Beginner Band Program Notes

American Spirit March by John Higgins is written with patriotic flair and plenty of solid ensemble scoring. Short features and fanfares make this a wonderful piece for young bands.

John Higgins is currently a free-lance composer, arranger, and producer for the educational divisions of Hal Leonard LLC, the nation's largest publisher of printed music. He began in the music field as the student arranger for the University of Michigan Band under Dr. William D. Revelli and gained invaluable experience as a public school music teacher in suburban Chicago. In addition to his writing and producing activities, he maintains a role in music education as a guest conductor, clinician, and author.

Jellybeans by Gary Gazlay was primarily written as a fun song for younger students and as a means by which the composer could use the syllables in "Jellybeans" to teach a corresponding rhythm. The composer chose the title because most children of all ages liked to eat jellybeans.

Gary Gazlay grew up in Pinellas County, Florida, and began studying piano at the age of five. He attended Maderia Beach Jr. High School (Paul T. Nicholson - director) and Seminole High School (Edward J. McSheehey - director), and the positive influence of both of these men on his life is the reason he chose a career as a music teacher. In 1970, through the encouragement of his high school band director, he entered and won the Florida Bandmasters Association's Henry Fillmore Composition Award.

Mr. Gazlay attended the University of South Florida and studied French Horn with Douglas Hill and Ward Fern. After graduating from college in 1974, he moved to Madison, Florida, and began his teaching career in the Madison County Florida Public School System, where he has taught music for the past 32 years at the adult, high school, middle school, and elementary levels. In 1979, the Madison High School Band was selected and performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He currently is teaching instrumental and general music at Madison County Central School located in Madison, Florida, and is also a music coordinator at a local church in his community.

Mr. Gazlay is a member of ASCAP, MENC, Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Music Educators' Association, The National Band Associaton, and Pi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Bandroom Boogie by Michael Sweeney is a great blues tune for young bands. This original has a bluesy sound using quarter notes and half notes. Every section of the band gets a brief feature before the rousing full band finish.

Michael Sweeney is currently Director of Band Publications for Hal Leonard LLC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is directly responsible for the development, production, recording, and marketing of new publications for school bands. In addition, he contributes as a composer and arranger in all instrumental areas and is particularly known for his writing at the younger levels for concert and jazz band. Since joining the company in 1982, Hal Leonard has published over 500 of Michael's compositions and arrangements.

Mr. Sweeney is a 1977 graduate of Indiana University where he earned a bachelor's degree in music education and studied composition with Bernard Heiden, John Eaton, and Donald Erb. Prior to working for Hal Leonard, he was a band director in Ohio and Indiana, working with successful concert, jazz, and marching programs at all levels from elementary to high school.

Heritage by Michael Story is a bright overture with a slightly martial and patriotic feel.

Michael Story has written extensively for college, high school, junior high school, and elementary school bands as well as for professional groups including the Houston Pops Orchestra. Adept at writing for all levels, he is most known for his numerous publications for young concert and marching bands.

Mr. Story holds bachelor and master degrees in Music Education from the University of Houston, where he served as assistant director of the UH Cougar Marching Band under the leadership of Dr. William Moffit. His first piece was published by Studio P/R of Lebanon, Indiana when he was only 20 years old. Mr. Story has been an exclusive writer for Columbia Pictures Publications, CPP/Belwin, and Warner Bros. Publications. Currently a full-time writer with Alfred Music, he has over 1,200 compositions and arrangements published for concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, solos, and ensembles.

Symphonic Band Program Notes

Bounty Hunter is a popular piece of music from the video game Advent Rising. This version was originally performed by Video Games Live.

Robert Sheldon has taught instrumental music in the Florida and Illinois public schools and has served on the faculty at Florida State University where he taught instrumental music education classes, conducting, and directed the university bands. Following seventeen years as Director of Concert Band Publications for Alfred Music, he now maintains an active composition and conducting schedule, regularly accepting commissions for new works. Sheldon received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Miami and the Master of Fine Arts in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Florida. In 2020, VanderCook College of Music presented him with an honorary Doctorate in Music Education.

The Oncoming Storm by Mekel Rogers uses a variety of modern harmonies, percussion colors, and rhythmic ideas to depict the sudden and unpredictable behavior of an oncoming storm.

Mekel Rogers has been involved in music education as a middle school band director since 1995. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Appalachian State University, a charter member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, and the founding conductor of the Union Symphony Youth Orchestra. He currently serves as the director of bands for Weddington Middle School in Union County, North Carolina. Mekel was inducted into the American School Band Directors Association in 2008. Mekel frequently serves as a guest clinician at various honor band clinics and university invitationals. He is also a respected adjudicator for many concert band and marching band events. His compositions have been performed at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and at various concert band festivals, honor band clinics, and other music educator conferences throughout the United States. Mekel resides in North Carolina with his wife and daughter.

Acropolis by Matthew Putnam depicts one of the most famous ancient archaeological sites in the world, located on a limestone hill high above Athens, Greece. Over the centuries, the Acropolis has been a home to kings, a citadel, a religious center, and a tourist attraction. It has withstood bombardment, massive earthquakes, and vandalism, yet still stands as a proud reminder of the rich history of Greece.

Matthew Putnam is a North Carolina native who is a band and choral director, composer, arranger, and educator. He received his B.A. in Music Education from Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. He's been teaching music in the North Carolina public school system for 27+ years. Matt also holds professional membership in both ASCAP and NAfME. Currently, he is the director of bands and Polk County Middle School in Mill Spring, North Carolina, and also the director of music at Bethany Baptist Church in Forest City, North Carolina. Matt was selected as the Polk County Middle School Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year. Over the course of his career, Matt has written hundreds of custom arrangements and compositions for middle school, high school, and college bands across the country. Matt also enjoys being an active drill designer for marching bands. Matt Putnam is deeply devoted to music, his students, his community, and his family.

Honors Band Program Notes

The Star Wars Saga brings together memorable titles from the Star Wars series of films. Titles include Star Wars (Main Title); Cantina Band; The Imperial March; Across the Stars; and Battle of Heroes.

John Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career that has spanned seven decades, he has composed some of the most popular, recognizable, and critically acclaimed film scores in cinematic history. Williams has won 25 Grammy Awards, seven British Academy Film Awards, five Academy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. He has earned 52 Academy Award nominations, second only to Walt Disney. Williams has composed music for the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T., the first two Home Alone films, the Indiana Jones films, the first two Jurassic Park films, Schindler's List, and the first three Harry Potter films. He has composed the scores for nine of the top 25 highest-grossing films at the U.S. box office. He has also composed numerous classical concertos and other works for orchestral ensembles and solo instruments.

Kyiv, 2022 is Brian Balmages' sequel to Moscow, 1941. This work was composed in the first weeks of the Russian invasion into Ukraine, during which time the entire world saw senseless tragedy, humanitarian crises, and incredible heroism and passion from the Ukranian people. The main theme from Moscow, 1941, based on the Russian folk song "Meadowlands", becomes the aggressor theme in Kyiv, 2022, while the people of Ukraine are represented by the Ukrainian National Anthem and the powerful song "Prayer for Ukraine."

Brian Balmages is an award-winning composer and conductor. His music has been performed throughout the world with commissions ranging from elementary schools to professional orchestras. World premieres include prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. He is a recipient of the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest with his work Love and Light, and was awarded the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Visual and Performing Arts. In the same year, he was commissioned by his other alma mater, the University of Miami, to compose music for the inauguration of the institution’s 6th president, Dr. Julio Frenk. ​

As a conductor, Mr. Balmages enjoys regular engagements with all-state and region bands and orchestras, as well as university and professional ensembles throughout the world. Notable guest conducting appearances have included the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, College Band Directors Conference, American School Band Directors Association National Conference, numerous state ASTA conferences, and others. Additional conducting appearances have included the Kennedy Center and Meyerhoff Symphony Hall as well as band and orchestra engagements in Australia, Canada, and Italy. Currently, he is Director of Instrumental Publications for The FJH Music Company and Assistant Director of Bands and Orchestras at Towson University.

Arabian Dances tells the story of a group of nomads, who, after a long day's journey, have set up camp for the evening. As the sun casts its final searing rays on the desert landscape, a campfire roars to life and the celebration begins. As the sky darkens, the festivities grow wilder and wilder until eventually, three groups of revelers take turns dancing at the edge of the fire, each trying to outdo the other. Finally, the entire tribe joins, dancing wildly for hours until the campfire dims and morning grows near.

Dr. Roland Barrett is currently a member of the music theory faculty at the University of Oklahoma. He joined the theory department in the fall of 2001 after serving the previous 16 years as assistant director of bands. In addition to teaching various undergraduate and graduate-level music theory courses, Dr. Barrett continues his role as music arranger for the famed Pride of Oklahoma marching band.

Dr. Barrett is a nationally recognized composer and arranger, with over 100 published original works and arrangements for symphonic bands, various chamber ensembles, and marching bands. His compositions have received numerous performances at The Midwest Clinic, and are regularly programmed by all-state and all-region bands. Dr. Barrett is a three-time recipient of the annual ASCAPlus award and is a former recipient of the Michael Hennagin memorial scholarship in composition at the University of Oklahoma.