Wild Symphony 05•19•2024
Program
My Little One, by Stan Bann
Stan Bann is a Twin Cities composer who has written hundreds of works in the concert, film, jazz, and digital genres for ensembles ranging from the USAF Airmen of Note to the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis to his own Big Bone Band. He also has extensive performance experience as a trombonist with artists such as Patti Page and The Temptations, is a dedicated clinician and instructor, and is a long-time member of the Medalist Concert Band. In “My Little One,” composed for Jerry Luckhardt and Medalist, Stan depicts a night when a child doesn’t want to go to bed. Themes include “Lullaby,” “Proud Parents,” “Pleasant Dreams,” “The Fog of Dreams,” “Pensive,” and finally “A Little Us Time,” when the child finally nods off and the parents celebrate.
Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major, by Franz Joseph Haydn (arr. W. J. Duthoit) | I. Allegro
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809), an Austrian composer of the Classical period, was instrumental in the development of chamber music, such as the string quartet and the piano trio. He composed his only concerto for trumpet in 1796 after being inspired by Anton Weidinger, a virtuoso performer who had developed a keyed trumpet by drilling holes and covering them with flute-like keys. Haydn was fascinated by the invention, which could play chromatically throughout its entire range, and he experimented with the instrument’s capabilities in writing his concerto, including melodies in the middle and lower registers. Weidinger’s trumpet had poor sound quality and so was not successful; the same was true of other early attempts to develop a keyed trumpet. The valved trumpets used today were not created until the 1830s.
Christian Garner, Trumpet Soloist
2024 Winner of the Earl C. Benson Concerto Competition
Wild Symphony, by Dan Brown (arr. Karl Blench) (21 movements)
Dan Brown (b. 1964) is best known as the author of best-selling thriller novels, such as Angels and Demons (2000) and The Da Vinci Code (2003), but in 2020, he published a children’s picture book. Wild Symphony is a collection of 20 poems in which Brown portrays the behaviors and habitats of specific animals and delivers simple life lessons; Susan Batori created the vivid illustrations. Brown also composed a short piece of music for each animal that reflects its unique personality, and in combining the verse and music, he created “a fully immersive storytelling experience.” As inspirations for Wild Symphony, Brown has mentioned his love of Dr. Seuss books and his musical upbringing. He has described music as being a “secret sanctuary” for him as a child: “It calmed me when I felt frustrated, was a trusted friend when I felt lonely, helped me express my joy when I was happy, and, best of all, sparked my creativity and imagination. Even now, I play piano every day—usually after I finish a long day of writing.”
Dean Holt, Storyteller
Program notes by Susan Freese
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