Season 34, Concert 1 - October 28, 2016

BENEFACTOR ($3,000 and above) Thomas & Victoria Price

Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

PATRON ($2,000 to $2,999)

Carolyn & Howard Crumb Judith Widicus

SPONSOR ($1,000 to $1,999)

Michael & Darel-Ann DePompeo Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc.

SUPPORTER ($500 to $999)

Barbara Abney Bolger Lawrence & Donna Friedman

Gregory Fritze In Memory of Aquilina Lim

Dr Christian Wilhjelm & Jacqueline Sarracco In Memory of Emma Wode

Fred & Patricia Yosca

ASSOCIATE ($250 to $499) Annette Baron & Andrew Lieb

Mary & Paul Bergquist Jeff Bittner

Naomi Freshwater Paul Goldberg Elisa R. Grim

Paul & Carolyn Kirby Michael Kokola

Kathy & John Palatucci Beth Seavers & Neil Sheehan

John & Marilyn Wagner Blue Moon Mexican Cafe

PVH Corp

AFFILIATE ($100 to $249) Ginny Baird

John G. Bolger David Bychek

Suzanne Coletta Lynn & Dick Curtin

Paul & Helene Emanuel Sally Fillmore & David Appel

Captain Kenneth Force Marie M. Kane

James & Cheryl Mallen Joseph & Deborah Marsicovete

Jerry, Mary, Leah, & Brendan Meyer Irene Montella

Dorothy Neff Marcella Phelan

Jean Roughgarden Deloss Schertz & Rose Kraybill

Francis & Barbara Schott Rachel Schulman

Richard & Karen Summers Mr & Mrs Harold M. Sylvester

Richard & Jessie Ver Hage Dr. Richard & Katherine Wise

Nancy E. Zweil

FRIEND ($1 to $99) Andre Baruch

Jill Bloom Lloyd & Janet DeVries

Mary Dorian Michelle Dugan

Richard & Gayle Felton Vicki Fiore, M.D.

Eileen Ginn Katherine Grasso Richard F. Hahn

Lois Hicks-Wozniak Emily James

Emmitt & Elizabeth Johnson Janet Johnston

Janis Keown-Blackburn Nathan Kinney

Lorraine Mariella Elizabeth A. McGrath

Larry & Barbara Roshon Albert Schagen

Edward Schlamp Ann Sirinides

Virginia R. Sirinides Alexander & Debra Taylor

Janet Vidovich William Vollinger

Arnold & Diane Zettler Mark & Andrea Zettler

Amazon Smile Foundation Life O' The Party

If you are a recent subscriber or donor, we

may have received your name too late to include in this program and we apologize for that, but you will be in subsequent programs.

Thank you.

2016-17 CONTRIBUTORS The Ridgewood Concert Band gratefully acknowledges the support of our donors

and subscribers whose generous support makes these programs possible.

Printing of this program generously underwritten by Konica Minolta Business Solutions.

________________________________________________________________________

Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, through grant

funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs. ________________________________________________________________________

The Ridgewood Concert Band would like to thank all of the many volunteers who have made this concert possible.

________________________________________________________________________

The Ridgewood Concert Band would like to give a special “thank you” to David Marks and the

Midland Park School District. The Midland Park High School band room is our weekly rehearsal site.

________________________________________________________________________

For additional RCB information, please visit our website or scan our QR code:

WWW.RIDGEWOODBAND.ORG

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, Music Director

34th Season Opening Gala

FEATURED GUEST SOLOIST

Joseph Alessi Principal Trombonist, New York Philharmonic

PRELUDE CONCERT - 7:30 PM Pascack Hills High School Concert Band

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, Director

Friday, October 28, 2016 - 8:00 PM West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, NJ

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. is a Proud

Sponsor of the Ridgewood Concert Band

Joseph Alessi was appointed Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, The Gurnee F. and Marjorie L. Hart Chair, in the spring of 1985. He began musical studies in his native California with his father, Joseph Alessi, Sr., as a high school student in San Rafael, California, and was a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony before continuing his musical training at The Curtis Institute of Music. Prior to joining the Philharmonic, Mr. Alessi was second trombone of The Philadelphia Orchestra for four seasons, and principal trombone of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for one season. He has performed as guest principal trombonist with the London Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, led by Pierre Boulez. Mr. Alessi is an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. In April 1990 he made his New York Philharmonic solo debut, performing Creston’s Fantasy for Trombone, and in 1992 premiered Christopher Rouse’s Pulitzer Prize–winning Trombone Concerto with the Philharmonic, which commissioned the work for its 150th anniversary celebration. He performed the World Premiere of Melinda Wagner’s Trombone Concerto, conducted by Lorin Maazel in February 2007. In July 2013 he appeared with the Philharmonic as soloist in Bramwell Tovey’s The Lincoln Tunnel Cabaret for Trombone and Orchestra, written for Mr. Alessi, at Summertime Classics and at Bravo! Vail, both performances conducted by the composer. Mr. Alessi has been a guest soloist with the Lincoln, Colorado, Syracuse, Virginia, Alabama, Santa Barbara, Puerto Rico, Hartford, and South Dakota symphony orchestras; New Japan, Seoul, Hague, and Helsinki philharmonic orchestras; National Repertory Orchestra; Orchestra of Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Sicily; Mannheim National Theater Orchestra; and National Symphony of Taiwan. Mr. Alessi has also participated in numerous festivals, including the Festivale

Musica di Camera in Protogruaro, Italy; Cabrillo Music Festival; Swiss Brass Week; and Lieksa Brass Week in Finland. He was featured in the 1997 International Trombone Festival in Feldkirch, Austria, and the International Meeting of Brass Instruments in Lille, France. He is a founding member of the Summit Brass ensemble at the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Tempe, Arizona. In 2002 Mr. Alessi was awarded an International Trombone Association Award for his contributions to the world of trombone music and trombone playing. Mr. Alessi was invited by the International Trombone Association to record a solo disc of newly composed works, which was distributed to the Association’s membership of 5,000 trombonists in early 1999 and is now available as Beyond the End of the Century through Summit Records. His recording of George Crumb’s Starchild on the Bridge record label, featuring Mr. Alessi as soloist, won a Grammy Award for 1999–2000. Other recordings featuring Mr. Alessi are with the Canadian Brass (Sony Classical and Philips Records). Further information about Mr. Alessi can be found on his website, www.slidearea.com. ________________________________________________________________

New Name. Same Sound.

Over the last 34 seasons, the Ridgewood Concert Band has provided audiences with the highest level of wind music performances representing a wide range of musical styles, periods, and composers. We have shared our musical talents not only in our “hometown” of Ridgewood but across the state of New Jersey and beyond. In order to align our name with this geographical reach, the Ridgewood Concert Band will become the New Jersey Wind Symphony at the start of our 35th season in the fall of 2017. We are excited to begin this new chapter in our ensemble’s history and look forward to continuing to bring the finest musical performances to audiences in Ridgewood and beyond.

Silverado – Bruce Broughton (b. 1945) is a native of Los Angeles and has established a well-deserved place for himself in the Hollywood film industry as one of its leading composers. In addition to being awarded ten Emmys for his television works, he is most proud of his Academy Award nomination for his film score for Silverado in 1985. A good film score is one that helps advance the story and fills in an emotional dimension beyond what the acting and other elements can convey. Silverado delivers a sweeping, exhilarating soundtrack that pulses with classic Western flavor, yet has a distinctive sound all its own.

Concerto for Trombone – Steven Bryant (b. 1972) is an active American composer and conductor with a varied catalog including works for orchestra, wind ensemble, electronics, and chamber music. Bryant states in his own words, “I strive to write music that leaps off the stage to grab you by the collar and pull you in. Whether through a relentless eruption of energy, or the intensity of quiet contemplation, I want my music to give you no choice, and no other desire, but to listen.” In his Concerto for Trombone, which he wrote specifically for our featured artist, Joseph Alessi, he has accomplished his goal. He nurtures Mr. Alessi’s beautiful haunting tone in the melodic space of the work while allowing the artist’s virtuosic skill to be revealed in the faster more energetic sections. The result is an undeniable success for a new concerto that will stand the test of time for exceptional artists who will step up to the challenge. Honey Boys On Parade – E.V. Cupero (1877-1939) was an Italian-American composer, arranger, and cornetist, best known for his “screamer” Honey Boys On Parade, which he composed for the traveling band of George “Honey Boy” Evans. This march was first published in 1914 and is a classic example of marches from this era and was very popular with American minstrels and circuses. Marches known as “screamers” were particularly upbeat in tempo and were intended to stir the circus audience into a frenzy. Screamers are a very demanding type of music due to their extremely fast tempi and rhythms. Selections from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" – Danny Elfman (b. 1953) is one of today’s most successful creators of movie music and is also one of only a few who has managed to make the transition from rock music to orchestral score composer. The Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated writer has been working hard in the motion-picture arena since 1985 , when director Tim Burton and star Paul Ruebens who were both fascinated by Elfman’s playfully macabre music for the cult rock band Oingo Boingo, called upon him to write the music for Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. The Elfman-Burton collaboration continued with five of Elfman’s eight Grammy nominations coming for Burton films. Elfman also has a more serious side as demonstrated by his scores for such dramas as Good Will Hunting, Dolores Claiborne, and Men in Black to name just a few. Program Notes compiled by Marcie Phelan

PROGRAM NOTES Semiramide – Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) wrote the opera Semiramide in 1823. It was the final Italian opera Rossini would write as after its completion he moved to Paris and wrote his last operas in French. Rossini was one of the fastest composers at that time, and composed the entire opera in only thirty-three days. By the late 1800’s the opera was almost unknown. There have been various revivals of it, though it has not been performed very often. That can’t be said for the overture of the opera, as it remains to this day a popular selection for many concert halls. Rossini was one of the most popular composers of his day and his overtures remain crowd-pleasers. The visceral excitement of a Rossini crescendo, and his gift for beautiful melody will assure Rossini a place in many concert halls of the future. Rubies – John Harbison (b.1938) is among America’s most prominent artistic figures. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Pulitzer Prize. Harbison has composed music for most of this country’s premiere musical institutions, including the Metropolitan Opera , the Chicago Lyric Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony, just to name a few. His works include five string quartets, six symphonies, a ballet, three operas, and numerous chamber and choral works. When asked about his composition Rubies, Harbison replied, “Rubies is a version of Thelonious Monk’s Ruby, My Dear, which he composed while still in his teens. When I was invited by the Seattle Symphony to make a short piece reflecting my first musical passions, my thoughts were of Bach and Monk. Since I had recently made some Bach-like chorale preludes, I chose to make a version of Monk’s tune, first in a chamber-musical, contrapuntal manner, then in the grand orchestral style I had always heard lurking there.” October – Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) is an accomplished composer and major figure in contemporary music, having received awards from ASCAP and the American Choral Directors Association, and honored with a Grammy nomination in the contemporary classical composer category. October was commissioned by the Nebraska Wind Consortium, consisting of more than twenty-five high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the Midwest. The work captures the essence and mood of a crisp October day, with its beautifully natural harmonic language and flavor of the changing season. In the composer’s own words, “The simple pastoral melodies and subsequent harmonies are inspired by the great English Romantics (Vaughn Williams and Elgar), as I felt that this style was also perfectly suited to capture the natural and pastoral soul of the season.”

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, conductor, professional musician and educator, has been the Ridgewood Concert Band’s Musical Director since it was founded in 1983. He was also Music Director of the renowned Goldman Memorial Band in New York City. As a guest conductor, Dr. Wilhjelm has conducted the West Point Band, the United States Army Field Band, the Virginia Wind Symphony, the Allentown Band, the Hanover Winds, the Raritan Wind Symphony, and the Norwalk Symphony. Dr. Wilhjelm has been the conductor of the annual New York City Tuba Christmas since 2000. He was recently appointed the conductor of the Ramapo College Concert Band. As a French horn player, he has performed under the world’s great conductors including Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Colin Davis and Arthur Fiedler. Dr. Wilhjelm has played the French horn with the Boston Symphony, the Boston Pops and, as a principal, with the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the Boston Opera Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony. An honors graduate of the New England Conservatory, he received his doctorate from Columbia University in 1998. He has been the band director at Pascack Hills High School since 1984. Dr. Wilhjelm was recently honored by his election to the American Bandmasters Association. He is the 2012 recipient of the Outstanding Conductor Award presented by the Association of Concert Bands. Dr Wilhjelm is the state chair for the National Band Association. In 2013, he was elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Concert Bands. ___________________________________________________________________ RIDGEWOOD CONCERT BAND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PRESIDENT: Deloss Schertz

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Mark Zettler VICE PRESIDENT: Lawrence Friedman RECORDING SECRETARY: Annette Lieb

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: James Mallen TREASURER: Neil Sheehan

MEMBERS AT LARGE: John Butler, Mike DePompeo,

Carolyn Kirby, David Marks, Thomas P. Price, Beth Seavers, John Wagner & Marilyn Wagner

PICCOLO

Max Taylor

FLUTES Chrysten Angderson

Kristin Bacchiocchi-Stewart * Jill Bloom

Lisandra Hernandez Jennifer Kasyan

Annette Lieb Tomomi Takamoto

Max Taylor Jennifer Wise

OBOES

Mark J. Donellan * Drew Greis Molly Raum

ENGLISH HORN

Molly Raum

BASSOONS Jessica Frane

Robert Gray * Jason Stier

CONTRA BASSOON

Robert Gray

Eb CLARINET Michelle McGuire

CLARINETS

Suzanne Coletta Naomi Freshwater Michelle McGuire Miriam Lockhart

Leigh Myers Marcie Phelan

Jean Roughgarden Rachel Schulman

Beth Seavers Neil Sheehan

Karen Summers Richard Summers *

Janet Vidovich

ALTO CLARINET Glenn Chernicky

BASS CLARINETS Joel Kolk * Joe Mariany

SAXOPHONES

Lois Hicks-Wozniak * - Sop/Alto Andre Baruch - Alto

Matthew Berger - Alto Ryan Mantell - Tenor

Michael DePompeo - Baritone

CORNETS/TRUMPETS Dave Bychek Mike Connor Dave Hurd

Tamara McLaughlin Richard Roberts Michael Russo Ann Sirinides Tony Spinuzzi Joseph Stella

Roger Widicus *

FRENCH HORNS Ben Fine

John Harley Carolyn Kirby *

Brian McLaughlin Deloss Schertz

TROMBONES

Thomas Abbate Noreen Baer* Ryan Halliwell

Paul Kirby Keith Marson Rob Paustian Nate Rensink

Bobby Tiedemann

EUPHONIUMS Robyn Keyes

John Palatucci * Don Van Teyens

TUBA

Bob Sacchi * Larry Zaidan

STRING BASS Charlie Nolet

PERCUSSION

Jasmine Bloch-Krempels Ben Carriel

James Mallen Adrienne Ostrander

John Wagner *(on leave) Mark Zettler * (co-chair)

HARP

Irene Bressler

PIANO Alison Meyer

* PRINCIPAL

___________________________

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTORS John Palatucci

Richard Summers

LIBRARIAN Dave Bychek

PERSONNEL MANAGER

Richard Summers

STAGE MANAGER Tony Spinuzzi

BOX OFFICE

Marilyn Wagner

PARKING DIRECTOR John Hahn

WEB ADMINISTRATOR

Deloss Schertz

PROGRAM DESIGN Joseph Stella

Prelude by the Pascack Hills High School Concert Band Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, Director

Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major - J.S. Bach, arr. by R.L. Moehlmann Alleluia Laudamus Te - Alfred Reed

Deborah Holden-Holloway, Organ

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Semiramide Overture Gioacchino Rossini Transcribed by John Christie Rubies (after Thelonious Monk's John Harbison "Ruby, My Dear") Edited by Peter Stanley Martin October Eric Whitacre Silverado Bruce Broughton Arranged by Randol Bass

INTERMISSION

Concerto for Trombone Steven Bryant I. Pungent and Intense II. Meditative III. Lively

Joseph Alessi, Trombone Honey Boys on Parade E.V. Cupero Selections from Tim Burton's "The Danny Elfman Nightmare Before Christmas" Arranged by Michael Brown

*Flash photography and audio or video recording of this concert is strictly prohibited.*

DR. CHRISTIAN WILHJELM, MUSIC DIRECTOR

PROGRAM

PICCOLO

Max Taylor

FLUTES Chrysten Angderson

Kristin Bacchiocchi-Stewart * Jill Bloom

Lisandra Hernandez Jennifer Kasyan

Annette Lieb Tomomi Takamoto

Max Taylor Jennifer Wise

OBOES

Mark J. Donellan * Drew Greis Molly Raum

ENGLISH HORN

Molly Raum

BASSOONS Jessica Frane

Robert Gray * Jason Stier

CONTRA BASSOON

Robert Gray

Eb CLARINET Michelle McGuire

CLARINETS

Suzanne Coletta Naomi Freshwater Michelle McGuire Miriam Lockhart

Leigh Myers Marcie Phelan

Jean Roughgarden Rachel Schulman

Beth Seavers Neil Sheehan

Karen Summers Richard Summers *

Janet Vidovich

ALTO CLARINET Glenn Chernicky

BASS CLARINETS Joel Kolk * Joe Mariany

SAXOPHONES

Lois Hicks-Wozniak * - Sop/Alto Andre Baruch - Alto

Matthew Berger - Alto Ryan Mantell - Tenor

Michael DePompeo - Baritone

CORNETS/TRUMPETS Dave Bychek Mike Connor Dave Hurd

Tamara McLaughlin Richard Roberts Michael Russo Ann Sirinides Tony Spinuzzi Joseph Stella

Roger Widicus *

FRENCH HORNS Ben Fine

John Harley Carolyn Kirby *

Brian McLaughlin Deloss Schertz

TROMBONES

Thomas Abbate Noreen Baer* Ryan Halliwell

Paul Kirby Keith Marson Rob Paustian Nate Rensink

Bobby Tiedemann

EUPHONIUMS Robyn Keyes

John Palatucci * Don Van Teyens

TUBA

Bob Sacchi * Larry Zaidan

STRING BASS Charlie Nolet

PERCUSSION

Jasmine Bloch-Krempels Ben Carriel

James Mallen Adrienne Ostrander

John Wagner *(on leave) Mark Zettler * (co-chair)

HARP

Irene Bressler

PIANO Alison Meyer

* PRINCIPAL

___________________________

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTORS John Palatucci

Richard Summers

LIBRARIAN Dave Bychek

PERSONNEL MANAGER

Richard Summers

STAGE MANAGER Tony Spinuzzi

BOX OFFICE

Marilyn Wagner

PARKING DIRECTOR John Hahn

WEB ADMINISTRATOR

Deloss Schertz

PROGRAM DESIGN Joseph Stella

Prelude by the Pascack Hills High School Concert Band Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, Director

Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major - J.S. Bach, arr. by R.L. Moehlmann Alleluia Laudamus Te - Alfred Reed

Deborah Holden-Holloway, Organ

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Semiramide Overture Gioacchino Rossini Transcribed by John Christie Rubies (after Thelonious Monk's John Harbison "Ruby, My Dear") Edited by Peter Stanley Martin October Eric Whitacre Silverado Bruce Broughton Arranged by Randol Bass

INTERMISSION

Concerto for Trombone Steven Bryant I. Pungent and Intense II. Meditative III. Lively

Joseph Alessi, Trombone Honey Boys on Parade E.V. Cupero Selections from Tim Burton's "The Danny Elfman Nightmare Before Christmas" Arranged by Michael Brown

*Flash photography and audio or video recording of this concert is strictly prohibited.*

DR. CHRISTIAN WILHJELM, MUSIC DIRECTOR

PROGRAM

PROGRAM NOTES Semiramide – Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) wrote the opera Semiramide in 1823. It was the final Italian opera Rossini would write as after its completion he moved to Paris and wrote his last operas in French. Rossini was one of the fastest composers at that time, and composed the entire opera in only thirty-three days. By the late 1800’s the opera was almost unknown. There have been various revivals of it, though it has not been performed very often. That can’t be said for the overture of the opera, as it remains to this day a popular selection for many concert halls. Rossini was one of the most popular composers of his day and his overtures remain crowd-pleasers. The visceral excitement of a Rossini crescendo, and his gift for beautiful melody will assure Rossini a place in many concert halls of the future. Rubies – John Harbison (b.1938) is among America’s most prominent artistic figures. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Pulitzer Prize. Harbison has composed music for most of this country’s premiere musical institutions, including the Metropolitan Opera , the Chicago Lyric Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony, just to name a few. His works include five string quartets, six symphonies, a ballet, three operas, and numerous chamber and choral works. When asked about his composition Rubies, Harbison replied, “Rubies is a version of Thelonious Monk’s Ruby, My Dear, which he composed while still in his teens. When I was invited by the Seattle Symphony to make a short piece reflecting my first musical passions, my thoughts were of Bach and Monk. Since I had recently made some Bach-like chorale preludes, I chose to make a version of Monk’s tune, first in a chamber-musical, contrapuntal manner, then in the grand orchestral style I had always heard lurking there.” October – Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) is an accomplished composer and major figure in contemporary music, having received awards from ASCAP and the American Choral Directors Association, and honored with a Grammy nomination in the contemporary classical composer category. October was commissioned by the Nebraska Wind Consortium, consisting of more than twenty-five high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the Midwest. The work captures the essence and mood of a crisp October day, with its beautifully natural harmonic language and flavor of the changing season. In the composer’s own words, “The simple pastoral melodies and subsequent harmonies are inspired by the great English Romantics (Vaughn Williams and Elgar), as I felt that this style was also perfectly suited to capture the natural and pastoral soul of the season.”

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, conductor, professional musician and educator, has been the Ridgewood Concert Band’s Musical Director since it was founded in 1983. He was also Music Director of the renowned Goldman Memorial Band in New York City. As a guest conductor, Dr. Wilhjelm has conducted the West Point Band, the United States Army Field Band, the Virginia Wind Symphony, the Allentown Band, the Hanover Winds, the Raritan Wind Symphony, and the Norwalk Symphony. Dr. Wilhjelm has been the conductor of the annual New York City Tuba Christmas since 2000. He was recently appointed the conductor of the Ramapo College Concert Band. As a French horn player, he has performed under the world’s great conductors including Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Colin Davis and Arthur Fiedler. Dr. Wilhjelm has played the French horn with the Boston Symphony, the Boston Pops and, as a principal, with the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the Boston Opera Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony. An honors graduate of the New England Conservatory, he received his doctorate from Columbia University in 1998. He has been the band director at Pascack Hills High School since 1984. Dr. Wilhjelm was recently honored by his election to the American Bandmasters Association. He is the 2012 recipient of the Outstanding Conductor Award presented by the Association of Concert Bands. Dr Wilhjelm is the state chair for the National Band Association. In 2013, he was elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Concert Bands. ___________________________________________________________________ RIDGEWOOD CONCERT BAND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PRESIDENT: Deloss Schertz

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Mark Zettler VICE PRESIDENT: Lawrence Friedman RECORDING SECRETARY: Annette Lieb

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: James Mallen TREASURER: Neil Sheehan

MEMBERS AT LARGE: John Butler, Mike DePompeo,

Carolyn Kirby, David Marks, Thomas P. Price, Beth Seavers, John Wagner & Marilyn Wagner

New Name. Same Sound.

Over the last 34 seasons, the Ridgewood Concert Band has provided audiences with the highest level of wind music performances representing a wide range of musical styles, periods, and composers. We have shared our musical talents not only in our “hometown” of Ridgewood but across the state of New Jersey and beyond. In order to align our name with this geographical reach, the Ridgewood Concert Band will become the New Jersey Wind Symphony at the start of our 35th season in the fall of 2017. We are excited to begin this new chapter in our ensemble’s history and look forward to continuing to bring the finest musical performances to audiences in Ridgewood and beyond.

Silverado – Bruce Broughton (b. 1945) is a native of Los Angeles and has established a well-deserved place for himself in the Hollywood film industry as one of its leading composers. In addition to being awarded ten Emmys for his television works, he is most proud of his Academy Award nomination for his film score for Silverado in 1985. A good film score is one that helps advance the story and fills in an emotional dimension beyond what the acting and other elements can convey. Silverado delivers a sweeping, exhilarating soundtrack that pulses with classic Western flavor, yet has a distinctive sound all its own.

Concerto for Trombone – Steven Bryant (b. 1972) is an active American composer and conductor with a varied catalog including works for orchestra, wind ensemble, electronics, and chamber music. Bryant states in his own words, “I strive to write music that leaps off the stage to grab you by the collar and pull you in. Whether through a relentless eruption of energy, or the intensity of quiet contemplation, I want my music to give you no choice, and no other desire, but to listen.” In his Concerto for Trombone, which he wrote specifically for our featured artist, Joseph Alessi, he has accomplished his goal. He nurtures Mr. Alessi’s beautiful haunting tone in the melodic space of the work while allowing the artist’s virtuosic skill to be revealed in the faster more energetic sections. The result is an undeniable success for a new concerto that will stand the test of time for exceptional artists who will step up to the challenge. Honey Boys On Parade – E.V. Cupero (1877-1939) was an Italian-American composer, arranger, and cornetist, best known for his “screamer” Honey Boys On Parade, which he composed for the traveling band of George “Honey Boy” Evans. This march was first published in 1914 and is a classic example of marches from this era and was very popular with American minstrels and circuses. Marches known as “screamers” were particularly upbeat in tempo and were intended to stir the circus audience into a frenzy. Screamers are a very demanding type of music due to their extremely fast tempi and rhythms. Selections from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" – Danny Elfman (b. 1953) is one of today’s most successful creators of movie music and is also one of only a few who has managed to make the transition from rock music to orchestral score composer. The Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated writer has been working hard in the motion-picture arena since 1985 , when director Tim Burton and star Paul Ruebens who were both fascinated by Elfman’s playfully macabre music for the cult rock band Oingo Boingo, called upon him to write the music for Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. The Elfman-Burton collaboration continued with five of Elfman’s eight Grammy nominations coming for Burton films. Elfman also has a more serious side as demonstrated by his scores for such dramas as Good Will Hunting, Dolores Claiborne, and Men in Black to name just a few. Program Notes compiled by Marcie Phelan

Musica di Camera in Protogruaro, Italy; Cabrillo Music Festival; Swiss Brass Week; and Lieksa Brass Week in Finland. He was featured in the 1997 International Trombone Festival in Feldkirch, Austria, and the International Meeting of Brass Instruments in Lille, France. He is a founding member of the Summit Brass ensemble at the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Tempe, Arizona. In 2002 Mr. Alessi was awarded an International Trombone Association Award for his contributions to the world of trombone music and trombone playing. Mr. Alessi was invited by the International Trombone Association to record a solo disc of newly composed works, which was distributed to the Association’s membership of 5,000 trombonists in early 1999 and is now available as Beyond the End of the Century through Summit Records. His recording of George Crumb’s Starchild on the Bridge record label, featuring Mr. Alessi as soloist, won a Grammy Award for 1999–2000. Other recordings featuring Mr. Alessi are with the Canadian Brass (Sony Classical and Philips Records). Further information about Mr. Alessi can be found on his website, www.slidearea.com. ________________________________________________________________

Joseph Alessi was appointed Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, The Gurnee F. and Marjorie L. Hart Chair, in the spring of 1985. He began musical studies in his native California with his father, Joseph Alessi, Sr., as a high school student in San Rafael, California, and was a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony before continuing his musical training at The Curtis Institute of Music. Prior to joining the Philharmonic, Mr. Alessi was second trombone of The Philadelphia Orchestra for four seasons, and principal trombone of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for one season. He has performed as guest principal trombonist with the London Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, led by Pierre Boulez. Mr. Alessi is an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. In April 1990 he made his New York Philharmonic solo debut, performing Creston’s Fantasy for Trombone, and in 1992 premiered Christopher Rouse’s Pulitzer Prize–winning Trombone Concerto with the Philharmonic, which commissioned the work for its 150th anniversary celebration. He performed the World Premiere of Melinda Wagner’s Trombone Concerto, conducted by Lorin Maazel in February 2007. In July 2013 he appeared with the Philharmonic as soloist in Bramwell Tovey’s The Lincoln Tunnel Cabaret for Trombone and Orchestra, written for Mr. Alessi, at Summertime Classics and at Bravo! Vail, both performances conducted by the composer. Mr. Alessi has been a guest soloist with the Lincoln, Colorado, Syracuse, Virginia, Alabama, Santa Barbara, Puerto Rico, Hartford, and South Dakota symphony orchestras; New Japan, Seoul, Hague, and Helsinki philharmonic orchestras; National Repertory Orchestra; Orchestra of Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Sicily; Mannheim National Theater Orchestra; and National Symphony of Taiwan. Mr. Alessi has also participated in numerous festivals, including the Festivale

Printing of this program generously underwritten by Konica Minolta Business Solutions.

________________________________________________________________________

Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, through grant

funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs. ________________________________________________________________________

The Ridgewood Concert Band would like to thank all of the many volunteers who have made this concert possible.

________________________________________________________________________

The Ridgewood Concert Band would like to give a special “thank you” to David Marks and the

Midland Park School District. The Midland Park High School band room is our weekly rehearsal site.

________________________________________________________________________

For additional RCB information, please visit our website or scan our QR code:

WWW.RIDGEWOODBAND.ORG

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, Music Director

34th Season Opening Gala

FEATURED GUEST SOLOIST

Joseph Alessi Principal Trombonist, New York Philharmonic

PRELUDE CONCERT - 7:30 PM Pascack Hills High School Concert Band

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm, Director

Friday, October 28, 2016 - 8:00 PM West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, NJ

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. is a Proud

Sponsor of the Ridgewood Concert Band

BENEFACTOR ($3,000 and above) Thomas & Victoria Price

Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

PATRON ($2,000 to $2,999)

Carolyn & Howard Crumb Judith Widicus

SPONSOR ($1,000 to $1,999)

Michael & Darel-Ann DePompeo Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc.

SUPPORTER ($500 to $999)

Barbara Abney Bolger Lawrence & Donna Friedman

Gregory Fritze In Memory of Aquilina Lim

Dr Christian Wilhjelm & Jacqueline Sarracco In Memory of Emma Wode

Fred & Patricia Yosca

ASSOCIATE ($250 to $499) Annette Baron & Andrew Lieb

Mary & Paul Bergquist Jeff Bittner

Naomi Freshwater Paul Goldberg Elisa R. Grim

Paul & Carolyn Kirby Michael Kokola

Kathy & John Palatucci Beth Seavers & Neil Sheehan

John & Marilyn Wagner Blue Moon Mexican Cafe

PVH Corp

AFFILIATE ($100 to $249) Ginny Baird

John G. Bolger David Bychek

Suzanne Coletta Lynn & Dick Curtin

Paul & Helene Emanuel Sally Fillmore & David Appel

Captain Kenneth Force Marie M. Kane

James & Cheryl Mallen Joseph & Deborah Marsicovete

Jerry, Mary, Leah, & Brendan Meyer Irene Montella

Dorothy Neff Marcella Phelan

Jean Roughgarden Deloss Schertz & Rose Kraybill

Francis & Barbara Schott Rachel Schulman

Richard & Karen Summers Mr & Mrs Harold M. Sylvester

Richard & Jessie Ver Hage Dr. Richard & Katherine Wise

Nancy E. Zweil

FRIEND ($1 to $99) Andre Baruch

Jill Bloom Lloyd & Janet DeVries

Mary Dorian Michelle Dugan

Richard & Gayle Felton Vicki Fiore, M.D.

Eileen Ginn Katherine Grasso Richard F. Hahn

Lois Hicks-Wozniak Emily James

Emmitt & Elizabeth Johnson Janet Johnston

Janis Keown-Blackburn Nathan Kinney

Lorraine Mariella Elizabeth A. McGrath

Larry & Barbara Roshon Albert Schagen

Edward Schlamp Ann Sirinides

Virginia R. Sirinides Alexander & Debra Taylor

Janet Vidovich William Vollinger

Arnold & Diane Zettler Mark & Andrea Zettler

Amazon Smile Foundation Life O' The Party

If you are a recent subscriber or donor, we

may have received your name too late to include in this program and we apologize for that, but you will be in subsequent programs.

Thank you.

2016-17 CONTRIBUTORS The Ridgewood Concert Band gratefully acknowledges the support of our donors

and subscribers whose generous support makes these programs possible.

Season 34, Concert 1 - October 28, 2016