There Be Pirates Here...

Wednesday, March 27th - Saskatoon Community Bands Present "There Be Pirates Here"

7:30pm at the Broadway Theatre

Featuring Wind Ensemble & Jazz Band

ABOUT TONIGHT’S CONCERT

Thank you for joining the Saskatoon Community Wind Ensemble & Jazz Band as we take you on a musical journey from the high seas of the Caribbean where pirates roam and peril prevail, to the depths of the open ocean where British tars plunder and steal away beautiful maidens. 

Under the Direction of Nick Fanner (Wind Ensemble) & Doug Gilmour (Jazz Band), these two ensembles will delight you with music from the beloved Pirates of the Caribbean and the likes of lyric opera composers Gilbert & Sullivan. Throw in a little Mozart to counter- balance along with the Royal Canadian Navy March Past March, as a tribute to those who today keep our seas safe from those nefarious pirates of yore, you can’t help but come away from the concert beaming from ear to ear.

PROGRAM NOTES

Wind Ensemble – Nick Fanner, Conductor

Heart of Oak – Dr. William Bryce

"Heart of Oak" is the official march of the Royal Navy. It is also the official march of several Commonwealth navies, including the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy. It was the official march of the Royal Australian Navy, but has now been replaced by the new march, "Royal Australian Navy". 

The music of Heart of Oak was written in 1759 by composer William Boyce, the lyrics by actor David Garrick, for Garrick's pantomime Harlequin's Invasion, to which others contributed as well. The pantomime was first performed on New Year's Eve of that year at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, with Handel soloist Samuel Thomas Champnes singing Heart of Oak. The oak in the song's title refers to the wood from which British warships were generally made during the age of sail. The "Heart of oak" is the strongest central wood of the tree. 

The first verse and chorus of this version of the song is heard in Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 3, Episode 18 "Allegiance"), sung in Ten Forward by Patrick Stewart, in-character as an alien doppelgänger of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Both are also sung by Peter Ustinov and Dean Jones in the 1968 Disney movie Blackbeard's Ghost. 

The Abduction from The Seraglio – W.A. Mozart/arr. Robert Longfield

Like many good kidnapping stories, pirates are to blame. This time, they’ve kidnapped three innocent victims-the beautiful and chase Spanish noblewoman, Constanze, her English maid, Blonde and Pedrillo, the manservant of her fiancé. The pirates have sold the three to a Turkish Pasha, who longs to initiate Constanze into his harem. She refuses. Her loyalties to her beloved Belmonte run so deep that she would rather die than give herself to another. This depth of feeling only increases the Pasha’s desire for her. Can Belmonte somehow kidnap her back before she is killed?

The overtures to Mozart’s operas are among his most popular instrumental works. Containing all of the human drama and emotion of the operas in which they precede, the overtures are equal to Mozart’s finest symphonic movements in their form, structure and thematic development. As such, they have become a standard part of the symphonic repertoire in their own right.

Composed in 1782 when the composer was 26, Overture to the Abduction from the Seraglio established Mozart as the leading operatic composer in Vienna. The Turkish setting, popular in Vienna at the time, allowed for the orchestral use of the drums and cymbals of the Janissary-the military bodyguard of the Turkish rules.

Gilbert & Sullivan: Symphonic Suite – arr. Ted Ricketts

Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado are among the best known. 

Gilbert, who wrote the libretti for these operas, created fanciful "topsy-turvy" worlds where each absurdity is taken to its logical conclusion—fairies rub elbows with British lords, flirting is a capital offence, gondoliers ascend to the monarchy, and pirates emerge as noblemen who have gone astray. Sullivan, six years Gilbert's junior, composed the music, contributing memorable melodies that could convey both humour and pathos. 

Their operas have enjoyed broad and enduring international success and are still performed frequently throughout the English-speaking world. Gilbert and Sullivan introduced innovations in content and form that directly influenced the development of musical theatre through the 20th century. The operas have also influenced political discourse, literature, film and television and have been widely parodied by humorists. The producer Richard D'Oyly Carte brought Gilbert and Sullivan together and nurtured their collaboration. He built the Savoy Theatre in 1881 to present their joint works (which came to be known as the Savoy Operas) and founded the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which performed and promoted Gilbert and Sullivan's works for over a century.

The Cave You Fear – Michael Markowski (b. 1986)

“…LET’S TAKE A CHANCE, LET’S VENTURE INTO THE DARK UNKNOWN, LET’S FIGHT WHATEVER MONSTERS WE FIND IN THERE…”

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all the opportunities we’re given day-to-day to try something new or to go somewhere we’ve never been before—the opportunity to take a spontaneous road trip, to go see a concert by a band we’ve never heard of at a venue we’ve never been to, to try that new restaurant down the street where the menu is in a language we don’t quite understand. Some people have an innate sense of adventure, who go-with-the-flow, who live life for the unexplored, and I couldn’t be more inspired by them.

For a long time, I was the opposite. I used to prefer to stay at home, working on my computer because it was the safe and responsible thing to be doing, listening to the same albums on my iPod, ordering the same meal at the same, familiar restaurants. And while there’s nothing necessarily wrong with having a routine or knowing what you like, I eventually realized that my life was starting to have a certain predictability to it. It was a few years ago, while I was still living in the same state that I was born and raised in, that I had the most terrifying epiphany that I think I’ve ever had. I was becoming increasingly bored and incredibly boring.

In film schools around the world, Joseph Campbell’s book The Hero With A Thousand Faces is required reading for filmmakers, screenwriters, and storytellers because Campbell has single-handedly identified what we refer to as “The Hero’s Journey” — the series of events and conflicts that arise along a character’s path as he or she fights their way to some ultimate goal. After studying Campbell, it’s easy to question where we are on our own paths. What is our own story? What are we fighting for? What does it mean to be a ‘hero’ and how can we be more ‘heroic’ ourselves? When we hear our own call-to-adventure, will we jump up, prepared, or will we ignore it, sit idly and take the easy way out because we would rather life be quiet and comfortable? According to Campbell, each of our adventures are already out there, waiting for us. That’s not the problem. For him, “the big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty ‘yes’ to your adventure.”

So, for the next four minutes we invite you to take a chance, let’s venture into the dark unknown, let’s fight whatever monsters we find in there. And although we might not always prevail, at least we’ll have a story to tell by the end.

Pirates of the Caribbean Medley – Hans Zimmer et al

Pirates of the Caribbean is an American fantasy supernatural swashbuckler film series produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and based on Walt Disney's theme park attraction of the same name. The film series serves as a major component of the titular media franchise. Based on a fictionalized version of the Golden Age of Piracy (which is circa 1650–1726), the films' plots are set primarily in the Caribbean.

The stories follow the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow, with Hector Barbossa, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Joshamee Gibbs over the course of the films. Other characters featured in the original trilogy include James Norrington, Pintel, Ragetti, Marty, Cotton, Murtogg and Mullroy, Bootstrap Bill Turner, Lord Cutler Beckett, Governor Swann, Tia Dalma, and Davy Jones

The film series started in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which had a positive reception from audiences and film critics. It grossed $654 million worldwide. After the first film's success, Walt Disney Pictures announced that a film series was in the works. The franchise's second film, Dead Man's Chest, was released in 2006 and broke financial records worldwide the day of its premiere. Dead Man's Chest became the top-grossing movie of 2006 with almost $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office. The third film in the series, At World's End, followed in 2007 earning $960 million. Disney released a fourth film, On Stranger Tides, in 2011 in conventional 2D, Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D. On Stranger Tides succeeded in also grossing more than $1 billion, becoming the second film in the franchise and only the eighth film in history to do this, at the time of release. A fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, was released in 2017.

The franchise has grossed over $4.5 billion worldwide; it is the 16th-highest-grossing film series of all time, and is the first film franchise to produce two or more movies that grossed over $1 billion.

Gee, Officer Krupke – Bernstein/ arr. Paul Murtha

"Gee, Officer Krupke" is a comedy number from the 1957 musical West Side Story. The song was composed by Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Leonard Bernstein (music), and was featured in the Broadway musical and subsequent 1961 and 2021 films.

The song is sung by members of the street gang the Jets, who poke fun at the gruff Police Sergeant Krupke by singing about the societal forces that led them to join a gang. Following a theme used throughout the musical, the song begins with a tritone on the word Dear, held longer to signify its importance. Lyrically, the song features four seven-line verses, each filled with puns and wordplay. Each verse culminates with an interjection (e.g., "Golly Moses", "Leapin' lizards"), followed by the final line.

The tune was originally composed for an unused song for the Venice scene in Candide where the lyrics, ended with the line, "Where does it get you in the end?" 

INTERMISSION 

Jazz Band  - Doug Gilmour, Conductor

Blue Note Special – Mike Tomaro

Mike Tomaro is the Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. This saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator has composed and/or arranged much of the Army Blues repertoire. He is featured as a soloist on several of the group's albums and CDs. Blue Note Special is a shuffle and is reminiscent of the blues hard bop era.

Peel Me A Grape – Dave Frishberg

“Peel Me a Grape” was written by the talented composer and lyricist Dave Frishberg. His unique approach to songwriting, often incorporating dry humor and wordplay, perfectly complements Anita O’Day’s interpretation of the song. Various artists have embraced “Peel Me a Grape” and offered their interpretations of the song. Notable renditions include Diana Krall’s sultry version from her album “Love Scenes” and Blossom Dearie’s charming rendition on her album “My Gentleman Friend.”

My One and Only Love – Guy Wood & Robert Mellin

"My One and Only Love" is a 1953 popular song with music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Robert Mellin. Notable renditions by Frank Sinatra (1953), and later by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963), have made the song part of the jazz standard musical repertoire.

Swing Swang Swung – Lennie Niehaus

Leonard Niehaus (June 1, 1929 – May 28, 2020) was an American alto saxophonist, composer and arranger on the West Coast jazz scene. He played with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and served as one of Kenton's primary staff arrangers. He also played with Ray Vasquez and trombonist and Vocalist, Phil Carreon and other jazz bands on the U.S. West Coast. Niehaus had a close association as composer and arranger on motion pictures produced by Clint Eastwood. 

Brick House – Lionel Richie/arr. Paul Murtha

It is absolutely impossible to find a funkier tune than this R&B hit from the '70s courtesy of The Commodores. Paul's chart has it all from the trademark bass riff to the ensemble punches and melodic hooks. Bring down the house as you groove on this one!

Yardbird Suite – Charlie Parker/arr. Michael Sweeney

Yardbird Suite" is a bebop standard composed by jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker in 1946. The title combines Parker's nickname "Yardbird" (often shortened to "Bird") and a colloquial use of the classical music term "suite" (in a manner similar to such jazz titles as Lester Young's "Midnight Symphony" and Duke Ellington's "Ebony Rhapsody"). The composition uses a 32-bar AABA form. The "graceful, hip melody, became something of an anthem for beboppers." The arranger, Michael Sweeney, is currently Director of Band Publications for Hal Leonard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of the largest publishers of printed music in the world. Michael is directly responsible for the development, production, recording and marketing of new publications for school bands. In addition, he contributes as a composer and arranger in all instrumental areas and is particularly known for his writing at the younger levels for concert band and jazz. Since joining the company in 1982, Hal Leonard has published over 500 of his compositions and arrangements.

WIND ENSEMBLE ROSTER

Conductor: Nick Fanner

Flute

Jordan Korchinski

Alison Montgomery

Kim Rothery

Sara Russell

Ann Salmon

Mylandra Zielinski

Clarinet

Dale Brown

Jessica Engele

Laurene Jemieff

Lyle Johnson

Barb Large

Warren Sagh

Gina Streisel

Lea-Ann Warkentine

Sandy Wilson

Oboe

Madison Hawkes

Bass Clarinet

Bailey Potter

Bassoon

Peter England

Alto Saxophone

Chantel Chizen

Stewart Parkinson

Tenor Saxophone

David Clark

Paige Wilson

Baritone Saxophone

Geoff Cooke

Trumpet

Eric Behm

Bob Cowan

Elizabeth Ewen

Tom Powell

Robert Wagner

Karen Winmill

French Horn

James Couperthwaite

Brady Moody

Kara Rowney

Trombone

Spencer Gerwing

Brian Housler

Kathleen Morton

Baritone

Frank Wilson

Tuba

Brena Hipkin

Cameron Milner

Jody Rysavy

Percussion

Ramona Brenholen

Noah Esquirol

Taylor Froese

D’Arce McMillan

JAZZ BAND ROSTER

Conductor: Doug Gilmour

Flute
Tracy Edmonds
Ann Salmon

Oboe
Roxanne Laforge

Clarinet

Karen Shantz

Marjorie Reimer

Warren Sagh

Lea-Ann Warkentine

Cathryn Wood

Bronwen McRae

Sandy Wilson

Ramona Brenholen

Soprano Saxophone

Gina Streisel

Alto Saxophone

Sachin Trivedi

Barry Ursaki

Randy Schentag

Chantel Chizen

Stewart Parkinson

Baritone Saxophone

Garnet Dunham

Tenor Saxophone

Hope Potter

Ken Jensen

David Clark

Paige Wilson

Trumpet

C.D. McIvor

Dorothy Hyde

Robert Wagner

James Couperthwaite

Trombone

Tom Holfeld

Rick Korchinski

Veronica Lucas

Laura Jardine

Keyboards

Barbara Sambasivam

Guitar

James Gillis

Bass Guitar

Catherine McIvor

Drums

D’Arce McMillan 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, May 12th:

Jazz Band & Wind Ensemble at Holy Cross

Monday, May 13th:

Concert Band &  630 Experience Band at Holy Cross