Loading

42nd Annual SOTA Catholic Band Competition

February 18th, 2023

Providence Catholic High School

Zachary Zielinski and Jeremy Eberhard - Directors

Shannon Haak - Assistant Directors

Concert Band

Orion by Jan Van der Roost

There are all sorts of marches: fast and slow, solemn and energetic, military and civil, procession and funeral. Orion is a so-called ‘slow march’. However the moderate tempo does not make a passive or heavy impression. On the contrary, this march contains natural optimism and spontaneity. The persistent ‘pulse’ gives this majestic march a noble character. - Van der Roost

Imaginarium by Randall Standridge

Inside every person, there is a place where creativity dwells. Gears turn, dreams flow, and ideas spark into life. This idea factory or “Imaginarium” is the place that every creative person goes to, again and again, to find their muse, flesh out ideas, and exert change on the world around them. This piece is dedicated to all of the dreamers who see more in the world than is actually there, who see possibilities where others see only dead ends, and who believe in creation rather than destruction. This one’s for you.

It is comprised of four sections: “Sparks” where ideas begin to germinate; “The Cloud Factory,” which represents the daydreamy zone where one imagines endless possibilities (with my best nod Eric Satie as well), “Here, There be Monsters…” is that moment of panic or nightmare that all creative people feel when self-doubt sets in and the task seems too monumental to overcome; a brief recapitulation to “Sparks” before “Eurkea!” the idea is fully realized! - Standridge

Wind Ensemble

Xerxes by John Mackey

“Xerxes” takes its name from Xerxes the Great, the King of Persia from 485 to 465 BC. The music, unexpectedly, is a concert march. Whereas most marches for concert band — at least the ones with which I’m familiar — are cheerful and in many cases patriotic (usually either American or British), I wanted to write a sort of anti-march: an angry, nasty march, that still follows the traditional structure one would expect from a military march.

Xerxes, as the music hopefully suggests, was one of your nastier rulers, even by ancient standards. (His claim to “fame” was invading and burning Athens to the ground.) Xerxes was assassinated by Artabanus, who in turn was murdered by Xerxes’ son, Artaxerxes I.

It was, to put it lightly, a violent time. What better subject matter for a march? - Mackey

Of Our New Day Begun by Omar Thomas

“Of Our New Day Begun” was written to honor nine beautiful souls who lost their lives to a callous act of hatred and domestic terrorism on the evening of June 17, 2015, while worshipping in their beloved sanctuary, the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (affectionately referred to as “Mother Emanuel”) in Charleston, South Carolina. My greatest challenge in creating this work was walking the line between reverence for the victims and their families, and honoring my strong, bitter feelings towards both the perpetrator and the segments of our society that continue to create people like him. I realized that the most powerful musical expression I could offer incorporated elements from both sides of that line - embracing my pain and anger while being moved by the displays of grace and forgiveness demonstrated by the victims’ families.

Historically, black Americans have, in great numbers, turned to the church to find refuge and grounding in the most trying of times. Thus, the musical themes and ideas for “Of Our New Day Begun” are rooted in the Black American church tradition. The piece is anchored by James and John Johnson’s time-honored song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (known endearingly as the “Negro National Anthem”), and peppered with blues harmonies and melodies. Singing, stomping, and clapping are also prominent features of this work, as they have always been a mainstay of black music traditions, and the inclusion of the tambourine in these sections is a direct nod to black worship services. - Omar Thomas

Special Thanks to...

Kyle Baltzer and the entire PCHS Band Family for hosting such a fantastic event!

The Brother Rice and Mother McAuley faculty, staff, and administration

All the family and friends of the BRMM Band... we wouldn't be here without your support!

Credits:

Created with images by angelo.gi - "macro photo of a music sheet " • Rob Laughter - "Snapped this pic while shooting a production at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, NC." • Bruno Pego - "untitled image" • Rajesh Kavasseri - "7 PM, Christmas Eve 2017. Family night. Our kids played the flute for us. I wanted to capture the moment as the notes melted and blurred away into soft glow of the Christmas tree."