UWA Wind Ensemble and Demopolis High School Band March 6, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Demopolis High School Auditorium

Cenotaph  | Jack Stamp (1992)

Some treasures are heavy with human tears | John Mackey (1973)

Summit | Kevin Day (1996)

Terpsichorean Dances | Jodie Blackshaw (2010)

The Walking Frog (1919/1993) | Karl King (1891-1971)/arr. Foster

Cenotaph (1992)

A cenotaph is a "statue or monument to a person not buried there." The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monuments are familiar examples of cenotaphs. This fanfare connotes a breathtaking structure such as one of these cenotaphs. After the explosive percussion introduction, the work begins with a five-part fugue. An accelerando leads to a layering of ostinatos including a 7/8 hemiola in the woodwinds. The fugue subject returns in augmentation and is harmonized in a chorale style. Cenotaph was commissioned by Mitchell Fennell and the California State University at Fullerton Bands for the 1992 Southern California All-State Band. (Stamp)

Some treasures are heavy with human tears (2021) begins with a simple motivic gesture: a rocking oscillation between flute and vibraphone that sounds akin to a lullaby. This principal motive carries throughout the piece, acting as the listener’s avatar through the emotional journey. A melody spins out from it, accompanied by ethereal ringing provided by crystal glasses and whirly tubes, and although the overall mood is one of melancholy, the atmosphere is also peaceful until a disorienting fog of trombone glissandi passes over. The songlike melody continues, at times abruptly shifting from the resigned mood of the home key of G minor to the distantly bright C major, evoking a fleeting remembrance of a more hopeful spirit, before just as quickly dissipating back. The simplicity of the opening returns, but this time fuller, with more voices joining before the glissando cloud returns (this time augmented by timpani), ushering in a new mood: confusion. The opening gesture reemerges, ceaselessly rocking in a rhythmic nature, oblivious to a building torment in the surrounding harmonies which become brasher and angrier as the piece approaches its dramatic climax. The apex of the piece is a wail, acknowledging the reality of the trauma in a moment of agony bordering on rage. This too, however, subsides, and the peacefulness of the beginning of the work returns to stay with one exception: as the final phrase of the work cadences and the last tones decay, a single muted trumpet rises from the silence in a bright flash and is suddenly extinguished. (Jacob Wallace)

Summit (2020) is an energetic work that was commissioned by the Indiana Bandmasters Association. The composition depicts a group of individuals working together as a team to forge its way up the face of a mountain, dealing with steep cliffs and chilling winds, eventually working its way to the very top. (Day)

Terpsichorean Dances (2010)

Michael Praetorius (1571-1621), German composer and archivist, was fanatical about recording the details of the many countries he visited, with a focus on the kind of music and musical instruments he encountered. The culmination of this fascination was his three-volume treatise Syntagma Musicum, a compendium of information on German music, musical instruments, and performance practice. But much more well-known today is Praetorius’s 1612 collection of 312 dances from the royal courts of France, known as Terpsichore, named for the Greek muse of dance. These dances were not composed by Praetorius; instead, he recorded and harmonized the melodies into three, four, five, and sometimes even six parts in order to avoid their imminent extinction. In my setting for concert band, three dances from the collection are featured: Springtanz, Leaping Dance; Der Lautenspieler, the Lute Player; and Der Schutzenkönig, the Archer King. To favor Praetorius’s infatuation with different musical instruments, this setting employs a variety of colors, and features the soloist and sections alike. Performers are invited to play in an animated nature to reinforce the strong sense of pulse required in all dance music. And though we are sure the lagerphone was unknown to Praetorius, we are equally sure he would have delighted in its joyous jangle! This piece is dedicated to all of the students enrolled in the St. Patrick's College Band Program, Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia, from 1999 to 2002. Their infectious enthusiasm, unwavering support, and raw talent will always be an inspiration to me. (Blackshaw)

The Walking Frog (1919/1993)

This ragtime two-step was written to accompany the clown act of Baker and Dazell as they walked around in frog costumes. The piece is lighthearted and very catchy, and is best performed at a tempo under the typical march tempo of 120 bpm. It makes extensive use of trombone glisses, and the wood block adds a playful character during the trio.

• March 11, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | West Alabama Marching Band | Auxiliary Audition Clinic (click for application)
• April 1, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | West Alabama Marching Band | Auxiliary Auditions
• April 7, 11:00 a.m. | UWA Wind Ensemble | Host performance for Concert Honor Band Festival (open to the public) @ UWA Auditorium
• April 7-8 | UWA Concert Honor Band Festival | For high school/middle school band students - Application deadline: March 1 | Click here for HS application - Click here for MS application
• April 22, 9:00 - 6:00 p.m. | West Alabama Marching Band | Drumline Audition Clinic
• April 25, 7:00 p.m. | UWA Wind Ensemble | Concert @ UWA Auditorium
• June 10-12 | West Alabama Marching Band | Drumline Audition Camp