Wednesday, March 19th - Saskatoon Community Bands Present "Dance, Dance, Dance!"

7:30pm at the Broadway Theatre

Featuring Wind Ensemble & Jazz Band

PROGRAM NOTES

Wind Ensemble – Nick Fanner, Conductor

Sea Songs – R. Vaughan Williams

Written in 1923 for the following year’s Wembley Exhibition, Sea Songs is a march medley of three well-known sea shanties: Princess Royal, Admiral Benbow, and Portsmouth. Written in typical march form with a trio, it was published simultaneously for brass band and wind band, and was later transcribed by the composer for symphony orchestra. It should be noted that Sea Songs was originally intended to be the final movement of Vaughan Williams’s Folk Song Suite.

- Program Note by Nikk Pilato

https://www.windrep.org/Sea_Songs

Country Gardens – English Folk Song arr. Percy Grainger ed. Brant Karrick

Grainger's first piano arrangement of this English Morris dance tune was completed in 1918 as a birthday gift for his mother. It became extremely popular and was his greatest commercial and financial success. Even this simple tune displays his genius with harmony, counterpoint, and color. This very playable arrangement is an excellent way to introduce your students to the music of Percy Grainger.

- Program Note from publisher

Rippling Waters – Brian Balmages

Many often underestimate the extensive colors, harmonies, and emotional range that are often achievable in younger ensembles. It is in this spirit that the musical lines of Rippling Watercolors was born. This was not meant to be a lyrical piece for younger ensembles; rather, it was written as a fully expressive lyrical work that happens to be playable by younger ensembles. I believe there is a significant difference. No phrases were truncated, no ranges were “limited,” and no rhythms were watered down for the sake of playability. This piece just happens to be attainable by younger groups, yet the music exists exactly as it would even if I had written this for a college group. 

The title comes from a range of inspiration. I often get asked about my last name. As most can imagine, there are very few of us left in the world. At present, my wife and I are one of only two couples in the United States that can carry on our family name. My cousins Ben and Carrie on the West Coast are the other couple, and they now have two beautiful girls. We all share a lot of beliefs -- we encourage our children to be creative, spontaneous, and we enjoy watching where their imaginations take them. 

The idea for this piece came from a simple set of watercolors. When children get hold of these and use their imagination, the most amazing things can happen. Children can see things that adults never see. They open our minds while we help them grow and learn. With a little imagination, these watercolors can become a magnificent sunrise or sunset over the ocean, a gorgeous view from a mountaintop, or an image of a supernova in space. The smallest drop can change the pattern and create something entirely new, either with a brush or entirely within nature. It is my hope that Lily and Charlotte grow up with an infinite palette of watercolors, and that every drop creates a new, fantastic world.

Rippling Watercolors was commissioned by the Springer Middle School Bands in Wilmington, Delaware; Robert J. Baronio, director. It is dedicated to my cousins Lily and Charlotte Balmages, who, combined with my two boys, form the next generation of the Balmages name in the United States.

- Program Note by composer

Albanian Dance – Shelley Hanson

This exciting setting of the well-known Albanian tune Shota captures the festive mood of a village dance. Incorporating the common folk-dance rhythm of long-long-short, this lively piece is scored in cut-time and has a 3 + 3 + 2 eighth-note pattern throughout. The work includes memorable melodies and interesting rhythms and effects, such as trombone glissandos and horn rips. 

- Program Note from The Instrumentalist

Dos Danzas Latinas – Andre Waignein

This appealing work showcases two popular Latin dance styles. The simple and elegant opening habanera begins with a delicate, reminiscent dialogue between solo flute and solo oboe during a woodwinds-only passage that moves to a dramatic, emotion-filled full band section with effective changes of key and dynamics. The piece then accelerates to an exciting rumba featuring intense rhythmic material, effective changes of texture, colorful percussion scoring, and a rousing finale.

-Program Note from The Instrumentalist

Arabian Dances – Brian Balmages

“The Middle East is a source of amazing folk music that includes a great variety of instruments not commonly used in Western music. In researching Arabic Folk music, I came across many folk tunes that were performed with traditional instruments. In such cases, it is quite common for there to be no harmony – strings and winds double the melody line while percussion makes up the entire accompaniment. However, Arabic music has evolved with contemporary artists infusing a mixture of traditional and commercial sounds into their music. This concept of traditional and contemporary sounds coexisting in a single work serves as the inspiration for Arabian Dances” – Brian Balmages

This work explores Middle Eastern sounds and combines authentic traditional melodies and rhythms with original music. After a haunting opening, authentic Middle Eastern percussion instruments create the groove that accompanies the folk song Ala Dal'ona. As the orchestration builds, original themes are intertwined before the percussion ensemble becomes the focus of the third section. The final melody, Tafta Hindi, develops until it morphs into an ostinato over a magnificent presentation of the original theme that is found throughout the work. 

- Program Note from publisher 

INTERMISSION 

Jazz Band  - Doug Gilmour, Conductor

Don’t Blame The Salsa - Erik Sherburne

This song is a great example of the danceable and energetic Samba style

Embraceable You – G. & I. Gershwin/arr. Damon Meader

A timeless standard by the Gershwin brothers, it is usually performed as a ballad. The arranger has chosen to set this as a medium tempo song that really swings.  A section in the middle pays tribute to the Boss Brass and its leader Rob McConnell, who loved to have the rhythm section drop out for a while and let the horns swing together.

The Man I Love – G. & I. Gershwin/arr. Mark Taylor

This arrangement of the wonderful ballad showcases the array of “colors” – tonal variances – available in the jazz band.  The band whispers in spots, and roars in others, A great arrangement!

Send in the Clowns – Stephen Sondheim/arr. Dave Barduhn

Stephen Sondheim wrote this in 1973 for the musical “A Little Night Music”.  It’s the perfect match of lyrics and melody.  This arrangement features Barb Sambasivam on piano.

Take Five – Paul Desmond/arr. Davd Wolpe

Paul Desmond wrote this song in 1959 as a member of Dave Brubeck’s famous quartet.  It remains to this day the highest selling jazz song of all time.  The title comes from the time signature - not in 4/4, but in 5/4, five beats in a measure.  This was unheard of in mainstream jazz at that time!

El Alma de la Banda – Gordon Goodwin

Gordon Goodwin works in LA and leads the Big Phat Band, recognized as one of the best big bands around.  His compositional output is large and growing;  he writes music suitable for players at many levels.  This Latin groove is a great way to end our performance with energy and excitement!