University Band: Transcendence Program 21 Feb 25 by UTSA School of Music

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL AND FINE ARTS

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

PRESENTS:

U T S A U n i v e r s i t y B a n d

Garcia

“Transcendence:

Stars, Seas, and Spirits”

Astra (2022)

Pentium (2002)

Rhythm Machine (1986)

The Seal Lullaby (2004/2011)

Danny Solis, guest conductor

Katahj Copley b. 1998

Peter Graham b. 1958

Timothy Broege b. 1947

Eric Whitacre b. 1970

Danny Solis, guest conductor

Give Us This Day: A Short Symphony for Wind Ensemble (2005)

David Maslanka (1943 - 2017)

Person n el

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE OF LIBERAL AND FINE ARTS SCHOOL OF MUSIC

(Personnel roster is listed alphabetically to emphasize the important contribution made by each musician)

F l u t e

Sophia Alaniz

Lane Arguello, Piccolo

Felicia Fuentes

Elisabeth Kubena

Allison Morin

Ariana Thompson

Fernanda Veloz, Piccolo

Madeline Wilson

C l a r i n e t

Allison Carbajal

Alejandro Garza

Natalia Pequeño

Michael Rios

Jacob Wall

Joshua Wall

Tarynn Williams

Gabby Gerber, bass clarinet

Charlotte Householder, bass clarinet

S a x o p h o n e

Jared Alejo

Luis Alvarado

Devin Brown

Kaila Castro

Manuel Flores

Marina Garcia

Mikayla Garza

Nicky Gonzalez

Esau Hernandez

Robert Hernandez

Thomas Nguyen

David Sosa

Christopher Monroy, tenor sax

Joaquin Robles, tenor sax

Alexis Zaragoza, tenor sax

Isabella Lopez, bari sax

Seth Perez, bari sax

Richard Ytuarte, bari sax

T r u m p e t

Nathan Bravo

Joshua Enciso

Jacqueline Kolada

Isabella Lozano

Kaleb Mulcahy

Yoshi Murillo

Samuel Quezada

Joseph Sutton

Ryan Fletcher

Francis Maille

Angelica Cordero

Sep Garcia

Andrew Gonzales

Abbie Henk

Travis Niccum

Hector Rosas

Matthew Stevens

Kaely Trantham

Madeline Barrera-Griffith

Molly Busch

Thomas Gonzales-Mata, bass trombone

Kalen Griffin

Landon Kilpela

Jasmine Lasiter

Olivia Lliteras

Rodrigo Mendez

Meikhi Schwarz

Trinity Evans

Avery George

Jaylynn Gomez

Andrew Kiraly

Sydney Marsh

Brandon McAffee

Angelyca Mejia

Logan O'Neil

Roland Scherer

Eric Silva

Alex Caldwell

Abraham Pena

Frankie Rodriguez

Emma Fasano

Jacob Herrera

Brenna Kellner

Gabriel Leal

Joaquin Mata

Delylah Medina

Richard Myers

Jared Worman, Music Librarian

Eva Ayala, Music Librarian

Conductor

H e c t o r G a r c i a , a native of San Antonio, Texas, is currently Assistant Director of Athletic Bands at UTSA and is the conductor of the UTSA University Band as well as the director of the UTSA Athletic Pep Band. In the fall semester, he assists directing the UTSA Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band.

Hector graduated with a master's degree in instrumental conducting from University of Texas at San Antonio in 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. John Zarco and Ron Ellis. While a graduate student at UTSA, Hector performed with the UTSA Wind Symphony and was a teaching assistant for several undergraduate courses including Conducting I & II, Marching Band Techniques, Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Band.

Prior to attending UTSA, Hector taught brass/woodwind beginning band classes, marching band, concert band, and jazz band at the high school and middle school levels for three years. He received a bachelor's degree in music studies from Texas State University in 2017. Hector’s primary instrument is trumpet and actively performs in local community bands. Hector’s professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association and Kappa Kappa Psi. Some of his hobbies include photography, traveling, and doing card tricks for those around him. Fun fact: his favorite food is sushi!

Danny Solis retired after 37 years in music education on May 30, 2015, his last 14 years he served as Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Coordinator at William H. Taft High School in the Northside ISD. He also taught in the South San Antonio ISD, Pleasanton ISD, Lyford ISD, Southside ISD and served as Vice-Principal in the Seguin ISD. Mr. Solis received his BME from Sam Houston State University and Masters degree with Administrative Certification from Texas A&l at Kingsville.

The Taft Raider Band received much recognition under his direction having received 14 consecutive UlL Superior Ratings, first place awards at Harlandale Marching Festivals, Roughrider Marching Festivals, US Bands Marching Contests, South San Marching Festivals, BOA Rio Grande Valley and reaching the State UIL Marching Contest 7 times.

Danny served as Region XI TMEA Band Division Chairman from 2012 to 2015. He is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Band Masters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association and The National Band Association. Danny holds membership in Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Beta Mu and serves as clinician, region band conductor and adjudicator throughout the state of Texas.

Danny is the proud parent of Brian Jay Solis and Dr. Alexis Rae Solis who were part of the Raider Band.

On August 3, 2017, Danny returned to the podium after two years of retirement as Director of Bands at Central Catholic High School where he also served as the Fine Arts Department Chairman. While under his direction the band achieved the title of STATE MARCHING CHAMPIONS as part of TAPPS. He remained as director until the spring of 2021.

Danny now serves as a clinician-consultant for Medina Valley High School Bands and San Antonio ISD.

Program Notes

Compiled and Edited by Hector Garcia

A s t r a is a fanfare for wind band that explores the concept of freedom and adventure through the lens of star trail photography. Star trails are created by using long exposure times to capture the apparent motion of stars in the night sky due to Earth's rotation, resulting in streaks of light that form arcs across the image. Astra captures the energy and wonder of this natural phenomenon through its vibrant melodies, driving rhythms, and colorful textures.

The piece is divided into three sections, with the middle section featuring a soaring trumpet and tenor saxophone melody that evokes the majesty of the stars. The final section is characterized by intricate percussion ostinatos that build in intensity, representing the constant motion and evolution of the universe.

A s t r a is a celebration of the beauty and mystery of the cosmos, and an invitation to embark on a journey of discovery and exploration. With its dynamic rhythms, soaring melodies, and intricate textures, it invites listeners to join in the adventure and explore the infinite possibilities of the night sky.

[Program note by Katahj Copley]

Commissioned by the West Lothian Schools Wind Band, P e n t i u m was premiered by the group at the 1999 BASBWE Conference held in Manchester, England. Described by conductor Brian Duguid as "a short ride on a PC", Pentium displays some common traits with the minimalist techniques of John Adams. A five-note figure, first heard in the clarinets and saxophones after the opening swirl and flourish, provides the essential building block for the rondo-like movement. P e n t i u m takes it's name from the "silicon glen" where computer chips are manufactured, near the West Lothian Schools Wind Band base.

Peter Graham (b. 1958, Lanarkshire, Scotland), is a British composer. After his education at the University of Edinburgh, he undertook postgraduate studies with Edward Gregson at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He holds a Ph.D. in composition.

From 1983 until 1986, he resided in New York City where he worked as a freelance composer/arranger and as a publications editor with the South American Music Bureau. Since his return to the United Kingdom, he has worked regularly as an arranger for BBC Television and

Radio and has specialized in composition for the British style brass band. Since the publication of Dimensions (1983), he has carved out a niche as an outstanding arranger for brass bands, and a leading figure amongst contemporary band composers. His original compositions, which include The Essence of Time, Montage and Journey to the Center of the Earth, are performed worldwide and have been selected as test-pieces for national championships in Australia, New Zealand, North America and across Europe.

His music for wind and concert band has been recorded and performed by many of the world’s leading ensembles, including the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra and the Royal Norwegian Navy Band. Harrison's Dream, commissioned by the United States Air Force Band, Washington D.C., won the 2002 American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award for composition. Commissioned by BMG/RCA Red Label to arrange and compose an album of xylophone music for virtuoso Evelyn Glennie, the resulting recording was nominated as Best Classical Crossover Album at the 1999 Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles.

[Program note from publisher and Windrep.org] wuw

R h y t h m M a c h i n e was composed in 1974 for the Manasquan Elementary School Band ( Manasquan, New Jersey) and was revised in 1985, largely due to the encouragement and enthusiasm of David Reul, -Music Department Chairperson of the Oconomowoe, Wisconsin Public Schools.

The piece is cast in the form of an old French "rondeau" (rondo) in which repetitions of a refrain are separated by a number of contrasting verses. In Rhythm Machine, the refrain consists of three different musical gestures (bars 3-6, bars 7-10, bars 11-14), while the verses can be characterized as Verse 1 (urgent, exciting, pressing forward), Verse 2 (lyrical, gentle), Verse 3 (martial, pompous).

[Program note by Timothy Broege)

wuw

T h e S e a l L u l l a b y . In the spring of 2004, I was lucky enough to have my show Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings presented at the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop. The workshop is the brain child of legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), and his insights about the creative process were profoundly helpful. He became a great mentor and friend to the show and, I am honored to say, to me personally. Soon after the workshop I received a call from a major film studio. Stephen had recommended me to them and they wanted to know if I might be interested in writing music for an animated feature. I was incredibly excited, said yes, and took the meeting.

The creative executives with whom I met explained that the studio heads had always wanted to make an epic adventure, a classic animated film based on Kipling’s The White Seal. I have always loved animation, (the early Disney films; Looney Tunes; everything Pixar makes) and I couldn’t believe that I might get a chance to work in that grand tradition on such great material.

The White Seal is a beautiful story, classic Kipling, dark and rich and not at all condescending to kids. Best of all, Kipling begins his tale with the mother seal singing softly to her young pup. (The opening poem is called T h e S e a l L u l l a b y ).

Oh! Hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us, And black are the waters that sparkled so green.

The moon, o’er the combers, looks downward to find us,

At rest in the hollows that rustle between.

Where billow meets billow, then soft be thy pillow,

Oh weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease!

The storm shall not wake thee, nor shark overtake thee,

Asleep in the arms of the slow swinging seas!

Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936

I was struck so deeply by those first beautiful words, and a simple, sweet Disney-esque song just came gushing out of me. I wrote it down as quickly as I could, had my wife record it while I accompanied her at the piano, and then dropped it off at the film studio. I didn’t hear anything from them for weeks and weeks, and I began to despair. Did they hate it? Was it too melodically complex? Did they even listen to it? Finally, I called them, begging to know the reason that they had rejected my tender little song. “Oh,” said the exec, “we decided to make Kung Fu Panda instead.”

So I didn’t do anything with it; just sang it to my baby son every night to get him to go to sleep. (Success rate: less than 50%.) A few years later the Towne Singers commissioned the choral arrangement of it, and in 2011 I transcribed the piece for concert band. I’m grateful to them for giving it a new life, and to the schools, colleges and directors listed who have believed in this new transcription. And I’m especially grateful to Stephen Schwartz, to whom the piece is dedicated. His friendship and invaluable tutelage has meant more to me than I could ever tell him. [Program note by Eric Whitacre ]

G i v e U s T h i s D a y The words "Give us this day" are, of course, from the Lord's Prayer, but the inspiration for this music is Buddhist. I have recently read a book by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Han (pronounced "Tick Not Hahn) entitled “For a Future to be Possible”. His premise is that a future for the planet is only possible if individuals become deeply mindful of themselves, deeply connected to who they really are. While this is not a new idea, and something that is an ongoing struggle for everyone, in my estimation it is the issue for world peace. For me, writing music, and working with people to perform music, are two of those points of deep mindfulness.

Music makes the connection to reality, and by reality I mean a true awake-ness and awareness. G i v e U s T h i s D a y gives us this very moment of awake-ness and aware aliveness so that we can build a future in the face of a most dangerous and difficult time.

I chose the subtitle "Short Symphony for Wind Ensemble" because the music isn't programmatic in nature. It has a full-blown symphonic character, even though there are only two movements. The music of the slower first movement is deeply searching, while that of the highly energized second movement is at times both joyful and sternly sober. The piece ends with a modal setting of the choral melody Vater Unser in Himmelreich (Our Father in Heaven), no. 110 from the 37l Four-part chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach.

[Program note by composer]

U T S A B a n d s

UTSA Students, there’s a band for you!

U T S A " S p i r i t o f S a n A n t o n i o " M a r c h i n g B a n d

The 350-member "Spirit of San Antonio" Marching Band is open to all UTSA students, regardless of major. Like all college bands, the group is comprised of students of various performance backgrounds. The "Spirit of San Antonio" will perform a standard pre-game show, 4-5 different halftime shows, stand tunes, and maintain UTSA traditions, while at the same time promoting a positive learning and social environment for its members. College bands strive towards being fun and spirited organizations while still achieving a quality of performance representative of the image of the university.

U T S A W i n d E n s e m b l e

The UTSA Wind Ensemble is comprised of UTSA Students who have achieved an extreme high level of musicianship and who perform some of the most challenging music composed for wind band. Membership in this ensemble is open to all UTSA Students, regardless of major, who audition at the beginning of each semester. The UTSA Wind Ensemble maintains a vigorous performance schedule of three demanding concerts each semester as well as an ensemble tour when schedule and budget permits.

U T S A S y m p h o n i c B a n d

The UTSA Symphonic Band is made up of 45-55 outstanding wind players who perform a repertoire chosen from a variety of historical periods and for ensembles of various sizes. While the group occasionally presents pieces composed for smaller groups, much of its time is spent in the study and performance of works from the standard symphonic band repertoire. Membership is open to all students at the university who audition at the beginning of each semester.

U T S A U n i v e r s i t y B a n d

The UTSA University Band performs a wide variety of works from different composers and arrangers, in addition to maintaining an active three-concert schedule each semester. There is no formal audition required to participate; students must be able to read music and play a concert band instrument. Membership in the ensemble includes students from almost every discipline on campus. We invite all students interested in performing in this ensemble to come out and join us at the beginning of each semester!