May 11

Mother's Day

Trinity United Methodist

2:00 PM

July 3

Independence Day

It's Back On! Fla Vets Field UF

9 PM

The composer, a University of Florida School of Music Professor Emeritus, wrote this piece especially for the Gainesville Community Band. The “tree city” of the title is Gainesville, and the driving rhythms and colorful harmonies reflect the city’s majestic tree cover, as well as its exhilarating intellectual atmosphere.

Raymond Scott Edge’s 2007 novel, Flight of the Piasa, tells the tale of an archaeology graduate student’s inquiry into a mysterious mural that stares down from the rocky face of cliffs overlooking the Mississippi. It depicts the Piasa, a creature of myth and legend that is more terrifying than any other found in Native American lore. The Alton (Illinois) High School Band commissioned Robert Sheldon to write this piece. Sheldon, conductor of the Prairie Wind Ensemble, is one of the most performed composers of band music today. He has taught in Florida and Illinois public schools and has served on the faculty of Florida State University as a teacher and band director.

George Farmer was born in Tampa. He is a product of the Hillsborough County Public School System and studied music at the University of Tampa, Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts and the University of Oklahoma. He taught high school band and orchestra in Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas, and Florida. Silent Hills derives from his mother’s stories of her youth in Ireland and gets its title from Prayer, a poem by Max Ehrmann: “May I still remember the bright hours that found me/Walking over the silent hills of my childhood,/Or dreaming on the margins of the quiet river,/When a light glowed within me,/And I promised my early God to have courage/Amid the tempests of the changing years…

The composer describes this piece as follows: “The Forest of Arden, the setting for Shakespeare’s lighthearted comedy As You Like It, serves as the inspiration for the title of this work, a set of variations on a simple eight-measure theme. Though Arden Variations originally was intended as an analytical study for the composer’s advanced harmony students, it quickly evolved into a work which, like Shakespeare’s play, begs to be enjoyed rather than analyzed. The Prelude evokes images of the Forest’s pastoral setting, while the Scherzo is suggestive of the frolicking of its diverse denizens, and the Rondo captures the fast-paced development and resolution of the plot.” John Edmunds taught band at Orlando’s Colonial High School then went on to teach at University of Texas and Louisiana State University.

Gary Langford began teaching at the University of Florida in 1971 and semi-retired in 2007. Over the years at UF, Gary was Professor of Trumpet, Director of Jazz Studies, Marching Band Director, Concert Band Director, classroom teacher, arranger of more than 300 pieces for marching band, and Administrator. He continues as Director of Jazz Studies and Conductor of the Alachua Youth Orchestra.

Reid Poole came to the University of Florida as assistant to Band Director Harold Bachman in 1949. In 1958, Poole was named director of bands and in 1961, chair of the Department (later School) of Music. Belwin, Inc., published this composition in 1951. The title refers to the popular attraction west of Ocala, Florida.

Each of the three movements portrays an element that helped make Notre Dame one of the world’s most famous cathedrals. Flying Buttresses is triumphant, representing the impressive structures that reinforce the building. Quasimodo, energetic, yet mysterious, depicts the legendary "Hunchback of Notre Dame." The joyous Carillon portrays the famed bell tower of the cathedral. Chris Sharp is a Florida native raised in Cocoa Beach. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in theory and composition from the University of Florida and a Master of Music degree in studio writing and production from the University of Miami. He has written for numerous organizations and music groups. Since 1984 he served as staff arranger for Walt Disney World until recently when he began doctoral study at the University of Florida.

Symphonic Overture employs the familiar three-part form. It begins with a robust and rhythmically interesting A section, followed by a slow, expressive B theme introduced by the flute, followed by the A theme treated somewhat differently, as a fugue, and concluding with a characteristic coda. The composer, after serving in the United States Army in World War II, attended the Ohio State University, the Eastman School of Music, and Florida State University. He taught low brass and was arranger for the Ohio State University Marching Band. Later, he went to Florida State University as an arranger for the bands and as well as a professor of theory and harmony. Carter has many published works to his credit included over thirty compositions for wind band.

A light salute to “the king,” this medley includes “Love Me Tender,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Jim Christensen worked in music with Walt Disney Productions for 37-plus years, during 12 of which he served as music director for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. A prolific composer/arranger with over 400 published works to his credit, Jim has also appeared as guest conductor with various symphonic orchestras and other musical organizations (including the Gainesville Symphonic Band).

Also known as "Trish Trash Polka,” there are various stories concerning the origin of the title of this 1858 composition. According to one, the title came from a new magazine, Tritsch-Tratsch, published in Vienna, Strauss’ hometown. It contained the work of several of the composer’s friends and was described as a “humorous, satirical weekly publication.” By using the same name for his polka, Strauss was telling his audience that it was a fun and amusing dance. Alfred Reed (1921-2005) was one of America's most prolific and frequently performed composers, with more than two hundred published works for concert band, wind ensemble, orchestra, chorus, and chamber ensemble to his name. He also traveled extensively as a guest conductor, performing in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. He was professor of music at the University of Miami from 1966 to 1993 and was chairman of the department of Music Media and Industry and director of the Music Industry Program at the time of his retirement.