Kent State University Band

University Band 

"Declaration Overture" (1976) 
Claude T. Smith 
Lindsay May, conductor 

"Simple Gifts: Four Shaker Songs" (2002) 
Frank Ticheli 
Danilo Viquez-Poveda, conductor 
I. In Yonder Valley 
II. Dance I
II. Here Take This Lovely Flower 
IV. Simple Gifts 

"Everglow" (2023) 
K atahj Copeley 
Benjamin Lorenzo, conductor 

"As Summer Was Just Beginning" (1994) 
Larry Daehn 
Lindsay May, conductor 

"John Williams in Concert" (2010) 
John Williams 
David Mehlhope, conductor

Flute 

Ash Anzaldi 
Benjamin Bordonaro 
Erica Cofojohn 
Jordan Crowley 
Ariel Durham 
Erin Fedor 
Kristina Hershberger 
May McPherson 
Hayley Milhoan 
Caroline Salisbury 
Katelyn Vogel 
Wilbur Wenner

Oboe 

Jack Drinan
Audrey Kessler 

Bassoon

Ryan Carol
Vernice Deuring
Maggie Lewis
Bird Strobel 

Clarinet 

Soph Blakeslee
Ellie Clarke
Jared Eichler
Adam Garon
Emma Garon
Mitsy Gideon
Kayla Gleason
Tim Grannen
Claire Heiney
Jade Hunt
Alivia Maxwell
Denise O'Malley
Jenna Rupert
Mylee Simms
Shawna Smith
Maddy Strunk
Thomas Telegdy
Katelyn Toalston

Bass Clarinet

Andy Matovic
Elijah Mowery

Alto Sax 

Joseph Estephan
Aidan Siegfried
Greg Snead
Cathrine Stadulis
Matthew Whitehill
Damian Wilson

Tenor Sax

Hines Estes
Tilly Malone
Gavin McKinnon
Shawn F. O'Malley

Bari Sax

Gretchen Kiko

French Horn 

Sarah Allen
Kali Angerstien
Aster Douglas
Gaven Dull
Analeigh Hakes
Alex Prizzi
Tammy Voelker
Lucy West

Trumpet 

Sean Brain
Adam Chadwell
Jackson Ciu
Cooper Heller
Reinna Jendrusik
Jordan Knight
Jonathan Leidenheimer
John Lifford
Jackson Lodge
Tori Mateos
Sophia Maxwell
Davina Nowacki
Keegan Powell
Lindsey Rhoads
Leanne Rhoades
Ashley Scaife
Wayne Schneider
Andrew Sheleheda
Matthew Sullivan
Roger Thurman
Lea Weeks
James Weeks
Owen Weibel
Amanda Wilson
Payton Stasko
Dominic Suran 

Trombone 

Anthony Baioni
Art Hejduk
Kyler Herbert
Rosalia Isenberg
Filip Milenkovich
Shawn O'Malley
Payton Stasko
Dominic Suran

Euphonium 

Mark Capretta
Erika Casey
Dylan Eshbaugh
Wyatt Goman
Joseph Studer 

Tuba 

Zack Akers
John-Michael Felder II
Corey Firth
Tj Hockenberry
Erial Kroah
Rachel Shanaman
Elizabeth Wamsley

Percussion 

Jaden Auslander
Ayshawn Canty
Ella Deibel
Michael DiFilippo
Christian Grubb
Rey Lifford
Nate Smolk
Patrick Wamsley
JT Wenger

Composed in the form of a classical overture, Declaration Overture begins at an Andante maestoso tempo and takes its time presenting a strong, five-note theme. The opening is not an introduction, but a complete section in A-B-A form; with the theme first appearing boldly, then lyrically, and returning boldly as it moves to its final cadence. 

The overture then launches into a much quicker tempo with a series of variations that includes a trumpet solo, a short fughetta, and a percussion feature where the melody is playfully broken into smaller accented fragments. A final statement of the main theme with a descending countermelody brings the work to a culminating flourish. 

Declaration Overture continues to be a popular choice as a concert opener and is a regular feature on many state and festival lists. Dedicated to the composer's wife, Maureen, it conveys a sense of strength, devotion, and humor that was unquestionably part of the couple's life together. The work is one of the most performed works in the composer's catalog. 

- Program Note from publisher 

Simple Gifts: Four Shaker Songs is built from four Shaker melodies, a sensuous nature song, a lively dance tune, a tender lullaby, and most famously, Simple Gifts, the hymn that celebrates the Shaker's love of simplicity and humility. In setting these songs, I sought subtle ways to preserve their simple, straightforward beauty. Melodic freshness and interest were achieved primarily through variations of harmony, of texture, and especially of orchestration. 

The first movement is a setting of In Yonder Valley, generally regarded to be the oldest surviving Shaker song with text. This simple hymn in praise of nature is attributed to Father James Whittaker (1751-1787), a member of the small group of Shakers who emigrated to America in 1774. My setting enhances the image of spring by turning the first three notes of the tune into a bird-call motive. 

The second movement, Dance, makes use of a tune from an 1830s Shaker manuscript. Dancing was an important part of Shaker worship, and tunes such as this were often sung by a small group of singers while the rest of the congregation danced. One interesting feature in my setting occurs near the end of the movement, when the brasses state the tune at one-quarter speed, in counterpoint against the woodwinds who state it at normal speed. 

The third movement is based on a Shaker lullaby Here Take This Lovely Flower, found in Dorothy Berliner Commin's extraordinary collection, Lullabies of the World and in Daniel W. Patterson's monumental collection The Shaker Spiritual. This song is an example of the phenomenon of the gift song, music received from spirits by Shaker mediums while in trance. Although the Shakers practiced celibacy, there were many children in their communities, including the children of recent converts as well as orphans whom they took in. Like many Shaker songs, this lullaby embodies the Shakers' ideal of childlike simplicity. 

The finale is a setting of the Shakers' most famous song, Simple Gifts, sometimes attributed to Elder Joseph Bracket (1797-1882) of the Alfred, Maine, community, and also said (in Lebanon, New York, manuscript) as having been received from a Negro spirit at Canterbury, New Hampshire, making Simple Gifts possibly a visionary gift song. It has been used in hundreds of settings, most notably by Aaron Copland in the brilliant set of variations which conclude his Appalachian Spring. Without ever quoting him, my setting begins at Copland's doorstep, and quickly departs. Throughout its little journey, the tune is never abandoned, rarely altered, always exalted.

 - Program Note by composer

When I first wrote Halcyon Hearts, I wrote it in a week where I was student teaching in Georgia. I wrote the piece as an exercise of thematic material and warmth in sound. The theme was passion- passion in those you love and the things you love no matter what anyone says. 

Years later, this small piece has become a fan favorite and a piece I am thankful that gets played so much. While I was thankful, I had become restless with the constant asking for the piece or that being the only thing people would know my music for- I lost my passion for the work. I had started to grow feelings for the piece similar to that of Radiohead and Creep. 

However recently I went back and looked at the comments left on my YouTube page and IG, read the posts from so many about this piece, and I saw the stories and all the lives this work has touched. I found what I lost- the everlasting feeling of love and appreciation. When asked by Jennifer Compton to write a work for River Trail Middle School’s Midwest performance this year I knew what I wanted to do, Everglow. 

Everglow is a continuation of the feeling from Halcyon Hearts. The definition of "everglow" is the warm feeling of love that lingers after its initial discovery. While Halcyon Hearts was about an overture about the discovery of passion, Everglow to me currently is the finale of that feeling- what remained, what was lost and what grew from the proclamation of passion and love. 

I am forever grateful to every director, every musician, every composer, every student and every kind soul that has embraced my music that has embraced Halcyon Hearts and that has embraced my own heart. Super grateful for Jennifer Compton and River Trail Middle School for this amazing opportunity to continue a story and embark on new sounds. Thank you all for playing the work, and most importantly thank you for telling me how much this all means to you as that means the world to me. Without you all this wouldn’t have happened, and thank you all the passion remains. The everglow lives on. 

- Program Note by composer

James Byron Dean (1931-1955) experienced the brightest and briefest movie career ever. In 16 months he made three movies: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant. Only the first had been released when he was killed in a car accident at age 24. His death on September 30, 1955, sparked an unparalleled outpouring of sorrow. For three years after his death, Warner Brothers received more letters to him than to any living actor. And the James Dean phenomenon has never really ended. Thousands still come to the little town of Fairmount, Indiana, to see the farm where he grew up and to visit his grave there. 

A bronze bust of James Dean by artist Kenneth Kendall stands near Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California. There is a Greek inscription on the right shoulder which, when translated reads, "As Summer Was Just Beginning." This sentiment, from a painting by John La Farge, is a Greek epitaph concerning the death of a young person. I chose it as the title for this piece. 

I loosely based the main melody (heard at the beginning and at measures 33 and 57) on an old British Isles folksong, "The Winter it is past, and the Summer's here at last." I chose it because Dean's Quaker heritage goes back to England, Ireland and Scotland, and because this simple bittersweet song about summer seemed appropriate for remembering James Dean. 

- Program Note by composer

From movies to television to important national events, the thrilling music of John Williams continues to inspire audiences everywhere. Here are some of his musical contributions, spotlighted in an impressive medley. Included are: Theme From "E. T."; The Mission (NBC News); Star Wars; Imperial March; Cantina Band; Olympic Spirit and Theme from "Jaws."

- Program Note from publisher

Brass 

Amanda Bekeny, trumpet 
Ken Heinlein, tuba 
Benjamin Hottensmith, horn 
David Mitchell, trombone, euphonium

Percussion 

Matthew Holm 
Matthew Larson 
Nicholas Petrella

Piano 

Donna Lee 
Anna Grudskaya

Strings 

Amy Glick, violin 
Hannah Moses, cello 
James Rhodes, viola 
Bryan Thomas, double bass 

Voice 

Marla Berg 
Tim Culver 
Hannah Jencius 
Sandra Ross 
Lara Troyer 
Jay White

Ensembles 

Samir Al-Hadid, Nova Jazz 
Shawna Hinkle, Cantique 
Matthew Holm, Percussion Ensemble 
Rodney Hubbard, Gospel Choir 
Benjamin Lorenzo, Bands 
Priwan Nanongkham, Thai Ensemble 
Darin Olson, Bands 
Matthew Swope, Choirs 
Isaac Terceros, Orchestra 
Bobby Selvaggio, Jazz Ensembles 
Janine Tiffe, African Ensemble & Steel Band 

Woodwinds 

Mark DeMio, bassoon 
Suyeon Ko, flute 
Perry Roth, saxophone 
Danna Sundet, oboe 
Amitai Vardi, clarinet 

Administration and Staff 

Tony Hardin, Director of the School of Music
Sarah Labovitz, Special Assistant to the Director 
Samuel Robert, Recording Technician 
Emilee Sanor, Administrative Secretary 
Blaine Vesely, Piano Technician

Thank you to Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi for your dedicated service to the Kent State Bands. Both organizations are committed to supporting bands through various forms of service, leadership development, and creating a strong sense of community for our musicians.