This evening’s concert featured The NOVA Alexandria Band, The Hammond Middle School 7th-8th Grade Band, The Modern Band Ensemble from George Washington Middle School, Trumpet soloist Denny Edelbrock, the Premier of “Splendiferous” by Matt Bandman and Area School Band and Orchestra Students in the grand finale!

Our first piece was, “Choose Joy” by Randall D. Standridge.  The work is part of the Unbroken Project,  created to bring awareness to mental health issues.  Standridge writes, “I live with depression. I am not afraid to say this. However, too many suffer in silence, shame, and fear. We must tear down these walls and normalize discussions about mental health issues. We owe it to each other.” – Randall Standridge, composer “unBroken.”

This uplifting work was furthered by our exciting second piece featuring our annual master of trumpet ceremonies, Denny Edlelbrock, performing Tico Tico by Zequinha de Abreu.  Dr. Eckstein explains, “It’s a Samba, which googled defines as a “Brazilian dance of African origin.””

Tico Tico incorporates a wonderful swaying rhythm backing the quick and flighting journey or our trumpet.  Denny is perfect for this work.  His expertise is renown.  The Washington Post described Denny as having “incredible technique” and performing with “reckless abandon.  As a member of the U.S. Army Band and White House concerts, televised events and concerts across the country.   In recent years, he has performed with the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballets, the New York Metropolitan Opera and recorded with the National Symphony, in addition to working with films scores for many famous films.

The third work of the night was Diamond Tide by Viet Cuong.  It’s a unique work that was inspired by scientists journey toward liquifying diamonds to help study the solar system. Nature Physics magazine explains, “extremely high pressure—40 million times the pressure we feel on Earth at sea level—is crucial to melt a diamond.

The extreme temperature and pressure used in this experiment are found Neptune and Uranus, and scientists therefore believe that seas of liquid diamond are possible on these two planets. Oceans of diamond may also account for these planets’ peculiar magnetic and geographic poles, which do not line up like they do here on Earth. Lastly, as the scientists were melting the diamonds, they saw floating shards of solid diamond forming in the pools—just like icebergs in our oceans. Imagine: distant planets with oceans of liquid diamond filled with bergs of sparkling solid diamonds drifting in the tide…

On Counts website, he explains, “These theories are obviously all conjecture, but this alluring imagery provided heaps of inspiration for Diamond Tide, which utilizes the “melting” sounds of metallic water percussion and trombone glissandi throughout.”

Our three percussionists helped make these sounds possible by using water in glass, triangles, and small cymbals.

Our 4th piece was Prelude in E-flate Minor, Op. 34, No 14 by Dmitri Shostakovich.  It’s part of a series of preludes that Shostakovich wrote to go around the circle of 5ths.

This piece was originally conceived for piano during the early 30’s to accompany the last act of the opera Lady Macbeth, and was later transcribed for band by Robert Reynolds.

Our next aural selection was “Play,” by Carl Holmquist.  A beautifully melodic flight that gathers instruments and sends us on our journey through the musical crowd and into a wonderfully textural  world.

Carl describes “Play,” as, “A simple tune emerges from the silence.  The music grows.  The vibrant city is being rebuilt.  We hear the rhythms of the second line.  The musicians are returning to Jackson Square.  This time, to celebrate new life!”

Dr. Eckstein explains, “Play! is the 4^th and last movement of a larger piece titled, “A New Orleans Symphony.” It incorporates a hymn titled “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” The piece represents the different stages of emotions the people of New Orleans went through when they had to deal with Hurricane Katrina. Play! It represents the celebration of new life and the rebuilding of the city.”

Percussion drives and continually accentuates the musical moments in the work.

The next musical work was from, “Selections from Encanto,”  by Lin-Manual Miranda with Joshua Redhelm conducting.

Joshua is a musician and educator based out of Alexandria, Virginia.  Currently he teaches at Ashlawn Elementary School in Arlington, VA and is a member of The NOVA Alexandria Band. He received his B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2014 where he studied trumpet with Dr. Kevin Eisensmith and played under the baton of Dr. Jack Stamp.  He id currently working on his M.M. in Music Education from Eastern Washington University.

Selections from Encanto is a lively mix of South American inspired Music written for the 2021 Disney Film Encanto.

Walt Disney Animation Studios describes the movie, “Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal-every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.” —Walt Disney Animation Studios

The next work of the evening was the world premier of “Splendiferous,” composed by Matt Bandman in 1998. The work was conducted by the composer himself!  Matt started his compositional journey in hight school at the Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, VA.  He has since received commission offers from Tuscarora High School, Northern Virginia Community College, where Matt is a current band member as the principle Alto saxophonist and current resident composer.

Matt’s musical inspiration  comes from his love of movie scores by the great film composers including John Williams, Hans Zimme, and John Powell.

He has also been influenced by living composers of band music including Robert Sheldon, the late Robert W. Smith, Randall Standridge, Brian Balmages, and Rossano Galante who has become one of his biggest mentors.

Splendiferous is reminds us of a circus march, for example It has whistels, horns, cowbells, noise makers, brake drums and so on…nothing with too much pitch at times.   The work beautifully integrates fun elements within his phrasings.

After the World Premier of his piece, Lisa provided Matt with a lovely picture of a circus tent and it was a gift to commemorate the premiere of his piece, “Splendiferous.”

After a short intermission we were able to enjoy the George Washington Middle School Modern Band Ensemble directed by Heather Rosner.  Heather is an award-winning teacher who has spent more than 20 years pioneering innovative practices in music pedagogy.  She believes music education should be available in a variety of meaning fun ways to every student in every community no matter their race, socioeconomic status, ability, or previous experience.  The musician own the George Washington Middle School Ensemble tonight are representing the Modern Music Program, which is being offered at the middle school level in ACPS for the first time this year.  Operating alongside the traditional band program at GWMS, this program focuses on contemporary genres of music, offering student an opportunity to play ukulele, guitar, bass guitar and drum set.

The second piece, Stand By Me was written by Ben E. King in 1961 and was wonderfully sung by Geovanny Chavez Palacio.

“When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
No, I won’t be afraid
Oh, I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand
Stand by me”

This Is Hammond’s first year in joining the band concert and the students are wonderfully talented!

The first work of their performance was “Lift Every Voice” by James Weldon Johnson.  This work is often regarded as the anthem for the Black Community and in respect the audience stood during it’s performance.

The Poetry Foundation, explains that JAMES WELDON JOHNSON, stated, “A  group of young men in Jacksonville, Florida, arranged to celebrate Lincoln’s birthday in 1900. My brother, J. Rosamond  Johnson, and I decided to write a song to be sung at the exercises. I wrote the words and he wrote the music. Our New York publisher, Edward B. Marks, made mimeographed copies for us, and the song was taught to and sung by a chorus of five hundred colored school children.
Shortly afterwards my brother and I moved away from Jacksonville to New York, and the song passed out of our minds. But the school children of Jacksonville kept singing it; they went off to other schools and sang it; they became teachers and taught it to other children. Within twenty years it was being sung over the South and in some other parts of the country. Today the song, popularly known as the Negro National Hymn, is quite generally used.
The lines of this song repay me in an elation, almost of exquisite anguish, whenever I hear them sung by Negro children.”

An American March by John Edmondson was executed wonderfully with its rhythmic side.  The chime accents were perfectly placed.

The next work was, “Iron Heart,” by Randall D. Standridge.  JW Pepper music publisher describes Iron Heart as, “All artists must call on an inner strength to devote themselves to their craft, and this work was inspired by that strength of will. The sounds of a beating heart, combined with metallic accents in the mallet percussion, brake drum, and China crash cymbal, create a uniquely industrial sound as the melody races through life’s obstacles before climaxing in a beautiful, triumphant fanfare.” JWPepper.com

Grand Finale featuring a combined performance  of school children from are elementary and middle schools with the NOVA Alexandria Band.

Our second to last piece of the night (March to Sunrise by Danielle Fisher), was part of the big Grand Finale featuring the NOVA Alexandria Band with students joining from area elementary and middle schools.

On his website, Danielle explains, “This piece is intended to provide a joyous and accessible option for a first march experience. The march shares its main theme with Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, movement 1 ‘Morning Mood’. You will need at least one player for each part listed (four players in the winds, and three percussionists). ” daniellefisher.net

Champion by Nathan Pereda, first premiered on February 27th, 2020 and was written specifically for all the young ladies and gentlemen who came to play with us for the Grand Finale of our 2020 Children’s Concert.

Nathan is an incredibly talented composer and French horn player and a former member of the NOVA Alexandria Band as well.  He explains, “I wanted to write something that sounded fun and was fund to play, as it’s important that we experience some of that while learning.”