Saturday, December 7th, 2024 | 3:00 pm | Wentz Concert Hall | Naperville, Illinois

With Special Guest, the Naperville Chorus
Dr. Reid Taylor, conductor

From the Music Director

Welcome to the fourth season of The Naperville Winds, an organization comprising musicians from across Chicagoland (and beyond) who share one common mission–to perform the finest wind band literature available at the highest level possible. This ensemble coalesced quickly; the energy and excitement at the first rehearsal on August 26, 2021 was palpable, and, immediately after rehearsal, it was clear that we were at the beginning of a truly special journey.

The road to today’s performance hasn’t been easy. In order for a major ensemble to establish itself in the time of COVID, it must overcome myriad challenges. We faced these head-on, knowing full-well the daunting challenges we’d face, and we overcame them all, together. The collective “brain trust” of the ensemble–through each member’s experience, outside-the-box thinking, and quick problem solving skills–has allowed us to deftly navigate around the detours and roadblocks and continue on our path, unwaveringly, toward our shared goal. Our fourth season is, therefore, not just a celebration of music, but a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

It has been an absolute joy to make music with the members of The Naperville Winds over the past four years. I am humbled by the collegiality, selflessness, energy, and of course, talent, that each member brings to the table. I strongly believe that The Naperville Winds will soon be a household name for lovers of wind band repertoire throughout the nation and the world. I sincerely hope you will support us throughout this incredible journey!

Sincerely,
Sean Kelley, D.M.A.
Music Director, The Naperville Winds

Repertoire

Sesquicentennial Exposition March

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)

The Sesquicentennial Exposition of 1926 was held in Philadelphia, the occasion being the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American independence. Sousa composed this march at the request of exposition officials and dedicated it to the mayor of Philadelphia, W. Freeland Kendrick.

–Program note from John Philip Sousa: A Descriptive Catalog of His Works

Liberty for All

James Beckel, Jr. (b. 1948)

Narration by Dr. Stephen Maynard Caliendo, Dean, North Central College College of Arts & Sciences

Through a program sponsored by the American Composers Forum, the Carmel Symphony commissioned James Beckel, Jr., to compose Liberty for All. He originally wrote it for symphony orchestra and narrator. The work includes text from Patrick Henry’s preamble to the Constitution, George Washington’s speech at Valley Forge, and John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address. The United States Coast Guard Band commissioned the composer’s transcription for band in 2002.

– Program note from Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music

Armed Forces – The Pride of America!

Larry Clark (b. 1963) & Greg Gilpin (b. 1964)

This patriotic armed forces tribute presents the official songs of five of the six branches of the Armed Forces. Audience members who served in the armed forces are encouraged to stand as they are able for the song of their branch. In the second half, the Pledge of Allegiance and The Star-Spangled Banner are presented and audience members are encouraged to stand as they are able.

– Program note by Sean Kelley

Chester

William Billings (1746-1800)
arr. William Schuman (1910-1992)

The tune on which this composition is based was born during the very time of the American Revolution, appearing in 1778 in a book of tunes and anthems composed by William Billings called The Singing Master’s Assistant. This book became known as Billings’ Best, as it followed his first book, called The New England Psalm Singer, which was published in 1770. Chester was so popular that it was sung throughout the colonies from Vermont to South Carolina. It became the song of the American Revolution, sung around the campfires of the Continental Army and played by fifers on the march. The music and words, both composed by Billings, expressed perfectly the burning desire for freedom which sustained the colonists through the difficult years of the Revolution.

Let tyrants shake their iron rod,
And Slav’ry clank her galling chains,
We fear them not, we trust in God,
New England’s God forever reigns.

The Foe comes on with haughty Stride;
Our troops advance with martial noise,
Their Vet’rans flee before our Youth,
And Gen’rals yield to beardless Boys.

What grateful Off’ring shall we bring?
What shall we render to the Lord?
Loud Halleluiahs let us Sing,
And praise his name on ev’ry Chord.

Schuman originally composed Chester as the third movement of his New England Triptych, where he interpreted William Billings’ hymn and marching song of the same name. He later developed and extended the work to become an overture for band; Chester, however, is often performed as the answer to Schuman’s second movement prelude of the Triptych, When Jesus Wept.

– Program note by Jennifer Daffinee for the 2016 Texas All-State 5A Symphonic Band concert program, 13 February 2016

America, the Beautiful

Samuel Augustus Ward (1847-1903)
Carmen Dragon (1914-1984)

Samuel Augustus Ward was an American organist and composer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of a shoemaker, he studied under several teachers in New York and became an organist at Grace Episcopal Church in his home town in 1880. He is remembered for the 1882 tune “Materna,” which he intended as a setting for the hymn “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem.” This was published ten years later in 1892. In 1903, after Ward had died, the tune was first combined by a publisher with the Katharine Lee Bates poem “America,” itself first published in 1895, to create the patriotic song “America, the Beautiful.” The first book with the combination was published in 1910.

The rich musical legacy that Carmen Dragon left the world usually includes his solid reputation as a consummate orchestrator. He is best remembered for the iconic arrangement of America, the Beautiful for both symphony orchestra and symphonic band. Samuel Ward’s familiar tune enjoys a sumptuous feast of harmonic color and instrumental nuance.

– Program note by Lynn Sherr and the publisher

Stars and Stripes Forever

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)

The Stars and Stripes Forever is widely considered Sousa’s most famous march, and ten-year international march popularity survey confirms this statement. The universal appeal of Sousa’s march is illustrated by an article in The New York Times by Harold Schonberg which tells of a tour to China by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1973. After sitting politely but stonily through a program which ranged from Beethoven to Copland, the orchestra struck up The Stars and Stripes. “All of a sudden electricity permeated the hall. Faces broke into smiles; feet began tapping; there was a general air of understanding and happiness. Maybe,… (it) really is the greatest piece of music ever written by an American. In any case, it has made more friends for America than any other piece of music…” Sousa stated that this march was divinely inspired and was born of homesickness:

“Aboard the Teutonic, as it steamed out of the harbor on my return from Europe in 1896, came one of the most vivid incidents of my career. As I paced the deck, absorbed in thought, suddenly I began to sense the rhythmic beat of a band playing within my brain. It kept on ceaselessly, playing, playing, playing. Throughout the whole tense voyage, that imaginary band continued to unfold the same themes, echoing and reechoing the most distinct melody. I did not transfer a note of that music to paper while I was on the steamer, but when we reached the shore, I set down the measures that my brain-band had been playing for me, and not a note of it has ever changed. The composition is known the world over as The Stars and Stripes Forever and is probably my most popular march.”

Sousa explained to the press that the three themes of the final trio were meant to typify the three sections of the United States. The broad melody, or main theme, represents the North. The South is represented by the famous piccolo obbligato, and the West by the bold countermelody of the trombones.

– Program note from “John Philip Sousa: A Descriptive Catalog of His Works” by Paul E. Bierley

Intermission (10 minutes)

Fanfare for the Festival of Lights

Evan VanDoren (b. 1987)

Fanfare for the Festival of Lights weaves two traditional Hanukkah melodies, Ma’oz Tzur and The Dreidel Song, into a colorful, rousing celebration.

VanDoren states, “As a young Jewish musician growing up in the United States, I performed an untold number of Christmas selections around the holiday season. Truthfully, I enjoyed them all! The concert band repertoire includes a wealth of masterfully crafted selections composed and arranged from melodies and concepts tied to the Christmas holiday. There are, however, fewer opportunities for young Jewish musicians to perform music derived from their own cultural and religious heritage. My hope is that through creating this brief work, Jewish musicians will have the opportunity to perform music from their background, while all musicians join together in a musical celebration of the joy and awe of the holiday season.”

– Program note by the composer

Home Alone

John Williams (b. 1932)
arr. Paul Lavender (b. 1951)

Home Alone, released in 1990, is about an eight-year-old troublemaker who must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation. The film stars 10-year-old Macaulay Culkin, along with Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. The musical score was written by John Williams (with lyricist Leslie Bricusse) and received several award nominations including a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television (for the song “Somewhere In My Memory”), Academy Award nominations for Best Music, Original Song (also for the song “Somewhere In My Memory”) and Best Music, Original Score, and the winner of the BMI Film Music Award.

In a career that spans five decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage. He has served as music director and laureate conductor of one of the country’s treasured musical institutions, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and he maintains thriving artistic relationships with many of the world’s great orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mr. Williams has received a variety of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honor, the Olympic Order, and numerous Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. He remains one of our nation’s most distinguished and contributive musical voices.

– Program note by the publisher

A Christmas Festival

Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)

A Christmas Festival, composed in 1950, is a concert overture based on traditional Christmas songs. Originally recorded by the Boston Pops, legendary songsmith and arranger Leroy Anderson’s setting traverses the joy, celebration, and solemnity of Christmas in his arrangements of Joy To The World, Deck the Halls, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, The First Noel, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, and O Come, All Ye Faithful.

– Program note from Walnut Creek Concert Band, December 1, 2015

Sleigh Ride

Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)

Sleigh Ride is a light orchestral standard whose music was composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had formed the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and he finished the work in February 1948. The original recordings were instrumental versions. The lyrics, about riding in a sleigh and other fun wintertime activities, were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950. The orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra. A selection of the artists who have recorded it include Herb Alpert, The Andrews Sisters, The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, The Boston Pops Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, Debbie Gibson, The Muppets, and Andy Williams.

– Program note by Andy Pease

Personnel

Click to view members of The Naperville Winds

Thanks To Our Sponsors

Corporate Partner

Full Circle Creative & Media Services

$500 to $1000

Michael & Caroline Kelley

Sean Kelley

$250 to $499

Bruce Spitzer

$100 to $249

Friends of The Naperville Winds

$1 to $99

Special Thanks To:

North Central College Conference Services Office:
Christopher Drennan
Brianna Avalos
Jennifer Holloway
Jennifer Berozek
Andrew Butler
Collin Trevor

Susan Chou, Chairperson, NCC Department of Music
Lawrence Van Oyen, NCC Director of Bands
Joe LaPalomento, NCC Instructor of Percussion
Kim Richter, NCC Instructor of Bassoon & Music Director, Naperville Youth Symphony Orchestra
Stephen Maynard Caliendo, NCC Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

Jennifer Wojcik (flute), Content Editor
Ethan Dunk (trumpet), Music Manager
Melissa Hickok (clarinet), Public Relations Chair
Barb Holland (flute), Secretary
Nate Dickman (Trumpet), Treasurer
Crystal Szewczyk (Flute), Fundraising Chair
Claudia Andrews (Horn), Melissa Hickok (Clarinet), Ken Kelly (Clarinet), Band Representatives