presents

Titusville, FloridaBrevard County Public Schools

Titusville High SchoolSymphony Orchestra

Florida music educator’s associationPresident’s Concert

Titusville Symphony OrchestraIan Schwindt & Jennifer ZahnDirectors

FMEA President’s ConcertWednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:30pm

Program

Russian Sailors’ DanceReinhold Gliere/Merl J. Isaac

Sussex Mummer’s Christmas CarolPercy Grainger/Joseph Kreines

Alexandria Reetz – Director of Orchestra and Chorus, Andrew Jackson Middle School

L’Arlesienne Suite No. 1 , I. Allegro DecisoGeorges Bizet

Marcey Sperr – Strings Consultant, Titusville High School Feeder Chain

ShenandoahDaniel Walter

Jim Matthews – Director of Bands, Andrew Jackson Middle School

FinlandiaJean Sibelius

From Sea to Shining SeaSamuel Ward/Katherine Lee Bates

Combined Ensemblewith Boyton Beach HS Chorus and Eau Gallie HS Band

Program NotesRussian Sailors’ Dance Reinhold Gliere/Merl J. Isaac

The Russian Sailors’ Dance is the best known excerpt from Glière’s landmark ballet , The Red Poppy (1926-1927). Thescene depicts an uprising on a Chinese ship and the successful intervention of the Russian Sailors. This energetic dancemusic is based upon Yablochka (Little Angel), a popular Russian Folk Tune, and is very dramatic. It opens with a shortintroduction of rapid music, followed by a slow, declarative theme in minor. This then leads to a series of variations anda dramatic coda.

Sussex Mummer’s Christmas Carol Percy Grainger/Joseph Kreines

Performances of folk plays by Mummer have a strong history and presence in the region of Sussex, England, eventoday. The word “Mummer” is derived from the Greek Word Mommo, meaning a mask. The wearing of masks becamefashionable in the 14th century court, with the eventual migration to all night revelers wearing them to protect theiridentity. Masks were also common in the plays. The plays would end with the singing of songs, most popularly a carol.The Christmas Carol was often associated with a performance of “St. George, the Turk, and the Seven Champions ofChristendom.” The people of the day were not bothered by the incongruity of the solemnity of the carol juxtaposedagainst the costumes of colored calico, chimney pot hats trimmed with shreds of ribbons, and wooden swords. In 1880-1881, Miss Lucy E. Broadwood captured words and music from several variations of the carol, which were aggregatedinto the following first two verses:

When righteous Joseph wedded wasUnto a virtuous [virgin] maidA glorious angel from Heaven cameUnto that virtuous [virgin] maid.

O mortal man, remember wellWhen Christ our Lord was born;‘Twas for our sins and wicked waysAnd crowned with the thorn.

L’Arlesienne Suite No. 1, I. Allegro Deciso Georges Bizet

The incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play L'Arlésienne (The Girl from Arles) was composed in 1872. The play was afailure with critics complaining that there were "too many overtures". In other words, Bizet's music overpowered thedrama. Fortunately, Bizet rescued some of the best music, and from it, Bizet assembled two suites. In the Prelude ofL'Arlésienne Suite No.1., Bizet borrows "The March of the Kings" from the French Christmas Carol and offers it in severalways: the strings, woodwinds and horns open with a vigorous rendition; then the woodwinds alone play it as a quietchorale. The full orchestra with percussion and brass follow, presenting the melody as a storm at sea, with rising andfalling dynamics and a rolling chromatic underpinning. Cello, horn and bassoon then offer the theme with gently lopingrhythms, and the final variant is a return to the full orchestra with military flourish.

Shenandoah Daniel Walter

A Traditional American Folk Song whose origin and meaning are lost in the mist of the river, “Shenandoah” was likelyfirst a sea shanty, and then was taken up by riverboat crews. American Folklorist Alan Lomax suggested that“Shenandoah’s” composers were French Canadian Voyagers and that perhaps they used the song to coordinate therowing of their huge canoes. The word ‘Shenandoah’ is part of a puzzle. It may refer to a Native American Tribal Chiefof that name or to the Shenandoah River Valley in Virginia. The singer longs for a faraway home in the ShenandoahValley in the same way that a suitor asks for the hand of Chief Shenandoah’s daughter, whom he wishes to carry awayacross the water. In yet another interpretation, the singer is an indentured servant longing to return to his sweetheartin the Shenandoah Valley, but unable to because he is “bound away cross the wide Missouri” by the “seven long years,”the typical seven year term of indenture during colonial days.

Finlandia Jean Sibelius

By around 1900, after nearly a century of Russian rule, nationalism had become a strong force in Finland and the re-sentment of Russian overlords was strong. Russia forced conscription of Finnish youth into its military and censored theFinnish press. Today, Finland refers to this period as the “years of passive resistance”. During this politically chargedenvironment, Sibelius composed Finlandia in 1899 as one of six Scènes Historiques (“Historic Scenes” or “Tableauxfrom the Past”). Raw emotionalism dominates this music. Sibelius’s decisive musical gestures contribute greatlyto Finlandia’s dramatic impact. From the threatening low brass chords that open, through the rich hymn introduced bywoodwinds and taken up by the strings, to the triumphant finale, Finlandia grabs both your heart and soul, compellingthe listener with its crisp fanfares and convincing musical rhetoric.

Ian Schwindt is in his fourteenthyear of teaching instrumental music atTitusville High School. During his tenure,the program has doubled in size and sig-nificantly expanded its musical offeringsincluding a full orchestra, AP music the-ory, and an active chamber ensembleprogram. Mr. Schwindt is currently in histhird year as conductor of the BrevardSymphony Youth Orchestra. He currentlyserves in several leadership positions in-cluding Department Chair of Fine Arts atTitusville High School, Brevard CountyMusic Leadership Team and the BrevardCounty Music Advisory Board. He waselected to serve two terms as FBA DistrictChairman, is currently serving as the FBAAll-State Chairman and is on the FMEAConvention Board. Mr. Schwindt remainsactive as a clinician and adjudicator forboth FBA and FOA across the state. Heregularly conducts many select ensemblesincluding The Florida State UniversitySummer Music Camps and All-County

groups state-wide. He is stillactive as a free-lance tromboneplayer through-out the CentralFlorida area. Hisawards includebeing named aFMEA EmergingLeader, a Na-tional Band Asso-

ciation Citation for Excellence, the FirstAnnual FBA Tom Bishop Award, and Titus-ville High School’s Teacher of the Year. Hisprofessional affiliations include FMEA,FBA, FOA and Phi Beta Mu.

Jennifer Zahn is in her eleventhyear of teaching instrumental music atTitusville HighSchool. Duringher tenure,the orchestraprogram hastripled in sizeand has ex-panded itsmusical offer-ings by creat-ing a chamberorchestra ofthe most elite string players. Ms. Zahnremains active with conducting the con-cert bands and marching band in additionto conducting the THS Spring Musicaleach year. During her teaching career,Ms. Zahn has held numerous leadershippositions including two terms as the FOADistrict Chairman, and is currently servingas the FBA District Chairman, on the Bre-vard County Music Leadership Team, andon the School Advisory Council at Titus-ville High School. She has also beennamed a FMEA Emerging Leader, as wellas receiving a National Band AssociationCitation for her work with the TitusvilleWind Orchestra. She remains activethrough her private lesson studio as wellas serving as a clinician for both orches-tras and bands throughout the CentralFlorida area. Ms. Zahn continues to playprofessionally on both the clarinet andthe violin while remaining an active mem-ber of FMEA, FOA and FBA.

Marcey Sperr is in her eleventhyear of teaching and her sixth with Bre-vard County Public Schools. She is theItinerant Strings Teacher for the TitusvilleHigh School feeder chain, where sheserves five different schools. Mrs. Sperris a cellist and bassoonist who graduatedfrom The University of South Florida andshe was one of the Inaugural Drum Ma-jors for the Herd of Thunder MarchingBand. She began her teaching career inHillsborough County as an ElementaryMusic Specialist. She taught High SchoolBand in Connecticut Public Schools forfour years and taught cello through theCommunity Music School in Essex, CT. In

addition to herwork with Bre-vard PublicSchools, Mrs.Sperr teachesprivately and isvery active withher church wor-ship team. Shegrew up in theBrevard CountySchool System

and is proud to be serving in the Titusvilleschools. She lives in Titusville with herhusband, a fellow Brevard MusicTeacher, and their two children, Aidenand Ava.

Jim Matthews has been teachingat Andrew Jackson Middle School inTitusville for the past twenty-eight years.He authored The Achievement System,published by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.and created the teaching website:www.effectivemusicteaching.com whichis a resource of materials for music direc-tors. Mr. Matthews mentors band direc-

tors around the state, stays busy adjudi-cating and conducting All-County Bandsand serves ontwo state com-mittees. He hasreceived thefive, ten, fifteenand twenty yearFBA SuperiorAwards, as wellas the OliverHobbs Award.His professionalaffiliations in-clude FBA, MENC and Phi Beta Mu.

Alexandria Reetz is in her eighthyear of teaching at Andrew Jackson Mid-dle School where she teaches both Or-chestra and Chorus. During her tenure,the chorus has doubled in size and theorchestra has almost tripled. She hasserved in numerous leadership positionsincluding the Brevard County Music Advi-sory Board and the Brevard County MusicLeadershipTeam. She iscurrently aDistrict Chair-man for theFlorida VocalAssociation.Her profes-sional affilia-tions includeFMEA, FOA,FVA andMENC.

Titusville High School Music Program

Every successful music program is dependent upon the quality ofand commitment to music in the younger schools that feed into thatsaid program. Titusville High School is no exception to this and is for-tunate to have Apollo, Coquina, and Imperial Estates ElementarySchools feeding directly into Andrew Jackson Middle School, whichin turn is a direct feeder into Titusville High School. In the elemen-tary schools, all students, Kindergarten through Sixth Grade, have ageneral music class at least once a week. Elementary students beginorchestra in the Fifth Grade with the support of the Brevard CountyStrings Consultant Program. During their two years at Andrew Jack-son, students may choose from three orchestra, three chorus andfive band classes.

Titusville High School has an enrollment of approximately 1255 stu-dents that utilize the block scheduling format. This allows studentsto enroll in four classes in the fall semester and four classes in thespring semester. The music department boasts three music teachersand an itinerant strings consultant who conduct three concert cho-ruses, three concert orchestras, three concert bands, one jazz band,and a multitude of smaller ensembles. The Titusville Music Depart-ment also offers an AP Music Theory course and produces a full mu-sical each Spring. In 2004, Titusville High School was named a MusicDemonstration School by the State of Florida Department of Educa-tion, which was renewed again in 2007.

The Titusville High School Symphony Orchestra is under the combineddirection of Jennifer Zahn and Ian Schwindt, with Strings ConsultantMarcey Sperr. This 79 member ensemble has consistently performedat the highest levels for both District and State Music Performance As-sessments, as well as for the many other concerts they per-form. Multiple smaller ensembles make up the Symphony Orchestra,including the THS Jazz Band, String Orchestra, and Pit Orchestra, alongwith various other chamber groups. All of these smaller groups main-tain an active performance schedule, in addition to supporting variouscommunity events. All members of the Symphony Orchestra also per-form at their respective Solo and Ensemble MPA each year.

Violin 1Raven AsmusNicole CorbinMichael CoureyRachel CunioKeely DivitaCailin Flowers* –concertmasterMertina FreyMichael KanzlemarAstoria MalotaLynn Miller

Violin 2Sara CaldwellSeamus ChalmersKristyn ColemanBrook FergusonGladys LeimaJennifer MillerAudrey MosdellShivani PatelBryanna PriceElyssia Semenec-FantinaGabe Wheeler*Ryan Zurwell

ViolaNicholas GenovaNikki HartfordWilliam HousemanNick HutchinsonMadison JonesColeman OlsonMelanie Sawyer*Monica Woernley

CelloRobyn BoydRyan DuffeyKylie FaulknerSamantha FeasterJames Garand*Caleb MorelandChristian MorelandRyan RossKaley Stevenson

BassJessica CollinsNick GuarinoLaura Knott*Shreya RamanMicky Smisek-Jones

PiccoloMadison Wynn

FluteHaley Bross*Scott RichardsonMadison Wynn

OboeNatalie CurtisGage Eggleston*

English HornGage Eggleston

ClarinetAlisha Bernier-PhillipsKyle EckhoffHeather KyleBecky RalphKaryn SchrandtClaire Smith*

Bass ClarinetKyle Eckhoff

French HornMaggie DominyJames FrankEli SealeSeth Seale*Kayla Zimpleman

TrumpetMark BrownBrad BucknerChristian CaldwellJack KendleJosh Toler*

TromboneRyan BarberichRaf BenetIsaac Marren*Tommy MitchellClayton Olson

TubaBen Bair*Lucas Johnson

PercussionOlivia GoodwinJustin HansonTiffany JohnsonDavid Shirey*

*denotes principal player

Titusville Symphony Orchestra Personnel

Brevard County AdministrationDr. Brian Binggeli Superintendent of SchoolsDr. Ronald Bobay Area IV SuperintendentMrs. Cynthia Johnson Brevard County Music Resource Teacher

Titusville High School Administration

Dr. Lori Spinner PrincipalMr. Dan Diesel Assistant PrincipalMrs. Jerrie Mallicoat Assistant PrincipalMr. Pete Quinlan Assistant Principal

Titusville High School Feeder Chain Music TeachersKimberly HaggardChad HarrisSheila KingAubrey LealJim MatthewsMinnie OrrBruce PenticoffAlexandria ReetzElizabeth Rouse

Special AcknowledgementsVicki BernieErik BryanCrystal CampbellNick CurryPerry HornerJoseph KreinesSimon ShiaoIlea TrahanAyako YonetaniFaculty and Staff of Titusville High SchoolTerrier Sound Parent Volunteers

Titusville High SchoolSymphony Orchestra

2013