John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor, often referred to as the “American March King.” He began his musical career on the violin and at the age of thirteen, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as an apprentice. He became head of the U.S. Marine Band in 1880 and remained its conductor for the next twelve years.
King Cotton was written in 1895 for the Cotton States Exposition. It received such popularity that it was named the official march of the Exposition.
Atlanta newspapers carried rave reviews of the band’s performance. The band is a mascot. It has pulled many exhibitions out of financial ruts. Sousa’s latest march, King Cotton, has proved a winner. It has been heard from one end of Dixie to the other and has aroused great enthusiasm and provided a fine advertisement for the Exposition.
Nicole Piunno is an American composer and trumpet player. She holds a doctor of musical arts degree in composition and a master of music degree in theory pedagogy from Michigan State University. Piunno views music as a vehicle for seeing and experiencing the realities of life. Her music often reflects the paradoxes in life and how these opposites are connected as they weave together.
Solace Dance was written in 2016. Piunno writes,
While at the Art Institute of Chicago, I spent a good amount of time with the works of Van Gogh. There was one particular painting of an outdoor scene that caught my attention. While engaging with this work I remember saying to myself: “This is solace.” I often think it takes work and seeking to find solace, as it does not always come to us naturally. In this work I imagined a person dancing her way to experiencing this sense of peace.
Percy Aldridge Grainger was an Australian-born composer, pianist and saxophone player. He was an innovative musician who developed a style of orchestration unlike any other composer of his time.
Australian Up-Country Tune was written in 1930. It is based on the composer’s Up-Country Song, written for unaccompanied and wordless voice. In the tune, Grainger had written, “I had wished to voice an Australian up-country feeling as Stephen Foster had with American country-side feelings in his songs.”
Pedro Itullrade was a Spanish saxophonist and composer who is considered a pioneer of Spanish jazz music. He graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid where he studied clarinet, piano, and harmony.
The czarda is a popular Hungarian dance in binary form, often characterized by a variation in tempo. It begins slowly and ends in a very fast tempo. It is danced by a male and female, with the female wearing a traditional wide skirt, which takes on a distinctive shape as it twirls. Pequeña czardas (Little Dance) is a virtuoso solo piece for saxophone and piano written in 1949. Roger Niese transcribed this solo for saxophone and winds in 2005.
Pierre LaPlante is an American composer of French Canadian descent. He received his bachelor and master of music degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
American Riversongs was written in 1991 and was commissioned by the 1988–89 Oberlin High School Band. The piece contains four movements to be played without pause: “Down the River,” “Shenandoah,” “The Glendy Burk,” and “Creole Bamboula.” LaPlante writes regarding American Riversongs,“This marvelous work is a moving tribute to an earlier time, when our rivers and other waterways were the lifelines of our growing nation.”
Ben Robichaux is an American composer and teacher. He received his doctor of musical arts degree in composition from the University of Georgia. His compositions include works for orchestra, wind ensemble, choir, string quartet, solo piano, electronics, and several chamber ensemble combinations. Dr. Robichaux currently teaches music technology and audio engineering at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
Confronting Chaos was written in 2022. Robichaux writes,
Confronting Chaos catalogs different types of hardships that communities face together. While I envisioned the specific struggles of my own community when writing these movements, I hope the overall narrative of the piece is relatable to everyone.
The opening movement, titled “Prelude,” acts as a dark and reluctant introduction. The movement is a reflection of the entire work’s bleak and tumultuous aesthetic. Movement 2, titled “The Greater Good,” was influenced by our exhausting shared battle with the coronavirus pandemic. In this movement, the opposing force is the virus, which is a somewhat abstract enemy. In dealing with this enemy, however, opposition is created within a community that is attempting to deal with the disease collectively, while sharing contrasting viewpoints and priorities. This movement contains moments of triumph achieved in unconventional ways that demonstrate that when a community faces a common enemy it also has to deal with unpleasant internal conflict.
Movement 3, titled “Restoration,” is a depiction of a community in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster. As a south Louisiana native, I have experienced this in the wake of major hurricanes. Upon returning from evacuating from Hurricane Ida in 2021, there was a haunting and desolate calmness. Entire towns were destroyed, but significant generosity got the area back on its feet. I have found that natural disasters trigger an innate good in people, leading them to go above and beyond for their community members. This movement seeks to capture the desolation left behind by nature’s destruction but also celebrates the triumph of collective kindness.
Movement 4, titled “Non-Compliance,” is a more aggressive take on communal teamwork. While on paper it is “wrong” to disobey our superiors in our society, it can be morally righteous to do so, especially when dealing with unreasonable or vindictive politicians or with power-hungry law enforcement. Oftentimes a community has to be repaired from within, and dismantling injustice perpetrated by individuals that we should trust is a difficult but necessary step. The movement is the most conflicted in the piece, but the resolution creates a release of tension that ultimately leads to a triumphant conclusion.
Fanfare Politeia is an homage to the origins of our democracy, and to the ancient sources that Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Adams drew from in their conceiving and writing our Constitution. “Politeia” is a Greek word derived from “polis” (city). Aristotle used the term to represent concepts such as citizens' rights and constitutional government, while Plato's examination of justice – a book which we now call The Republic, in English – was actually entitled Politeia in the original Greek.
Commissioned by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band for the 59th Presidential Inauguration, Fanfare Politeia celebrates our traditions of a free and fair election, and of a peaceful transfer of power.
Augenblick, for wind ensemble, tape, and real-time signal processing, is a study on the idea of the “instant.” I have always liked the German word for instant (or moment), Augenblick, which literally translates to “the glimpse of an eye.” The piece originated in the summer of 2008 while I was studying music composition and the German language in Berlin, Germany.
Augenblick moves through different concepts of the “instant” as it unfolds. The opening derives from two dually developing types of music, ambient and brutal, and instantaneously shifts between the two sound worlds. The middle section of the work uses the idea of a captured “instant” by recording short segments of the ensemble in real-time. In this section, the short, recorded segments immediately begin playing in reverse after they are sampled. This creates a musical flow that moves both forward and backward simultaneously in a sort of quasi-canon. The piece concludes with the idea of the “instant” as repetition, both in the electronics and the ensemble.
Augenblick was commissioned by Cynthia Johnston Turner and the Cornell University Wind Ensemble.
The character of Guignol was created at the beginning of the nineteenth century by a dentist in Lyon, France, who attracted customers to his chair by presenting puppet shows. The verbally adept puppet characters were based on those of the Italian commedia dell’arte, and the stories were relevant to the social concerns of the day, so the shows attracted adults as well as children. The scenarios inevitably ended with the clever and courageous Guignol defeating evildoers.
The satirical music of the concerto epitomizes the witty banter and frenetic action of a puppet show, with the soloist playing the part of the comic hero. The titles of the three movements provide a general description of the mood and character of the music though not a specific plot or program. Listeners may imagine their own scenarios suggested by the titles: Disputes, A Strange Occurrence In the Night, and Running Amok.
Guignol was commissioned by conductor J. Thomas Seddon IV and the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse for bassoonist Richard Hoenich. The concerto was completed in December of 2016 and was premiered on April 23, 2017, by soloist Hoenich and the UWL Wind Ensemble conducted by Dr. Seddon.
The sixth prelude of Debussy’s second book takes its inspiration from the famous American juggler General Lavine. With great wit and humor, Debussy captures the eccentrics of the performer within the form of the cakewalk – a dance developed and popularized by Black slaves on Southern plantations before and after the Civil War. The dance became quite popular, even with composers such as John Philip Sousa and of course Debussy, after its appearance at the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Indeed, Debussy had already utilized the dance as the final movement of his Children’s Corner a few years before composing his Préludes. A fine example of the use of rhythm and contrasts, Général Lavine abounds in jocularity. Its principal melody is somewhat coy, always stated quietly and accompanied with light off-beat chords. To contrast this reserved melody, Debussy interjects sharp, aggressive rhythmic motives (one is even expressly marked strident), meant to serve as sudden attention-grabbers and capture the essence of the prelude’s inspiration.
The first semester of my masters – I was in a different headspace. I had finished writing Where the Sky Has No Stars and at the moment I felt renewed. I didn’t know what else to write, so I began to write music that felt disingenuous to my spirit (music that will never see the light of day) – I was going on autopilot and I had lost my voice. During one of my lessons at UT Austin, my professor Omar Thomas and I began listening to a piece I had mocked up a couple of days before. We both weren’t feeling it, and finally I asked him to turn off the piece and I told him it didn’t sound like me. I felt lost creatively. He then asked me what music I listen to. I began to name only band music composers. He asked me again, and I told him outside of wind band music I’m in love with Rap, R & B, Jazz, and Soul.
Then he asked an important question- “Why do you make a barrier between those ideals?”
I didn’t have an answer.
He continued, “If you create something that is a celebration of who you are, the music you grew up with, and the music that inspires you now… then that would be dope…”
And with that this piece was born. DOPE is a gumbo of all the music that inspires and influences me from Thundercat to Kendrick Lamar to Miles Davis to Hiatus Kaiyote and more, this piece is in essence a deep look into my musical world.
The piece can be broken up into three parts. Since this work is dedicated to the trail black music has created, inspired and the new horizons it’s reaching, each part is named after a part of the black identity.
UNDENIABLY (which is the partial score) is the opening of the piece. It’s gritty, intense with moments of color and undeniable energy. It is carried by a bass line heavily influenced by Thundercat’s playing on Kendrick Lamar’s Untitled 05 along with Miles Davis’s Nardis.
UNAPOLOGETICALLY (the middle section) is a world building vibe and examines just how beautiful the music can be. I explore the colors and stretch them to their limits, but in doing so found new hues within myself and my writings. With this act, I gained heavy inspiration from John Coltrane, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and Hiatus Kaiyote (to name a few).
UNDISPUTEDLY (the finale) is an intense, groove filled statement. Every color explored is here and is in its full potential. It’s bold and – like “Undeniably” and “Unapologetically” – is undisputedly black. Guided by my love for Tyler the Creator’s Hot Wind Blows, Marvin Gaye’s I Want You (due to Kendrick’s The Heart series), and Kamasi Washington’s Street Fighter Mas along with Askem.
This piece is a celebration of the bravery of trans women, and in particular Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson. Marsha is credited with being one of the instigators of the famous Stonewall uprising of June 28, 1969 – one of the pivotal events of the LGBTQ liberation movement of the 20th century – which is commemorated annually during the worldwide Gay Pride celebrations. Existing as a trans woman, especially a trans woman of color, and daring to live authentically, creating space for oneself in a transphobic world, is one of the bravest acts I can imagine. Over 20 trans women were murdered in the United States in 2018 alone. There is no demographic more deserving and, frankly, long overdue for highlighted heroism and bravery. The disco vibe in the latter half of the piece is meant to honor club culture, a sacred space held amongst LGBTQ persons in which to love, live, mourn, heal, strategize, connect, disconnect, and dance in defiance of those outside forces who would seek to do LGBTQ persons harm simply for daring to exist and take up space.
We pump our fists to honor the life, heroism, activism, and bravery of Marsha P. Johnson, to honor the legacy of the Stonewall revolution, to honor the memory of the trans lives violently ended due to fear and hatred, and in honor of trans women worldwide who continue to exist unapologetically and who demand to be seen.
Jonathan Caldwell is director of bands and assistant professor of conducting at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting. Prior to his appointment at UNCG, Caldwell held positions at Virginia Tech, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and Garner Magnet High School (Garner, NC).
Ensembles under Caldwell’s guidance have performed for the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division, the National Band Association–Wisconsin Chapter, and in Carnegie Hall. His writings have been published in the Journal of Band Research and the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. He has given presentations for the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the College Band Directors National Association, the Internationale Gesellschaft zur Erforschung und Förderung der Blasmusik (IGEB), and music educator conferences in North Carolina and Virginia.
Caldwell received a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Michigan and a Master of Music in instrumental conducting from the University of Maryland, College Park. He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelor of Music in performance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kristin Arp is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she has studied with Dr. Kevin Geraldi and Dr. Jonathan Caldwell. Before coming to UNCG, Kristin taught high school and middle school band in the Knox County, Tennessee public schools.
Kristin holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Education and Instrumental Conducting from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she studied with Dr. Donald Ryder and Dr. David Royse. At UT, she frequently conducted the University of Tennessee Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and Trumpet Ensemble. As a graduate assistant for the Pride of the Southland Marching Band, Kristin’s responsibilities included teaching drill, music, and the supervision of Volleyball and Basketball Pep Bands. She also has extensive experience with Drum Corp International and performed with 2009 DCI World Championship Finalists, the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps from Casper, Wyoming.
From 2016 to 2021, Quinton Parker served as the Music Education Program Coordinator and Assistant Director of Symphonic and Marching Bands at North Carolina Central University. His research interests include imposter syndrome in University music students from marginalized populations, systemic injustice in collegiate musical study, implicit bias in music performance evaluation, and social justice in Music Education. His research interests are fueled by his personal commitment to advancing social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the field of music.
Parker earned the Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from North Carolina Central University and the Master of Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He is a candidate for the PhD in Music Education from UNC Greensboro completing a dissertation titled “An Examination of the Lived Experiences of Black Undergraduate Music Education Majors in Predominantly White Schools of Music.” He also holds a NC Professional Educator’s License in K-12 Music.
As a public-school teacher, Parker taught middle and high school band and orchestra in North Carolina, including at Kestral Heights Charter School where he was Director of Instrumental Music and at James E. Shepard International Baccalaureate Middle School where he was Director of Bands.
Parker was recognized as Spectacular Magazine’s 2018 Emerging Leader of the Year in Education. He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the College Music Society, the Intercollegiate Music Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda.
Steve Stusek, saxophone, is Associate Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where he is a member of the Eastwind Quintette d’Anches and the Red Clay Saxophone Quartet. Originally from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, he received his Bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance from Indiana University. Before beginning a Master’s degree in saxophone and chamber music at Arizona State University, Steve spent a year in Paris studying at the Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire Nationale Superior de Musique de Paris) and the Conservatoire de le Région de Paris, where he was awarded the Prix d’Or à l’Unanimité in Saxophone Performance. After living in the Netherlands for almost eight years he returned to Indiana University and was awarded a DMA in Saxophone in 2001. He has served on the faculties of Ball State University, Middlebury College, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He has been on the UNCG faculty since 1999. As a soloist, Steve has appeared with the Eastern Music Festival and more recently with the University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble as part of the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial conference. He has been the principle saxophonist for the Eastern Music Festival and the Greensboro Symphony for the past ten years. In 2000, he won the prestigious Dutch Chamber Music Competition as part of the saxophone-accordion duo 2Track with accordion virtuoso Otine van Erp. Together they have performed throughout the Netherlands, the US and on Dutch radio. Steve teamed up with pianist Inara Zandmane and saxophonist Susan Fancher to produce the critically acclaimed recording Louder than Words – music for two saxophones and piano. Steve’s teachers have included Eugene Rousseau, Joseph Wytko, David Baker, Larry Teal, Daniel Deffayet, Jean-Yves Formeau, and Leroy Wolter. Steve is the Past-President of the North American Saxophone Alliance.
Hailed for his “exquisite artistry,” “stunning interpretations” and “flawless performances,” New-Zealand-born bassoonist Michael Burns enjoys a multi-faceted career as a performer, teacher and composer. An active performer, Burns enjoys roles as a soloist, in chamber groups, and orchestrally with numerous recent performances at International Double Reed Society conventions, recitals and masterclasses throughout North America, Germany, Italy, China and the South Pacific. He performs as principal bassoon with the Asheville Symphony and the North Carolina Opera and as bassoonist in the EastWind Ensemble and Blue Mountain Forecast. He also performs regularly with regional groups such as the Greensboro, Charlotte, and North Carolina Symphonies and as a guest with the Ciompi Quartet and Mallarme Chamber Players.
He has recorded for the Centaur, CAP, Telarc, EMI, Klavier, and Mark labels and his solo CD Primavera: Music for Bassoon and Piano by Bassoonists, was released to critical acclaim on the Mark Masters label. A new CD Glass Ghosts is scheduled for release in 2020. He performed extensively with the Cincinnati and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and he held Principal positions with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and the Midland/Odessa, Richmond, and Abilene Symphonies. Burns plays on a Moosmann 222CL 5SC Thin Wall bassoon.
Burns’ primary position is as Professor of bassoon at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In summers, he has been associated with several Festivals including the Clazz International Music Festival in Tuscany, Italy, Eastern Music Festival, The Summer Bassoon Extravaganza, Music for All/Bands of America Summer Symposium, the Affetti Festival, New England Music Camp and the Bocal Majority and Operation O.B.O.E. Prior to accepting the position at UNCG, he also taught at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory, Indiana State University and Midland College.
He is an active composer with many of his pieces being published by TrevCo Music, Potenza Music and Effiny Music and frequently performed internationally. Additionally, he has published articles and reviews in the Double Reed (the journal of the International Double Reed Society), the TBA Journal (Texas Bandmasters’ Association), the NC Music Educator (journal of the NC Music Educators’ Association for which he served as Woodwind Notes Editor for over a decade), and Notes (the journal of the Music Library Association). His mentors include William Winstead, Sherman Walt, Leonard Sharrow, Sidney Rosenberg, and Colin Hemmingsen. He is archivist for the International Double Reed Society and was co-host for the IDRS 2003 Conference in Greensboro, NC.