Henry M. Gunn High School Freshman Concert Band - Symphonic Band - Wind Ensemble

Arlington

Paul Murtha (b. 1960)

Subtitled “Where Giants Lie Sleeping," this powerful work provides a moving tribute to generations of American servicemen and women buried at Arlington National Cemetery, who selflessly served and sacrificed in defense of our country.

The majestic opening section, Memorial Gate, paints a musical portrait of the cemetery’s beauty and significance with solemn off-stage trumpet solos conveying a sense of honor and reflection. Remaining melodic material is drawn from My Country ‘Tis of Thee and God of Our Fathers as the piece conveys a range of emotions reflecting courage, strength, heroism, and sacrifice before reaching a poignant conclusion.

Composer, arranger Paul Murtha is a native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania where he studied jazz arranging with John Morris and music theory with Richard Napolitan. In 1983, Paul Murtha (b. 1960) earned a B.S. degree in Music Education (with a minor in Jazz Studies) from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. While at Duquesne, Paul studied jazz arranging with John Wilson and orchestration with Joseph Wilcox Jenkins.

A versatile composer-arranger, Paul is at ease in both professional and educational circles, and is in constant demand in and around Washington, D.C. Paul has written music for acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, Patti LaBelle, Kathy Mattea, Lou Rawls and Kenny Loggins, as well as Ken Burn’s “Music of the Civil War." He has also written extensively for some of the top high school and college marching bands in the country. Paul’s work with the National Symphony Orchestra includes arrangements for artists such as Trace Adkins, Jordin Sparks, Gloria Estefan, Gladys Knight, and Huey Lewis and the News, for nationally televised events including “A Capitol Fourth” and the “National Memorial Day Concert.”

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Soundtrack Highlights)

John Williams (b. 1932)

Arr. Michael Brown

This spectacular film release adds important new storylines and characters as well as exciting new musical themes to the epic Star Wars series. Many of the established and memorable themes that audiences know and love are also included to the delight of the many generations of fans that have grown up with this amazing movie phenomenon.

John Williams is an American composer who created some of the most iconic film scores of all time. He scored more than a hundred films, many of which were directed by Steven Spielberg.

Arranger Michael Brown is a native of New Orleans, LA. He earned his M.M. in Music Theory from The University of Texas at Austin and his B.M. in Music Theory from Furman University in Greenville, SC. Michael served as Chief Arranger for The United States Army Band ("Pershing's Own") in Washington, DC, having served previously as Chief Arranger for The United States Military Academy Band at West Point, NY. His arranging credits include: the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, UT, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC. Michael draws upon his experience as a college and high school band director, church orchestra director, and freelance trumpeter.

A Child's Lullaby

Robert Sheldon (b. 1954)

This piece is dedicated to Olivia Caldwell---a beautiful and charming little girl who was taken by cancer at the age of 20 months. Her grandparents commissioned this piece in her memory to recognize her sweetness, strength, and courage.

Robert Sheldon is a renowned openly gay composer and conductor. He has served on the faculty at Florida State University and holds a Masters Degree from University of Florida. An internationally recognized clinician, his music is performed around the world and frequently appears on many international concert and contest lists.

Purple Twilight

Robert Longfield (b. 1947)

January 28, 1986 - a date etches in our collective consciousness as clearly as that horrific fireball with its white cascading streamers was etched against a perfect morning sky. When the Space Shuttle Challenger roared into the heavens that day it carried with it the best of us - male, female, black, white, Japanese American, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant - American heroes who paid the price of progress with the ultimate sacrifice.

The Purple Twilight was written as a memorial to the crew of the Shuttle Mission 51-L, the “Challenger Seven” as they came to be known. Rather than mourn their tragic passing, it celebrates the spirit of adventure and romance which led them to reach for the stars.

For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;

Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails, Pilots of the purple twilight dropping down with costly bales;

Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rain'd a ghastly dew, From the nations' airy navies grappling in the central blue;

Far along the world-wide whisper of the south-wind rushing warm, With the standards of the peoples plunging thro' the thunder-storm;

Till the war-drum throbb'd no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.

Alfred LordTennsyon (from Locksley Hall)

Robert Longfield is an award-winning composer, conductor, arranger, and educator. Mr. Longfield has earned degrees in music education and music performance from the University of Michigan and the University of Miami.

Mr. Longfield's career as a music educator spanned 42 years in the public schools of Michigan and Florida. He was the band and orchestra director at Miami Palmetto Senior High for 27 years. He also served as Palmetto's Visual and Performing Arts Department chair.

Mr. Longfield is the recipient of the "Teacher of the Year" award from the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association and the "Mr. Holland Award" from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He has also been Palmetto Senior High School's "Teacher of the Year."

The composer, Robert Longfield was one of over 11,00 applicants for the Teacher in Space Program, an appointment ultimately awarded to Challenger astronaut Christa McAuliffe.

Canzon duodecimi toni

Sacre Symphoniae - Venice 1597

Giovanni Gabrieli (1557 - 1612)

Gunn Wind Ensemble Brass

Giovanni Gabrieli’s music has been regarded as some of the most representative and influential music of the Renaissance, with much of it still performed regularly. Gabrieli, who served as organist at the Basilica San Marco in Venice, Italy, from 1584 until his death in 1612, wrote for voices, instrumental ensembles, and organ. The Basilica, itself an architectural wonder, contains a main floor flanked by a balcony high above on either side. Gabrieli would often take advantage of this space by placing instrumental choirs in both balconies, performing his music antiphonally.

Gabrieli's works are dominated by contrast - contrast of space, of high and low voices, of forte and piano, of tutti and separate choirs - and by a love of sound for the sake of sheer sound. One of his favorite devices is building of a climax within a work by gradually increasing the rhythmic complexity. His harmonic treatment is also simple, with a modern diatonic feeling and a regularity of harmonic change unknown to 16th century music outside of dances.

Canzon duodecimi toni, from his Sacrae Symphoniae, uses two brass choirs which took full advantage of the space within the Basilica San Marco. Contrasting moments of majesty and introspection alternate within this work, creating a conversation between choirs and providing a unique and fascinating aural experience for the listener.

(anti)Fanfare

Andrew Blair (b. 1987)

Why should the brass get to play all of the fanfares? Andrew Blair's new work "(anti)Fanfare" is a thrilling and unique concert opener featuring woodwinds and brass.

Andrew Blair is a Conductor, Percussionist, and Composer from Charlotte, NC. Andrew graduated with Honors as a NC Teaching Fellow, Sudler Trophy winner, and Instrumental Performer of the Year from Western Carolina University in 2010 with a BSEd in Music Education. Since 2018, he has served as a graduate teaching assistant in the areas of conducting, percussion, and athletic bands at the University of Georgia.

Angels in the Architecture

Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)

Soprano - Angelina Fitzhugh

Angels in the Architecture was commissioned by Kingsway International and received its premiere performance at the Sydney Opera House on July 6, 2008, by a massed band of young musicians from Australia and the United States, conducted by Mathew George. The work unfolds as a dramatic conflict between the two extremes of human existence -- one divine, the other evil. The work's title is inspired by the Sydney Opera House itself, with its halo-shaped acoustical ornaments hanging directly above the performance stage.

Angels in the Architecture begins with a single voice singing a 19th-century Shaker song:

I am an angel of Light

I have soared from above

I am cloth'd with Mother's love.

I have come, I have come.

To protect my chosen band

And lead them to the promised land.

This "angel" -- represented by the singer -- frames the work, surrounding it with a protective wall of light and establishing the divine. Other representations of light, played by instruments rather than sung, include a traditional Hebrew song of peace ("Hevenu Shalom Aleichem") and the well-known 16th-century Genevan Psalter, Old Hundredth. These three borrowed songs, despite their varied religious origins, are meant to transcend any one religion, representing the more universal human ideals of peace, hope, and love. An original chorale, appearing twice in the work, represents my own personal expression of these aspirations.

Just as Charles Ives did more than a century ago, Angels in the Architecture poses the unanswered question of existence. It ends as it began: the angel reappears and sings the same comforting words. But deep below, a final shadow reappears -- distantly, ominously.

Frank Ticheli is an American composer of orchestral, choral, chamber, and concert band works. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where he is a Professor of Composition at the University of Southern California. He was the Pacific Symphony's composer-in-residence from 1991 to 1998, composing numerous works for that orchestra. A number of his works are particularly notable, as they have become standards in concert band repertoire.

Freshman Concert Band

Flute - Sophia Bian, Grace Gao, Leilani Griffin, Sophia Guibas, Jonathan Pan, Nikita Sane, Ethan Shih, Alyssa Tang

Clarinet - Jerry Guo, Sabrina Han, Kanaan Kuartei, Kira Kuartei, Noah Murase, Jiho Seo, Zsa Zsa Sperow

Bass Clarinet - Lynzee Clay, Josh Shin

Alto Saxophone - Alan Yue, Meni Gottesman, Ethan Hong, Neel Rangan, Daniel Zhang

Tenor Saxophone - Antonio Chang

Baritone Saxophone - Kunal Rajan

French Horn - Keegan Green, Alice Ouellette

Trumpet - Kaden Cho, Miles Heilman, Brian Lum, Lev Miller, Martin Moshfeghi, Taita Nakayama, Andreas Quertermous, Edward Wang, Zachary Wiener, Stephen Zhang

Euphonium - David Kim, Samuel Ren

Trombone - Ryan Fitzhugh, Shengkai Jiang, Nina Spasojevic

Tuba - Cyrus Silva Rezvani

Percussion - Joshua Aguirre Tapia, Nitzan Drori Retvizer, Elise Hu, Kingsley Jin, Winston Li, Rudra Pal, Randy Kwoun

Symphonic Band

Flute - Sara Dou, Camille Huynh, Asha Kannan, Jenny Lee, Fiona Li, Medha Mandal, Sophia Park, Ashley Seow, Zinna Shin, Ethan Shong, Nimisha Sivaraman, Linna Xia

Clarinet - Marc Chen, Julian Detering, Alison Li, Anika Seshadri, Reva Shah, Lulu Sperow, Syb van den Bedem, Angela Zhou

Bass Clarinet - Jason Liu, Andy Vega

Bassoon - Gregory Gurevich

Alto Saxophone - Katryn Ashley, Tyler Featherman, Cole Ford, Nikki Robison, Amelie Sarrazin, Isaac Zou

Tenor Saxophone - Nic Mejia, Emilia Roessig

Baritone Saxophone - Rohan Gupta

French Horn - Timon Cappella-Pimor, Elina Saab-Sunden

Trumpet - Chris Brown, Kyra Bryant, Zach Chin, Charlie Deggeller, Andre Delvaux, Kaden Fort, Cameron How, Eugene Hsieh, Axel Johnson, Adi Mittal, Audrey Norton

Trombone - Adi Lane, Joey Loeb, Timur Marcacci, Alex Peters, Quinton Sterling, Langston Wu, Destiny Xia

Euphonium - Emma Sachs

Tuba - Arthur Khang Tran, Nathan Kirner

Percussion - Michael Chow, Gregoire Figueiredo, Max Garcia Gutierrez, John Kaliko, Alisa Novitskaya

Wind Ensemble

Flute - Silvia Arjona Garcia, Christina Ding, Lillian Ding, Sarah Jung, Ingrid Lee, Ananya Madabhushi, Ashley Medina, Kate Nam, Miranda Olbrich, Conrad Wong

Oboe - Erica Norton

Clarinet - Rafi Barbier, Nate Boxer, Daniel Chen, Ryan Choi, Koharu Masuda, Nate Rodden, Yaara Tzadikario, Eric Wang, Leo Yao, Amelia Yu

Bass Clarinet - Dave Chen, Matthew Lee

Bassoon - Alex Kirner, John Phillips, Rohan Rao

Alto Saxophone - Theo Fong, Mackenzie Green

Tenor Saxophone - Noah Milivojevic

Baritone Saxophone - Joseph Xu

French Horn - Maya Glazer, Simon Illouz, Lukas Jelks, Issey Sone

Trumpet - Yu-Ting Chang, Hana Chang, Scott Hwang, Paul Kramer, Royce Lee, Galen Liu, Anika Smuts, Troy Woodley

Trombone - Felix Adams, Steve Cho, Wyatt Pedersen, Eric Wang, Zara Wang

Bass Trombone - Jonathan Yang

Euphonium - Aydan See

Tuba - Maxwell Chang, Jacob Liao

String Bass - Griffin Teller

Percussion - Eshan Gupta, Joseph Kim, Steven Li, Sawyer McKenna, Tyler Sheu, Maanasa Viswanath

Thank you!

As we conclude this evening's performance, we want to give our sincerest thanks to those who make music in the Palo Alto Unified School District possible.

Gunn Band and Orchestra Music Boosters

Booster Board Members

Greta Olbrich - President, Andrea Jelks – Treasurer, Catherine Phillips – Secretary, Claire Kirner – Membership, Elizabeth Lee – Publicity, Star Teachout - Volunteer Coordinator

TriM Music Honor Society (ushers and concert support) - Sandra Lewis, Advisor

Gunn Administration, Wendy Stratton - Principal

Kelly Martin, PAUSD VAPA Coordinator

Kari Johnson, PAUSD VAPA Administrative Assistant

Kyle Langdon, Supervisor of Theatre Facilities

Camille Kelly, Spangenberg Theatre Technician

Tonight's Parent Volunteers

Gunn Custodial Team