s w i t h S i m o n C a r r i n g t o n , D o n a l d N a l l y , J o s h u a H a b e r m a n n , L o u i s L a n g r é e , a n d D a l e W a r l a n d . D r C o f f e y h a s g i v e n l e c t u r e s a n d p r e s e n t e d i n t e r e s t s e s s i o n s a t c o n f e r e n c e s a n d u n i v e r s i t i e s i n T e x a s , K e n t u c k y , P e n n s y l v a n i a , a n d O h i o H i s s p e a k i n g e n g a g e m e n t s t h i s y e a r i n c l u d e t h e O h i o M u s i c E d u c a t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n , t h e N o r t h D a k o t a M u s i c E d u c a t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n , a n d t h e S o u t h w e s t d i v i s i o n o f t h e A m e r i c a n C h o r a l D i r e c t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n

PROGRAM

WIND ORCHESTRA

Ronnie Rios, Conductor

Esprit de Corps Robert Jager (b. 1939)

Hispalis Juan Perez (b. 1989)

Prelude, Opus 34, No. 14

Dmitri Shostakovich

arr. H. Robert Reynolds (b. 1934)

Machu Picchu Satoshi Yagisawa (b. 1975)

WIND ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL

F L U T E

L a u r a B a r b a *

M a s o n P e r e z

N a d i a V i l l a n u e v a

O B O E

L o r e n a C o r o n a d o *

B A S S O O N

J a q u e l i n e D a v i s

A r a c e l y G a r c i a *

C L A R I N E T

J o e l C a r d e n a s

A s h l e y L e e

K a r o l i n a L e a l

A l e j a n d r o M o r e n o *

B A S S C L A R I N E T

J u l i a n M a r t i n e z *

A L T O

S A X O P H O N E

L e e M o n r e a l

A b r a h a m S a l d a ñ a *

T E N O R

S A X O P H O N E

J o n a t h a n G u z m a n

B A R I T O N E

S A X O P H O N E

R o m a n V a l e n c i a n o

T R U M P E T

A l e j a n d r o E s c a m i l l a

V i c t o r F o r t u n a *

J a c o b M o r a l e s

D a n i e l V e l a

S a r a h M a r t i n e z

R y a n M o w e r s *

F R E N C H H O R N

A l o n z o C a v a z o s *

A s h l e y N a v a s R o c h a

L y d i a R o d r i g u e z

J o h a n E s p i n o z a

T E N O R

T R O M B O N E

B e r n a b e M a r t i n e z

J e s u a T e j e d a

A l e j a n d r o S a l i n a s

L u i s V i v e r o s *

BASS TROMBONE

Imanol Ruiz

EUPHONIUM

Jose Castillo*

Noah Jaramillo

TUBA

Victor Cruz*

Samuel De Leon

Azdruball Montemayor

PERCUSSION

Edgar Facundo

Oscar Lozano*

Slaton Meador

Angel Ramos

Robert Adam Reyna

Jose Tijerina

*denotes principal player

PROGRAM NOTES

EspritdeCorpsbyRobertJager,19844'55"

BasedonTheMarines'Hymn,thisworkisakindoffantasy-march,as wellasatributetotheUnitedStatesMarineBand,whichgrouphad commissionedthework.Fullofenergyanddrama,thecompositionhas itssolemnmomentsanditslightermoments(forexample,thequasiwaltzinthemiddleofthepiece) Thecomposerintendsthatthiswork shoulddisplaythefervorandvirtuosityoftheMarineBandandthe musicalspiritandintegrityofitsconductor,ColonelJohnR.Bourgeois, forwhomtheinitialtempomarking,"TempodiBourgeois,"isnamed. ColonelJohnBourgeoisisadramatic,spiritedconductorwhoreflects theexcitementofthemusicbeingplayed Whenatempoissupposed tobe"bright"hemakessureitisexactlythat.Becausethetempoof EspritdeCorpsistobeverybright,themarkingjusthadtobe"Tempo diBourgeois!"

-ProgramnotefromWindband.org

HispalisbyJuanPerez,2022

“Hispalis”isinspiredbythecityofSeville,situatedinthesouthwestof Spain.Inthispiece,composerJuanPéreztakesyouforawalkthrough thismagnificentcity:LaGiralda,itsriver“ríoGuadalquivir”,itsdreamy streets,thePlazadeEspañaanditstraditions.Theworkisdividedinto4 parts:theintroduction,wheretheAndalusianstyleandthesevillanas standout;second,wherethegreatfestivitiesaredepicted;athirdone thatrepresentsthepassionoftheSemanaSanta(HolyWeek),andthe lastone,wherethestylesofseveralofitsmostemblematic neighborhoodsandplaces,suchastheAlamedaortheSantaCruz neighborhood,arecaptured.

Prelude,Opus34,No.14byDmitriShostakovich,arr.H.Robert Reynolds,1933/1988

TheTwenty-FourPreludesforPianowerecomposedin1932-33,and thePreludeinE-flatminor,Opus34,No.14wasoneofthisset.Opening withacalmbutstrongchordalstatement,thepiececontinuestobuildin asingledirectiontoagrandclimaxoffffdynamics,afterwhichitquickly returnstothequietmoodandmaterialofthebeginning.Whileonly36 measurelong,onesensesamuchmoreexpansiveandlengthy compositionthanitsfirstfewshortmeasuresreveal.TheAdagioE-flat minorPreludeisoneofthetwolongestofShostakovich’s24Preludes,

PROGRAM NOTES

Op.34(1932-1933).Moreimportantly,itisthemostdramatic,themost tragic,andthemostpublic.Withitsimitationtympanirolls,itsrising fanfare-likefigure,anditsinsistentdrumbeats,itseemstobestriving forasymphonicstature,anditisnowonderthattheconductorLeopold Stokowskirushedtoorchestratethepiece.However,initsoriginalform, therelentlessdespairanddeepsorrowismuchmorereal:onefeelsthe musicstrainingagainstthelimitationsofthekeyboard,andthis becomesanintegralpartoftheexpressionandthemeaningofthe music.ThisisoneoftheverygreatpreludesfromtheOpus34setanda pieceworthytostandbesidethelastactofShostakovich’s contemporaneousoperaLadyMacbethofMtsensk.

-ProgramNotefromCaliforniaStateUniversity,LongBeach,Wind Symphonyconcertprogram,3March2016

MachuPicchubySatoshiYagisaw,200510'30"

ExplainingthesignificanceofMachuPicchubeginswithremembering theIncanempireatitszenith,anditstragicencounterwiththeSpanish conquistadors.Thegreat16thcenturyempirethatunifiedmostof AndeanSouthAmericahadasitscapitalthegoldencityofCuzco. FranciscoPizarro,whilestrippingthecityofmassivequantitiesofgold, in1533alsodestroyedCuzco’sSunTemple,shrineofthefoundingdeity oftheIncancivilization.Whilethatactsymbolizedtheendoftheempire, 378yearslateranarchaeologistfromYaleUniversity,HiramBingham, rediscovered“MachuPicchu,”agloriousmountaintopIncancitythat hadescapedtheattentionoftheinvaders.Atthecentralhighpointof thecitystandsitsmostimportantshrine,theIntihuatana,or“hitching postofthesun,”acolumnofstonerisingfromablockofgranitethesize ofagrandpiano,whereapriestwould"tiethesuntothestone"atwinter solsticetoensureitsseasonalreturn.FindingthelastremainingSun Templeofagreatcityinspiredthebeliefthatperhapstheroyallineage stoleawaytohisholyplaceduringPizarro’sconquest.Afterconsidering theseremarkableideas,Iwishedtomusicallydescribethatmagnificent citadelandtracesomeofthemysteriessealedinMachuPicchu’spast. Threeprincipalideasdominatethepiece:1)theshimmeringgoldencity ofCuzcosetinthedramaticsceneryoftheAndes,2)the destructivenessofviolentinvasion,and3)there-emergenceofIncan gloryastheCityintheSkyagainreachedforthesun. -ProgramNotebycomposer

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

R o n n i e R i o s i s a m u l t i G r a m m y N o m i n a t e d M u s i c E d u c a t o r o r i g i n a l l y f r o m A l i c e , T e x a s . H e h o l d s a B a c h e l o r s o f M u s i c E d u c a t i o n a n d a M a s t e r s i n M u s i c E d u c a t i o n g r a d u a t i n g S u m m a C u m L a u d e . A f t e r 2 5 y e a r s p l u s e x p e r i e n c e a s a h i g h s c h o o l b a n d d i r e c t o r , M r . R i o s n o w s e r v e s a s t h e D i r e c t o r o f A t h l e t i c B a n d s a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T e x a sR i o G r a n d e V a l l e y a n d w a s j u s t a p p o i n t e d t o t h e T e x a s

B a n d m a s t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s .

A t 2 1 , h e b e g a n t e a c h i n g i n t h e K i n g s v i l l e I S D , T X w h e r e h i s m i d d l e s c h o o l a n d h i g h s c h o o l C o n c e r t

B a n d s r e c e i v e d c o n s i s t e n t U I L S w e e p s t a k e s A w a r d s a n d B e s t i n C l a s s A w a r d s a t v a r i o u s s t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l f e s t i v a l s . H i s J a z z E n s e m b l e s a l s o r e c e i v e d B e s t i n C l a s s a n d n u m e r o u s “ O u t s t a n d i n g B a n d o f t h e F e s t i v a l ” A w a r d s . H e h a d A l l - S t a t e B a n d a n d J a z z B a n d s t u d e n t s a n d l e d t h e M a r c h i n g B a n d t o t h e T e x a s S t a t e M a r c h i n g B a n d C h a m p i o n s h i p s i n h i s f i n a l y e a r

A s D i r e c t o r o f B a n d s a t H a r l i n g e n H i g h S c h o o l , T X f o r 2 1 y e a r s , a l l S i x C o n c e r t B a n d s r e c e i v e d c o n s i s t e n t U I L S w e e p s t a k e s A w a r d s , B e s t i n C l a s s , S t a t e a n d N a t i o n a l A w a r d s a n d A l l - S t a t e B a n d a n d J a z z B a n d s t u d e n t s . T h e H a r l i n g e n H i g h S c h o o l “ B i g R e d ” C a r d i n a l M a r c h i n g B a n d m a d e 1 1 c o n s e c u t i v e a p p e a r a n c e s a t t h e T e x a s S t a t e M a r c h i n g B a n d

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

C h a m p i o n s h i p s , q u a l i f y i n g e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y f r o m

1 9 9 8 - 2 0 1 8 . T h e g r o u p a l s o e a r n e d p o s i t i o n s i n t h e f i n a l s o f t h e B a n d s o f A m e r i c a R e g i o n a l

C h a m p i o n s h i p s , i n c l u d i n g b e i n g n a m e d a R e g i o n a l

C h a m p i o n I n 2 0 1 1 , t h e H a r l i n g e n H S B a n d w a s n a m e d t h e T e x a s B a n d m a s t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n “ E x e m p l a r y H i g h S c h o o l B a n d P r o g r a m o f t h e Y e a r ” i n T e x a s . I n 2 0 2 2 , M r . R i o s a l s o l e d t h e P o r t I s a b e l , T X T a r p o n M a r c h i n g B a n d t o t h e T e x a s S t a t e M a r c h i n g B a n d C h a m p i o n s h i p s a n d a B a n d s o f A m e r i c a C l a s s C h a m p i o n . B o t h M a r c h i n g B a n d s h a v e w o n n u m e r o u s 1 s t P l a c e F e s t i v a l A w a r d s a n d G r a n d C h a m p i o n M a r c h i n g B a n d A w a r d s t h r o u g h o u t S o u t h a n d C e n t r a l T e x a s H i s C o n c e r t B a n d s h a v e a d v a n c e d t o t h e T M E A S t a t e H o n o r B a n d a n d O u t s t a n d i n g P e r f o r m a n c e S e r i e s S t a t e F i n a l s n u m e r o u s t i m e s f i n i s h i n g a s h i g h a s 7 t h i n T e x a s .

T h e H a r l i n g e n H S J a z z E n s e m b l e r e c e i v e d c o n s i s t e n t B e s t i n C l a s s a n d n u m e r o u s “ O u t s t a n d i n g B a n d o f t h e F e s t i v a l ” A w a r d s . H H S w a s n a m e d t h e I n v i t e d H i g h S c h o o l J a z z E n s e m b l e f o r t h e S t a t e o f T e x a s a n d s h o w c a s e d a t T M E A i n S a n A n t o n i o . H i s h i g h s c h o o l j a z z e n s e m b l e s h a v e p e r f o r m e d a t t h e M i d w e s t C l i n i c i n C h i c a g o t w o t i m e s . R i o s ' J a z z E n s e m b l e s h a v e s h a r e d t h e s t a g e w i t h a r t i s t s W y n t o n M a r s a l i s , B o b M i n t z e r , M i c h a e l B r e c k e r , J o h n F e d c h o c k , C o n r a d H e r w i g , M i k e S t e i n e l , W o o d y W i t t , A r m i n M a r m o l e j o , D e n n i s D i B l a s i o , T e r e l l S t a f f o r d , a n d A r t u r o S a n d o v a l .

M r . R i o s ’ g r o u p s h a v e p e r f o r m e d t h r o u g h o u t T e x a s , F l o r i d a , C a l i f o r n i a , N e w J e r s e y , W a s h i n g t o n D C , I l l i n o i s a n d C e n t r a l P a r k i n N e w Y o r k C i t y . M r . R i o s h a s b e e n n a m e d t o t h e W h o ’ s W h o A m o n g A m e r i c a ’ s T e a c h e r s n u m e r o u s t i m e s a n d w a s a l s o n a m e d T e a c h e r o f t h e Y e a r i n t h e H a r l i n g e n C I S D . H e i s a l s o a p a s t P h i B e t a M u ‘ T e x a s Y o u n g B a n d m a s t e r o f t h e Y e a r ’ r e c i p i e n t a n d w a s r e c e n t l y a w a r d e d t h e p r e s t i g i o u s T e x a s B a n d m a s t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

“ M e r i t o r i o u s A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d " M r . R i o s c o n t i n u e s t o s e r v e a s t h e A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r f o r t h e c o m m u n i t y g r o u p - R i o G r a n d e V a l l e y J a z z O r c h e s t r a i n H a r l i n g e n , T X T h i s g r o u p h a s a l s o p e r f o r m e d a t t h e M i d w e s t C l i n i c i n C h i c a g o t w o t i m e s a n d h a s s h a r e d t h e s t a g e w i t h t h e W o r l d F a m o u s C o u n t B a s i e O r c h e s t r a . H e i s a m e m b e r o f T M E A , T B A , T M A A , a n d P h i B e t a M u H e i s t h e P a s t P r e s i d e n t o f I A J E - T e x a s , T J E A , a p a s t T M A A V i c e - P r e s i d e n t a n d s e r v e d a s t h e T M E A T e x a s S t a t e B a n d C h a i r . H e i s c u r r e n t l y t h e T M E A A r e a G B a n d C h a i r a n d h a s s e r v e d a s a c l i n i c i a n a n d a d j u d i c a t o r i n T e x a s , A r i z o n a , K e n t u c k y , G e o r g i a , N e v a d a , U t a h , C a l i f o r n i a , N e w M e x i c o a n d I n d i a n a . H e c u r r e n t l y s e r v e s a s a n a c t i v e a d j u d i c a t o r f o r U I L , D C I , a n d B O A .

BECOME A PATRON

U T R G V P a t r o n o f t h e A r t s h a s a r e n e w e d p u r p o s e , a l l o w i n g y o u t o i n v e s t i n t h e p r e s e n t a n d f u t u r e o f t h e A r t s i n t h e R i o G r a n d e V a l l e y ! W i t h y o u r s u p p o r t ,

U T R G V w i l l c o n t i n u e t o b r i n g w o r l d - c l a s s p e r f o r m a n c e s a n d e v e n t s t o t h e V a l l e y a n d t r a i n f u t u r e V a l l e y a r t i s t s . W e a r e a b l e t o b r i n g t h e s e a m a z i n g p e r f o r m e r s a n d f e a t u r e o u r o w n U T R G V f a c u l t y a n d s t u d e n t s b e c a u s e o f g e n e r o u s d o n o r s l i k e y o u . B y d o n a t i n g a s l i t t l e a s $ 1 0 0 0 p e r m o n t h , y o u w i l l b e c o m e a m e m b e r o f t h e P a t r o n o f t h e A r t s , o u r p r e m i e r e c i r c l e o f s u p p o r t e r s o f U T R G V A R T S . W i t h t h i s m e m b e r s h i p , y o u w i l l r e c e i v e d i s c o u n t e d t i c k e t s t o a l l o f o u r e v e n t s – t h e m o r e y o u d o n a t e , t h e g r e a t e r y o u r d i s c o u n t ! C l i c k h e r e t o b e c o m e a P a t r o n o f t h e A r t s .