On March 5, 2011 I had the pleasure of attending the Concord Band Winter Concert,
“New and Blue.” The Concord Band played a variety of lush and dramatic music, loosely
tied together with a “blue” theme, under the direction of James O’Dell and Steven
Barbas. The sound was polished and the audience seemed riveted with the selections,
from the blue notes in “Three Jazz Moods” and Porgy and Bess to the Blue Seas in
Vaughan Williams’ “Sea Songs.”
Fruitlands Overture premiered last summer for the 25th anniversary of the Band’s summer
performances at Fruitlands Museums, and it opened this program. Composer Bill
McManus was Music Director of the Concord Band for fifteen of those years. In his
spirited overture, he pays homage to the diversity of music performed there. He includes
a samba rhythm, a swing section, jazz harmonies and blue notes, as well as trumpet and
saxophone solos, often featured with the band. The tempo at the end of the overture
accelerates, and anyone who has been to a Fruitlands concert can tell you why: the
mosquitoes! As the sun goes down, there is a mad dash to grab your instrument or picnic
blanket, and retreat to your car’s safety!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Assistant Conductor Steven Barbas
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Steven Barbas Assistant Conductor |
Prior to working in Waltham, Mr. Barbas was director of bands in Bedford, MA. Under his direction, the Bedford High School Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band consistently received Superior and Excellent ratings at festivals. He has conducted and played in countless pit orchestras and has appeared onstage in several community theatre productions. He has served as a cantor in several parishes in the Boston area and has written and arranged a number of compositions for liturgical use. Mr. Barbas has been a member of the Concord Band since 2004, and is very excited to be working with the Band as Assistant Conductor.
2011 Winter Concert
New and Blue
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Concord Band
James O’Dell, Music Director
Steven Barbas, Assistant Conductor
Program | |
Steven Barbas conducting | |
Fruitlands Overture | Dr. William G. McManus |
James O’Dell Conducting | |
Selections from Porgy and Bess | George Gershwin; arr. Bennett |
Twilight of the Gods | Andrew Boysen, Jr. |
Massachusetts première, commissioned by a consortium organized by the Western and Northwestern Divisions of the College Band Directors National Association, including the Concord Band | |
Intermission | |
Firework! | Jan Van der Roost |
Sea Songs | Ralph Vaughan Williams |
Three Jazz Moods | John Lewis; arr. Phillips |
Colours | Roger Cichy |
|
Read all notes for this program...
Selections from Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin’s folk opera Porgy and Bess was first performed by
the Theater Guild in Boston and New York in 1935 and its revival in
1942 enjoyed the longest run of any revival in Broadway musical history
at that time. Selections from Porgy and Bess for Concert Band
was arranged by master musical theater arranger and American composer
Robert Russell Bennett. Bennett is credited with creating the
“Broadway sound” recognized throughout the world, orchestrating
over 200 Broadway shows spanning three decades. (Source: JRO)
Fruitlands Overture
Fruitlands Overture by Dr. William G. McManus (Concord Band Music
Director Emeritus) was written for the Concord Band in celebration
of its 25th anniversary season of summer concerts at Fruitlands Museum
in Harvard, Massachusetts. Opening with an exciting fanfare and
including a variety of different styles from symphonic band music to
jazz, this lively mixed-meter overture captures the festive outdoor flavor
of the Concord Band’s long-standing summer series at the Museum.
The repeating descending ostinato in the slow middle section
depicts the setting sun which occurs during each Fruitlands concert.
The overture was premiered on June 30, 2010, at the Silver Anniversary
concert at Fruitlands, with Dr. McManus conducting. (Source: JRO)
Twilight of the Gods
Twilight of the Gods is a programmatic work depicting the story of
Ragnarok from Scandinavian mythology. The 2010 commission consortium,
with 26 university and community bands, was organized by
the Western and Northwestern divisions of the College Band Directors
National Association. University of New Hampshire professor and
composer Andrew Boysen Jr. created this exciting and dynamic piece
for symphonic band. The story starts with a relentless winter leading to
a series of civil wars across the earth, and concluding with a great battle
between the gods and their adversaries, resulting in their deaths and
the destruction of the earth. The earth then rises once more, new gods
take control of the heavens, and the human race is born again through
two survivors. (Source: JRO)
Firework!
Jan Van der Roost is internationally known as a seasoned,
prolific Dutch composer of contemporary concert band works. His vast
compositional output encompasses a wide variety of musical genres
and styles. This short and exciting fanfare reflects the power and virtuosity
of the modern concert band. Opening with woodwind and brass
sections alternating introductory material, the work quickly launches
into a short, joyful theme and resulting harmonic conversations. The
beautiful bass drum punctuates the ending of this work. (Source: JRO)
Sea Songs
Sea Songs is one of the simpler works by Ralph Vaughan Williams,
and was written for British military band in 1924. The composer loved
the folk song heritage of his native land. He also knew the English sailing
songs and he used three in Sea Songs: “Princess Royal,” “Admiral
Benbow,” and “Portsmouth.” The form is ABCA, and the scoring is
direct. (Source: Band Music Notes, Norman Smith and Albert Stoutamire)
Colours
Colours by Roger Cichy was commissioned by the Kansas State University
Bands, written in 1997, and premiered on May 10 of that year,
with the composer conducting at KSU. Each of the six movements
(Amber, Dark Jade, Blue Sapphire, Mauve, Dark Ivy, and Burgundy
Red) go beyond the color itself, deeply delving into the symbolic
meaning and “musical” pigment of each color. Each movement creates
an impression of the color itself. Several movements employ jazz style,
inflection, and harmony. Roger Cichy was guest conductor and commissioned
composer for the 50th anniversary Concord Band celebration
in 2009, conducting his outstanding commission Flowing Pens
from Concord. (Source: JRO)
Three Jazz Moods
Three Jazz Moods is based on Three Little Feelings by Modern Jazz
Quartet music director and pianist John Lewis. Notable composer and
conductor Gunther Schuller served as president of the New England
Conservatory of Music from 1967-1977, and in the late 1950’s coined
the term “Third Stream Music” to describe the fusion or synthesis of
classical and jazz music. This work reflects the colors, sonorities, and
feel of the music of composer/pianist Gil Evans and his musical collaborations
with Miles Davis and “Birth of the Cool” sessions in the
mid 1950’s. (Source: JRO)
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