PROGRAM NOTES

Fanfare and Flourishes “2”, for a festive occasion

James Curnow - 1998

 

Fanfare and Flourishes (1991) is a staple of the wind band repertoire. Fanfare and Flourishes “2” (1998) allows musicians of all levels to enjoy the thrill of performing this exhilarating music. Both the original work and its adaptation feature a prominent musical theme from Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s Te Deum. This traditional Latin hymn was sung as an expression of thanksgiving or exultation. A brilliant fanfare opens the piece before transitioning to the melody, inspired by this integral Renaissance hymn.

​

Magical Forest

Nubia Jaime-Donjuan - 2023

 

Dreaming holds magic for Jaime-Donjuan, recalling childhood nights with bedtime storybooks. As she drifted to sleep, the book’s drawings lingered in her mind, sparking dreams of trees and animals, each night birthing a new tale. Sometimes, the trees were compassionate, and the animals were mischievous. On other nights, it was the animals who feared the mystical trees.

In Magical Forest, Jaime-Donjuan aims to revive childhood enchantment, capturing the joy of falling asleep with a mind brimming with trees and creatures crafting magical stories in dreams. The blend of excellent and mischievous elements mirrors the whimsy of those cherished bedtime stories, promising nightly fantastical adventures.
- Program Note from Lambert High School Wind Ensemble concert program, 21 December 2023

 

Three Czech Folk Songs

Johnnie Vinson - 2012

 

The folk music of Czechoslovakia has often served as a fertile source of material and inspiration for composers and arrangers. This work is a setting of three traditional Czech melodies displaying a wide range of moods and styles. Walking At Night alternates between a beautiful slow melody and a lively dance theme. Meadows Green is an expressive ballad superbly scored for all sections of the band. The suite concludes in grand fashion with a spirited rendition of the familiar Spring, The Madcap.
-Program Note adapted from publisher

 

Halley’s Comet

Matthew Kilby - 2025

 

Halley’s Comet (2025) was composed by Matthew Kilby for the Cario Middle School Percussion Ensemble for their featured performance at the 2026 South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference. Inspired by the Cario school mascot, the piece tells the story of the most famous periodic comet visible from Earth and explores themes of motion, time, and return.

Revolving textures, repeating patterns, and mysterious, space-inspired harmony evoke the comet’s predictable orbit and rare appearance. Scored for glockenspiel, vibraphone, two players sharing a marimba, auxiliary percussion, and sampled sound effects created from reversed marimba sounds, the work depicts the awe of a celestial event. Written with the specific performers in mind, it also serves as a musical welcome for Cario’s 8th-grade percussionists into the Wando High School band family.
-Program Note by Matthew Kilby

 

And With This New Day…

William Owens - 2025

 

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) is rightfully recognized as one of America’s most formidable and influential first ladies. Widely regarded as the benchmark for those to follow, Roosevelt mightily used the platform to make better the lives of those less fortunate than herself. From helping immigrants adjust to American life, to championing rights for women and African Americans to lending hands-on support to the American war effort, ER endures as a true beacon of justice and equality for all Americans.

 

The music of And With This New Day is inspired by this simple yet powerful thought, which encourages us to be open to positive change and recognizes that no matter how difficult previous times were, the new day always brings a fresh start.

 

The introspective opening statement aptly illustrates the day anew, as we contemplate the good things to come. Beginning quite serenely

with a clarinet solo and a gentle harmonic complement, the music gradually blossoms into a lush “pastorale” section.

 

The energetic and brisk statement that follows is a true celebration of life, as the mood becomes lively and jovial. Throughout this sprightly section, an array of colors and textures are heard with strong melodic concentration and a driving rhythmic pulse at its core.

 

The final statement calls us to reflect on the day’s end, as the music concludes serenely and peacefully. And With This New Day… comes through the generosity and creativity of the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equality, Access).

 

This work is the result of the ABA [American Bandmasters Association] IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) Commission Project
- Program Note by composer

 

Molihua (Jasmine Flower), Qing Dynasty Folk Song

arr. Jason J. Wu - 2025

​

This arrangment of the iconic Chinese folk song Mòlìhuā or Jasmine Flower embodies the spirit of the original tune with a variety of inflections from my own musical experiences as a Chinese-American. The piece opens with a short motif played on the vibraphone, before the main tune is introduced by the woodwinds and passed throughout the band, building in motion and complexity. Which then jumps to a brisk and festive dance in the B section with a repetitive call and response between the upper and lower voices. Before returning to the main theme with some added colors and motion. There are many different stories behind the origins of the tune as well as variations depending on the region of China one hears the piece, but to me the piece captures the rich and diverse landscape of Chinese history and culture. From one generation to another spreading the message of the beauty and fragrance of a jasmine flower which is gently being picked to bring fortune and joy to others.

 

Through the Labyrinth

Andrew F. Poor - 2025

​

A labyrinth is a complex and intricate structure of interconnected paths or passages, often designed as a maze with a single, winding route leading from the entrance to the center. Unlike a maze, which typically contains multiple routes and dead ends, a classical labyrinth has one clear path, symbolizing a journey or quest for understanding.

 

When seeking excellence, while there may appear to be many paths and ways to achieve your goals, there is only one path. In this case, the labyrinth is a metaphor for the pursuit of musical excellence—straight and unrelenting. The work was commissioned by the Cario Middle School Band, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, and their directors, Christian Gordon and Kalyn Todd, for their performance at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference in February 2026. 

 

The composition features Phrygian modes (F and D) and G minor, with rhythmic motifs that suggest mixed meters but are played in 4/4 and 3/4. Asymmetric rhythms add mystery and drive, blending intrigue and energy as the piece progresses. This grade 3 piece features the full ensemble and offers optional parts for range development. It requires at least five percussionists, with most playing multiple instruments.
-Program Note by composer