Featuring the NOVA Alexandria Band & Dennis Edelbrock, trumpet soloist,  music faculty from Radford University, and the Alexandria City High School Wind Ensemble.

Brain Balmages’ Pride of the Clipper opened up the evening!

This was soon followed by Carrie Sullivan conducting the National Emblem March, written by E.E. Bagley.  The march was create for the Wheeler’s Band, in 1902.  The Band, originally from Bellow’s Falls Vermont, was on tour, when Bagley wrote the work, incorporating the first notes of The Star-Spangled Banner.
To enjoy the piece, click the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm7sRPl1eHw

Our Next guest conductor, Maximo Ronquillo Jr., is the Co-Founder/President and Artistic Director of the Guam Philharmonic Foundation, who conducted ‘Dusk’ by Steven Bryant.

According to Wind Band Literature:

The commissioned ‘Dusk’, according to Andrew Gekoskie, conductor of the Langley High School Wind Symphony, is a, “chorale-like work,” which,  “captures the reflective calm of dusk, paradoxically illuminated by the fiery hues of sunset. I’m always struck by the dual nature of this experience, as if witnessing an event of epic proportions silently occurring in slow motion. Dusk is intended as a short, passionate evocation of this moment of dramatic stillness.”

The band then picked up the pace with Michael Ciacchino’s main theme from The Incredibles and Alex Chapiro’s Tight Squeeze.

The Bands finale was Harry James’ amazing Concerto for Trumpet featuring the legendary Denny Edelbrock!  In recent years, Edelbrock has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Bolshoi and Kirov ballets, the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, the Royal Spanish Ballet, the Kennedy Center Orchestra with whom he performed the world’s first web-cast as soloist in Handel’s “Messiah”, the Washington Opera, and the National Symphony Orchestra with whom he has recorded.

Harry James, the composer is best known for his Big Band compositions and hollywood screen time which featured the band for numerous films.

All of this in just the first half of the concert!  The Radford University Music Faculty took to the stage beginning with Robert Trent on guitar, performing Koyunbaba – mvt. IV Presto by Carlo Domeniconi.

Trombonist Baryl Burnett and pianist, Wayne Gallops performed Sammy Nestico’s Reflective Mood, Duke Ellington’s Take the A Train and Gordon Jacob’s Concerto for Trombone – mvt. III

Matthew Cataldi  rounded out Radford’s programing with a stunning  interpretive variation  of Chopin’s Preludes, in popular style.  According to the Radford University website, “As a composer and arranger, he enjoys bridging the classical and popular worlds, creating and presenting exciting new music that caters to his unique background and interests. Recent compositions and premiers include: “Variations and Fugue on a theme by Led Zeppelin” – a classical set of variations on the iconic rock song “Stairway to Heaven”, “Hail to the King” – a virtuosic medley of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, and his most recent project, “24 Preludes in Popular Style after Chopin” – a transcription project that arranges all of Chopin’s Op.28 Preludes in a variety of popular styles, intended to introduce elements of popular music to classical piano students while equipping them with the tools and vocabulary necessary to navigate a diverse range of musical styles. His Preludes will be published and released on Albany Records in the fall of 2022”

Finally the baton was handed off to  award winning teacher, Timothy Grant, Director of the Alexandria City High School Wind Ensemble!

They performed, Sousa’s Battalion March.

Then brought us Clifton Williams’ Caccia and Choral and finally Khan by Julie  Giroux.

March 3rd, 2022 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center.

Thanks so everyone for coming and for you support!