University & Symphonic Bands

Brighton Beach March, composed in 1954, was William Latham's first work published for band. It was immediately successful among school band directors and was listed among the 100 most popular marches by The Instrumentalist four times between 1960 and 1976. The style of the march is British, in the influence of British composers Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, William Walton, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The title was chosen by the publisher.  It actually refers to a famous resort on the southern coast of England. In October of 1984, Brighton, England was very much in the news following a predawn Irish Republican Army bomb explosion at the Grand Hotel, which killed four people. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped death by only two minutes.

Declaration Overture was composed in 1976 by Claude T. Smith (1932-1987). The piece begins with a strong and stately Andante Maestoso section that transitions to a lyrical statement of a similar melody before returning to the opening feeling. Following this opening section of the piece, we reach the Presto section, marked by articulate brass features and a trumpet solo, all based on the originally stated melody. The piece comes to a strong end with another restatement and adaptation of the main melodic material. This piece is commonly found on state and district festival lists and has remained a hallmark of the concert band repertoire since its composition.

Chasing Sunlight - Cait Nishimura:
This work was inspired by the experience of driving west, chasing the setting sun to catch every last drop of available sunlight.  This work has captured the sense of these past weeks as the students have rushed about, getting our kicks in before the winter settles over us, here in Bowling Green.  The 2017 winner of the Canadian Band Association Composition Competition, Cait Nishimura says, "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."

Tears of St. Lawrence - Aaron Perrine
Inspired by his five-year-old daughter's interest in astronomy, Aaron Perrine woke her one clear night in mid-August.  Without telling her what was to come, they sat for what felt like forever before seeing their first falling star together.   This was a bittersweet moment for Perrine, knowing his daughter would be going to school for the first time in just a few weeks.  The Perseid meteor shower (also known as the "Tears of St. Lawrence") continues to grace our skies every fall.  This work might still capture some nostalgia from the students on stage today, many of whom have spent the past semester away from home for the first time.

Cloudburst:  The composer writes, "After a performance of Go, Lovely Rose in 1991, Dr. Jocelyn K. Jensen approached me about writing a piece for her high school choir. She is an amazing conductor, legendary for doing crazy things on stage (choralography, lighting, costumes, you name it), and I wanted to write something for her that would really knock the audience out. I had recently been given an exquisite book of poems by Octavio Paz, and around the same time I witnessed an actual (breathtaking) desert cloudburst, and I guess it just all lined up." 

Whitacre continues, "The finger snapping thing (all of the singers snap their fingers to simulate rain) is an old campfire game that I modified for the work, and the thunder sheets were giant pieces of tin we took from the side of the school." 

"The piece was originally about ten minutes long, but Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe sagely convinced me to “tighten it up”. I did, and the piece (now a lean eight and a half minutes) was finally published in 1995."
                                                                                                           ~Program Note by the composer

Different Voices:  Each movement of this composition represents several of the different manners in which the human voice produces sound and becomes a vehicle of communication – therefore the title Different Voices . Except for the whispering in the second movement, the piece does not attempt to simulate the actual sound of the human voice but rather attempts to depict the spirit by which that sound is produced.

Rick Kirby (b. 1945) was born in Boston, Massachusetts and received his music education from the University of New Hampshire. After arriving in Wisconsin in 1974, he taught at several high schools and universities where his performing groups received many awards and honors. His compositions have been performed by middle school, high school, and college groups throughout the United States. Recently retired from the teaching profession, Mr. Kirby is presently devoting his time to composing accessible music for school bands and acting as a clinician and guest conductor.
                                                                                                               ~Program note from the score

Prestissimo is one of the 185 marches composed by Karl L. King (1891-1971). This march from 1931, as the title suggests, can be played as a galop, indicated by the circus-like style and quicker tempo. King, an Ohio native, is one of the key contributors to the march repertoire played by the concert band to this day. This piece is formally consistent with the typical march style, beginning with a brief introduction, two repeated strains, a trio, a dogfight, and a restatement of the trio theme in a rambunctious end to the piece. The version that we play today was arranged by James Swearingen (b. 1947), a Bowling Green State University alum.

Flute
Kylee Helmick 
Isabelle Hayes 
Macy Pohorence (Piccolo) 
Sarah Beckstedt 
Alex Wentz 
Teagan Norman 
Wyatt Cobb 
Mia Przybylski 
Ashton Anderson 
Jay Ortega 
Quinn Earnest 
Bailee Cape 
Olivia Hershberger 
Sarah Winn  
Elizabeth Allen 
Claire McKinney 
Alyssa Khoury 
Karson Spurgeon 
Audrey Kocel 

Oboe
CJ Brown 
Emily Nash 
Ramon Kulwicki 
Abbie Kaye 
Madelynn Ketola 
Ash Bell 

Bassoon
Shaun Knox 
Jenna Boekhoff 
David Neuman 
Jaksyn Trimbach 

Clarinet
Rachel Hoose 
Camryn O’Shea 
Raiden Hemming 
Ethan Huffman 
Steven Demchak 
Megan Heuerman 
Ryan Bowshier 
McKayla James 
Sam Reineck 
Olivia Ellerman 
Aurora Conner 
Eloise Kolakowski 
Lillian Fiedler 
Maggie Pridemore 
Elle Hammerhofer 
Jamie Chester 
Xavier Bucher 

Bass Clarinet
Michael Nordeman 
Ethan Sanders 
Marissa Pitz 
Joe Boyle 
Curtis Graham 
Reagan Fairbanks 

Alto Saxophone
Helen Kangas 
Hannah Huddle 
Brittney Vonalt 
Julian LaFontsee 
Charlie Miley 
Jakob Hancock 
Audrey Simon 
Audrianna Barnett 
Andrew Condy 
Madison Baldenado 
Sage Szappanos 

Tenor Saxophone
Max Miles 
Landon McGee 
Joel Farkasdi 
Kyle Prisco 

Baritone Saxophone
Cole Aten 
Lydia Hallman 

French Horn
Rion Van Zile 
Ben Reese 
Jacob Phillips 
Kate Irelan 
Kyle Slaght 

Trumpet
Blaine Mitchell 
Jocelyn Huber 
Sydney Gankosky 
Tyler Heuerman 
Erika Voigt 
Elijah Spokony 
Harrison Gustafson 
Madison Valentine 
Nicholas Adams 
Esmer Hatten 
JD Holtzen 
Allison Hawk 
Nathan Wood 
Joey Pokrywka 
Ryan Meitzner 
James Dixon 

Trombone
Lucas Davis 
Chelsea Dean 
Michael Carlozzi 
Luke Sommers 
Jacob Palumbo 
Savanah Westfall 
Paige Filbrun 
Sarah Gold-Anderson 
Nancy Brown 
Landon Coy 
Andrew Sowders 
Matthew Kane 
Michael Ferraro, bass 
Ryan Weirs, bass 

Euphonium
Joe Twardesky 
Meg Gierula 
Austin Bleile 
Kayden Moore 
Brendan Stein 
Elijah Ondrish 

Tuba
Noah White 
Braeden Scheirer 
Tyler Huntington 
Miguel Gaspar 
Jacob Stierman 
Chris Flores 
Andrew Fordyce 
Miguel Gaspar 

Percussion
Aiden Barrows 
Carson Brockman 
Macey Craddock 
Liz Moening 
Luka Ingram 
Jessica Kozik 
Evelyn Donaghey 
Andrew Christiansen-Temple 
Andrew Fulk 
Noah Lancianese 

Piano
Andrew Sowders 

Tonight’s program traces a vibrant arc across three centuries of Western music even though all three works were created within a span of only two years – each highlighting the enduring power of counterpoint, the expressive voice of American modernism, and the distinctive energy of mid-20th-century writing for the symphonic wind band.
 

William Schuman — Chester (from the New England Triptych)
William Schuman’s Chester—best known as the final movement of his orchestral New England Triptych (1956)—also exists in the composer’s own brilliant transcription for wind band, the version performed tonight. By adapting the work specifically for winds, Schuman did far more than simply re-assign instrumental lines: he re-imagined the sound world of the piece to take full advantage of the band’s power, color, and clarity.

Based on William Billings’s Revolutionary-era hymn tune, Chester grows from a simple, declamatory melody into a vibrant anthem. In this wind transcription, brass proclamations take on added weight, woodwinds add new brilliance and agility, and percussion lends an even more martial edge to the unfolding variations. The result is a setting that feels thoroughly idiomatic to the wind ensemble yet remains faithful to Schuman’s distinctive modern-American voice.

Chester was one of the most popular Revolutionary-era hymns and had even been considered by some to be a potential national anthem for a young American nation. However, it was never officially considered, with congress deciding instead on another very popular tune – the tavern song, To Anacreon from Heaven which we now know as the Star-Spangled Banner.

J.S. Bach — Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 553
Long attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues (BWV 553–560) are now widely believed to have been composed by one of his students—possibly Johann Ludwig Krebs—yet they remain beloved for their clarity, charm, and accessibility.

The C-major pair that opens the set embodies the essence of the Baroque keyboard tradition: a bright, buoyant prelude built on broken-chord patterns, followed by a concise fugue that showcases deft counterpoint without ever losing its sense of ease. Whether or not Bach penned it himself, BWV 553 captures the architectural balance and rhythmic vitality that define the Bach circle, making it an ideal gateway into the world of contrapuntal writing.

While Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major was originally scored for organ (or keyboard), it has been made accessible in tonight’s version through the work of Roland L. Moehlmann, who expertly transcribed it for wind band. Moehlmann’s arrangement distributes Bach’s lines across the wind instrumentation, preserving the contrapuntal clarity and the flow of the original while creating rich sonorities in a modern concert band context.

His sensitivity to balancing voices makes the transcription feel natural rather than forced: melodies may pass from woodwinds to brass, and inner counter-melodies weave between sections, mimicking the layered textures of the organ while embracing the colors of a modern wind band.

Vincent Persichetti — Symphony No. 6, Op. 69
Persichetti’s Symphony No. 6 (1956) is a cornerstone of the wind band repertoire and a landmark in the genre’s evolution. Written with the composer’s characteristic blend of elegance, clarity, and rhythmic ingenuity, the symphony unfolds in four concise movements, each contributing a distinct character while maintaining a cohesive voice. It also represents the first significant use of thematic percussion writing in the repertoire for wind band.

From the fluid, open textures building from a horn solo accompanied by percussion in the opening movement to the introspective slow movement, the angular scherzo, and the propulsive finale, the symphony demonstrates Persichetti’s mastery of writing for winds. He blends lyricism and modern harmonic language with a transparency that allows every line to speak. The result is music that is at once architectural, expressive, and unmistakably mid-century American.

Persichetti’s experience as an organist played a meaningful role in shaping his musical language. As a young musician in Philadelphia, he served as a church organist, and the discipline of organ playing—its clarity of voicing, independence of line, and structural breadth—left an imprint on his compositional approach. Many listeners hear in his wind writing the same spaciousness, contrapuntal clarity, and resonance associated with the organ loft. His sensitivity to how lines stack, breathe, and resonate across a large ensemble reflects the formative influence of the instrument on his artistic voice.

Together, these works offer a rich interplay of tradition and innovation—from Baroque contrapuntal roots to the bold, confident voice of 20th-century American composition. We invite you to hear how musical ideas evolve, adapt, and resonate across time, creating a dialogue that is as vital today as ever.

Program Notes were generated using ChatGPT and adapted and edited for accuracy.

Flute
Alyssa Branon
Libby Dotterer
Elijah Ondrish
Allison Egts
Johnathan Robinson
Amanda Reed
Jenna Schumaker, Piccolo

Oboe
Grace Russell
Quentin O’Brien
Luke Bass, English Horn

Bassoon
Corbin Johns
Eleanor Margraf
Lorelei Wilkerson
Audrey Benson

Clarinet
Ryan Kramer
Andrew Sowders, E-flat
Morgan Thompson
Maelee Zerkle
Cee Costello
Chris Boyes
Jarod Reid
Brynlea Houser
Reagan Fairbanks
Jadyn Ochoa
Curtis Graham

Bass Clarinet
Elliot Bentley

Saxophone
James Stickler
Conor Lynch
Mitchell Daniel
Charli Carroll
Alex Dale
Ryan Williams

Horn
Emma Clement
Patrick Scully
Krystina Rodkey
Rowen Raynes
Ash Behn
Micky McMahon
Ella Jobe

Trumpet
Jack Mantonya, Co-principal
Eliana Peron, Co-principal
Lucas Vile
Bingcheng Li
Alex Preston
Jonathan Perez Blanco
Evan Picchioni
Evan Frank
Courtney Woerlein

Trombone
Connor Kirkner
Sky Spiriti
Kaitlyn Osborne
Christian Chang
Mason Armitage
Xander Soural

Euphonium
Zephyr McQuade
Zai Johnson
Hannah Crowe

Tuba
Jamie Chester
Alyssa Shimmel
Trey Reed
Mason Combs

Percussion
Josh Boyd
Ian Holdridge
Carson Van Gorder
Zion Bateman
Sarah Hertenstein
El Wisniewski
Emily Brand

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Thanks for attending this performance. If you have enjoyed your experience, please consider donating to the College of Musical Arts in support of our students and programming. Donate online at bgsu.edu/givecma, or call Karmen Concannon at 419-372-2424.

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Audience members are reminded to silence alarm watches, pagers and cellular phones before the performance. As a matter of courtesy and copyright law, no recording or unauthorized photographing is allowed. BGSU is a nonsmoking campus.