PROGRAM SELECTIONS

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North Georgia Winds

Program Order: 

The Star-Spangled Banner - John Stafford-Smith, arr. Eric Whitacre

Remembering Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) - R. Alan Carter and Cristina Huss

Armed Forces Salute - arr. Bob Lowden

Big Band Classics - arr. Eric Osterling

Shenandoah - Frank Ticheli

Songs of Aloha - arr. Ralph Ford

Big Sky March - R. Alan Carter

Selections from Wicked - Stephen Schwartz, arr. Jay Bocook

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On the Podium for The North Georgia Winds

Associate Conductor, Mr. Dion Muldrow

Guest Conductor, Mrs. Amanda Irby

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Program Notes

The Star-Spangled Banner - John Stafford-Smith, arr. Eric Whitacre

The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort M'Henry," a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in the Chesapeake Bay during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.

The poem was set to the tune of a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a men's social club in London. To Anacreon in Heaven (or the Anacreontic Song), with various lyrics, was already popular in the United States. Set to Key's poem and renamed The Star-Spangled Banner, it would soon become a well-known American patriotic song. With a range of one octave and one fifth (a semitone more than an octave and a half), it is known for being difficult to sing. Although the poem has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today.

The Star-Spangled Banner was recognized for official use by the Navy in 1889, and by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, and was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1508, codified at 36 U.S.C. § 301), which was signed by President Herbert Hoover.

Before 1931, other songs served as the hymns of American officialdom. Hail, Columbia served this purpose at official functions for most of the 19th century. My Country, 'Tis of Thee, whose melody is identical to God Save the Queen, the British national anthem, also served as a de facto anthem. Following the War of 1812 and subsequent American wars, other songs emerged to compete for popularity at public events, among them The Star-Spangled Banner.

Program notes by the publisher

Remembering Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) - R. Alan Carter and Cristina Huss

Written to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, this stirring tribute honors those who fought on December 7, 1941. Beginning with chimes signifying the hour of the attack, the composition takes the listeners and performers on a moving journey from the precarious moments before the attack, through the air strike and resulting aftermath. Including statements of "Anchors Aweigh", “Taps”, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save”, and fragments of many other tunes, this composition demonstrates the resilience of all mankind.

Program notes by the publisher

Armed Forces Salute - arr. Bob Lowden

An impressive tribute honoring our men and women of the Armed Forces. Includes: The Caisson Song; Semper Paratus; The Marines' Hymn; The U.S. Air Force and Anchors Aweigh.

Program notes from JWPepper

Big Band Classics - arr. Eric Osterling

Here's a sparkling medley that authentically captures the flavor of Glenn Miller and the Big Band sounds of the 40s. Included are 'In The Mood'...'Serenade In Blue'...and 'Tuxedo Junction.

Program notes from JWPepper

Shenandoah - Frank Ticheli

In my setting of Shenandoah I was inspired by the freedom and beauty of the folk melody and by the natural images evoked by the words, especially the image of a river. I was less concerned with the sound of a rolling river than with its life-affirming energy -- its timelessness. Sometimes the accompaniment flows quietly under the melody; other times it breathes alongside it. The work's mood ranges from quiet reflection, through growing optimism, to profound exaltation.

The Shenandoah Valley and the Shenandoah River are located in Virginia. There is disagreement among historians concerning the origins of their names. Some claim that the river and valley were named in the 1750's by the Cherokee as a friendly tribute to a visiting Iroquois Chief named Skenandoah. Others suggest that the region was named not by the Cherokee, but by the Senedo Indians of Virginia Valley. In the Senedo tradition, Shenandoah means "Daughter of the Moon," and bears no relation to the Iroquois Chief Skenandoah.

The origins of the folksong are equally obscure, but all date to the 19th century. It has been attributed variously to a coal miner in Pennsylvania, to a young protégé of Stephen Foster, and to a housewife in Lexington, Kentucky. Many variants on the melody and text have been handed down through the years, the most popular telling the story of an early settler's love for a Native American woman.

Program notes by the composer

Songs of Aloha - arr. Ralph Ford

This charming and varied medley contains the three mainstays of Pacific islands music: Hawaiian Wedding Song; Hawaiian War Chant and Aloha 'Oe. These classic songs will take your audience on a visit to paradise!

Program notes from JWPepper

Big Sky March - R. Alan Carter

Premiered at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, this march describes the beautiful mountain views that gave Asheville its nickname, "Land of the Sky." Written in the traditional style of Fillmore marches, the piece features exciting parts for all instruments. Flurries of woodwinds and brass flourishes depict the pageantry of a festival, and repeated arpeggios and chromatic scales represent each of the two ensembles that performed the piece as part of a Memorial Day celebration.

Program notes from JWPepper

Selections from Wicked - Stephen Schwartz, arr. Jay Bocook

Rarely has a musical in modern times taken Broadway by storm the way this huge hit from Stephen Schwartz has done. The story line of the Wicked Witch of the West is intriguing and the music is filled with depth and beauty. This powerful medley includes No One Mourns the Wicked, The Wizard and I, Dancing Through Life, Defying Gravity and For Good.

Program notes by the publisher