“Pegasus” from “The Spirit Sleeping”

Composer John Wesley Gibson (b.1946) has held faculty positions at the University of North Texas, the University of Arizona, and Southern Methodist University. As artist-in-residence for the Dallas Wind Symphony (now called Dallas Winds), Gibson composed “The Spirit Sleeping” in the 1990s to celebrate the life of Howard Dunn, the founder of the Dallas Wind Symphony. While the three-movement work is an excellent staple for wind ensembles, the opening movement, “Pegasus” fanfare, has been performed much more frequently than the work as a whole. A fast and relentless ostinato (that is almost frantic) is repeated many times in the upper woodwinds and mallet instruments. The brass and the low woodwinds play longer values in unison rhythms, at times with a sustained quality, and at other times more aggressive and accented. While the woodwinds and mallets finish on the downbeat of the final measure, the rest of the group plays one last sustained pitch.

“Procession of the Nobles” (Cortege)

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), a composer perhaps best known for the orchestral works “Scheherazade” and “Capriccio Espanol” was part of a famous group called the “Russian Five” the other four composers being Cui, Balakirev, Borodin, and Mussorgsky. “Procession of the Nobles” was composed in 1889 and originally served as the orchestral introduction to Act 2 of the opera-ballet “Mlada” which started as a joint effort of composers Cui, Borodin, and Mussorgsky but was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov about 20 years later. “Mlada” never succeeded as a stage work, and “Procession. . .” is the only part that has become well known, but there is an orchestral suite with three other movements in which “Procession. . . “ is the final movement. Featuring a majestic fanfare highlighting brass alone at the opening and recapitulation, “Procession. . . “ is in triple meter with the same tempo throughout. It lends itself well to being arranged for band; the transcription performed most frequently is this one by Erik Leidzen; another skillfully crafted arrangement intended for young bands was written by Jay Bocook.

“Ruby Jubilation”

It was with great excitement that the Oak Lawn Band presented the premiere performance of “Ruby Jubilation” in October 2021 at our first concert after returning from the hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Commissioned by the band from Randall Standridge (b. 1976) in commemoration of our 40th anniversary, the work was slated to be performed in June 2020. Typically used for the 40th anniversary of a significant event such as a wedding, the ruby symbolizes love and passion. Looking back on the history of the Oak Lawn Band and all that has evolved and been accomplished over our now 45-year history, jubilation certainly seems appropriate. The piece is clearly in ABA form with the outer fast sections using fanfare-like motifs and a lyrical middle section that is warmly orchestrated. Having been a high school band director in his earlier years, Randall Standridge is currently a full-time composer and marching arts designer. With many publications of band music of a wide array of levels, his works have received premieres at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago and the College Band Directors’ National Conference. His significant work, “Stonewall: 1969” received its premiere performance at the 2019 National Conference of the Lesbian Gay Band Association (since renamed the Pride Bands Alliance), commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City.

“John and Jim”

Vietnamese-American composer Viet Cuong (b. 1990) sat at the piano in his family’s home when he was 11 years old playing Pachelbel’s “Canon”, which is often associated with wedding music, and felt sad that he might never be able to get married because he was gay. Currently only 35 years old, Cuong has received commissions from the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Kronos Quartet, and the Dallas Winds (to name just a few). He is composer-in-residence for the Pacific Symphony and serves on the music faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His band music has been played at the Midwest Clinic and at CBDNA conventions. His piece “John and Jim” was commissioned by the Columbus Pride Bands and the Queen City Freedom Band of Cincinnati for the 2024 Pride Bands Alliance Annual Conference.

The piece is influenced by Pachelbel’s “Canon” and honors the love story of Ohio couple John Arthur and Jim Obergefell, whose famous court battle was historic. With John terminally ill in 2013, the two men wanted to become legally married after they had been in a committed relationship for 22 years. Despite John’s fragile state of health, they boarded a plane and married on a tarmac in Maryland, because gay marriage was not legal in Ohio at the time. “Obergefell v. Hodges” went to the Supreme Court in 2015, resulting in a 5-4 ruling that said state bans on same-sex marriage, and on recognizing same-sex marriages in other jurisdictions, are unconstitutional. Particularly meaningful for the composer was the performance of the symphonic version of the work, a few months after the band version’s premiere, in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. where Cuong could attend with his husband. It meant a great deal to him to “humanize” a court case through the composition and performance of his music.

“Selections from Wicked”

The musical “Wicked,” subtitled “The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz,” is a powerful show with the book by Winnie Holzman and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (b.1948). It tells the story of Elphaba (later known as the “Wicked Witch of the West”) and Galinda (who becomes “Glinda the Good”). The action takes place both before and after the story of “The Wizard of Oz.” The show book is based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which is based on a 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum. “Wicked” had its premiere in San Francisco in 2003 and moved to Broadway the same year. A two-part film adaptation saw the release of its first part in November 2024, while the second part is slated for release in November 2025. This medley for band arranged by Jay Bocook begins with “No One Mourns the Wicked” (sung in the show by Glinda and the citizens of Oz), and has a brief recap at the very end. The light and mellow “Dancing Through Life” is presented next, initially featuring flutes. Elphaba’s song “No Good Deed” begins and ends aggressively but has a soft section in the middle. “For Good,” a duet between Elphaba and Glinda, also has a reprise with a full chorus included. And the famous “Defying Gravity” features a moving horn solo. “No One Mourns the Wicked” returns after a seamless transition to bring the medley to a close.

“How Sweet the Sound”

Composer Brian Balmages (b.1975) holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Miami. He has received commissions from every level of ensemble from elementary school to professional. His works have been premiered by the Baltimore Symphony and “Pershing’s Own” U.S. Army Band. Some of his most meaningful pieces include “Moscow, 1941” and its sequel “Kyiv, 2022”; the latter was composed in response to the invasion of Ukraine and some of its proceeds have gone to organizations providing relief on the ground there. His recent work “How Sweet the Sound” begins with a variety of mallet instruments that combine to create the effect of church bells. This is followed by entrances in the brass that soon evolve into antiphonal playing. An English horn solo that clearly references “Amazing Grace” starts off with emotional quotes from the tune that become more frequent. A mixture of conventional harmonies and gospel gestures follows with large tutti passages alternating with thinner scoring. A more delicate flurry of church bells helps frame the work before the final gentle chord. 

“Imagine”

John Lennon (1940-1980) and his wife Yoko Ono composed his most popular and best-selling song, “Imagine” in 1971. Its lyrics ask the audience to imagine a world of peace without borders separating nations. The words have a controversial phrase also asking people to imagine the world without religion. Lennon was known worldwide for both his activism and his musical contributions. Monuments such as the “Lennon Wall” in Prague (and a Hong Kong Lennon Wall), a legal graffiti wall that existed from 1980 to 2014 are evidence of his unique impact. “Imagine” has topped the singles charts, been named by BMI as one of the 100 most performed songs of the 20th century, earned a Grammy Hall of Fame award, and is among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 most important rock and roll songs. This band arrangement by Takashi Hoshide presents “Imagine” in a colorful manner and adds a special note of a lovely alto saxophone solo. 

“Get On Your Feet”

Local composer and arranger JaRod Hall (b.1991) features “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” in his band rendition entitled “Get on Your Feet!” Popularized by Whitney Houston beginning in 1987, the tune was composed by George Merrill (b. 1956) and Shannon Rubicam (b.1951) who performed as the vocal duo Boy Meets Girl. JaRod reminds us to listen carefully because he also alludes to other pop tunes: “Thriller,” “Barbie,” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”. So, get ready to clap along with the band as we close out our 45th Anniversary Concert— and get on your feet!

Program notes written/compiled by Ellen Kaner and Susan Hoey.