NEWS AND EVENTS
The Westchester Symphonic Winds, joined by soulful soprano Mimi Hilaire, perform a selection of patriotic works that pay tribute to America’s independence including rousing renditions of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Stars and Stripes Forever. This evening concludes with a spectacular fireworks display over the Caramoor grounds.
In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held as planned on Thursday, July 4 and the fireworks will take place at 9:00pm on Friday, July 5.
Artists
Westchester Symphonic Winds
Curt Ebersole, conductor/music director
Mimi Hilaire, soprano
Follow this link to purchase tickets and for additional information about Caramoor.
About the Artists
Carami Hilaire, a soulful soprano from Brooklyn, New York, is a graduate of the Professional Studies program at Mannes and a recipient of awards from the Wagner Society of New York and the Premiere Opera competition. She has performed internationally with the Internationale Opernwerkstatt in Switzerland and performed the role of Tosca with both Regina Opera and New Jersey Verismo Opera to rave reviews as well as the roles of Aida in Aida and Musetta in La Boheme. Her recent notable performances include singing Alice in Alice in the Pandemic (White Snake Opera Projects, 2020), the soprano solo in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem (Pioneer Valley Symphony, 2022), Circe in Survivors Odyssey (Opera America, 2022), and Tiamat in Cosmic Cowboy (White Snake Projects, 2022), earning critical acclaim for her dramatic and powerful delivery. In 2023, she portrayed Mara the Demon Queen (White Snake Projects) and reprised her role as Aida (Utah Festival Opera). Critics have praised her vocal richness and emotional expressiveness. Keola Kinghorn, Front Row Reviewers, shared, “Her low notes are rich and her high notes soar…Hilaire is especially effective at expressing heartache.” She is set to perform My Wings Burned Off at the Opera America conference in June 2025 in collaboration with Synchrony.
Curt Ebersole has served as the Conductor and Music Director (John P. Paynter Memorial Chair) of the Westchester Symphonic Winds since 2008, fostering its exponential growth over the past 14 years. He retired from Northern Valley Regional High School (Old Tappan, NJ) in 2013 after serving as Director of Instrumental Music for 31 years. His ensembles were honored with consistent critical accolades, and his instrumental Prism Concerts became a local rite of spring. He now serves on the faculty at The Masters School, in Dobbs Ferry, NY (Jane Rechtman Faculty Chair), where he teaches String Ensemble, Chamber Music, and Public Speaking. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Conducting from Northwestern University, and a Master’s degree in clarinet performance from SUNY Purchase, where he studied with Ben Armato.
Maestro Ebersole has served as a guest conductor and clinician for numerous county, regional, all-state, and adult community ensembles around the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Symphony Space, with the U.S. Army Field Band, along with performances in Las Vegas, South Korea, and Australia. He is the founding coordinator of the Music Educators of Bergen County Wind Conducting Symposium. He has served as a clinician at the Midwest Clinic, Temple University, Florida Music Educators Association, and presented his TED Talk, “Framing Failure,” at TEDxOneonta in 2017. His performance achievements include solo and ensemble performances as both a clarinetist and basset hornist, including a recent recording with the West Point Band.
To learn more about Curt Ebersole, please visit jce.ebernet.biz.
Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) is a 60-piece adult community-based wind and percussion ensemble, originally known as the Hudson Valley Wind Symphony. This year we celebrate our 36th season as the area’s premiere community band. We exist to promote music in our area, instill pride in our nation and heritage, provide opportunities for personal expression and growth within our membership, and nurture the love of music by offering an exceptional musical experience for people of all ages.
Over the years, we have given concerts on behalf of many service and benefit organizations. Our educational outreach program has included our Side-by-Side Concert with the Mahopac Central School District and our 2015-2016 Exchange Program with the Northshore Concert Band of Evanston, Illinois. The Westchester Symphonic Winds made its Lincoln Center debut at Avery Fisher Hall in 2010, performed at the Association of Concert Bands National Conventions in 2012 and 2019, New York State Band Directors Association in 2017, has performed at the Caramoor Festival annually since 2014, and made its Carnegie Hall debut in 2023. WSW was the winner of The American Prize for 2018-2019. The organization is an Ensemble-in-Residence at the historic Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York, and rehearses there on Monday evenings, September through June.
Westchester Symphonic Winds Continues 37th Season with "Celebrations"
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) continues its progressive season of music for wind band with “Celebrations” on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 8:00 pm at Tarrytown Music Hall. As the third and final concert of WSW’s 2024-2025 Tarrytown Music Hall series, Celebrations features exciting programming recognizing several musical milestones for the ensemble, including the 17th anniversary of artistic leadership by its conductor and music director, Curt Ebersole.
Joining Maestro Ebersole and WSW are guest conductor Dr. Malcolm Jones, Director of Bands/Professional Lecturer of Music at Marist University, and assistant conductor Jessica Stein-Natale, a member of WSW’s trumpet section and former apprentice conductor. In celebration of clarinetist Steve Cohen returning to the group as the featured guest soloist, the ensemble is pleased to welcome their first Invitational Clarinet Choir to the stage, joined by Cohen and forty clarinetists from WSW, West Point Band, and the New York metro area.
Noting the significance of the concert program theme, Maestro Ebersole shared,
This concert is a true celebration of a wide array of connections and milestones. We are honored to collaborate with our guest conductor, Dr. Malcolm Jones, and our guest soloist, Steve Cohen, who returns to solo with WSW for a second time. Our invitational Clarinet Choir will revel in works from the symphonic, operatic, and pop niches of our vast repertoire. And we are honored to celebrate two composers with whom WSW is fortunate to collaborate: Michael Markowski and Viet Cuong, whose new work, The Man and the Echo, will receive its world premiere at this concert. This is a not-to-be-missed event!
Program includes:
CRESTON - Celebration Overture, Dr. Malcolm Jones, guest conductor
MARKOWSKI - All My Heart, Jessica Stein-Natale, conductor
NAVARRO - Second Concerto for Clarinet, Steve Cohen, clarinet soloist
Invitational Clarinet Choir:
SHOSTAKOVICH/BRACKETT - Festive Overture
MASCAGNI/arr.BRACKETT - Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
GERMANOTTA and LAURSEN/arr.GREEN - Born This Way
CUONG - The Man and the Echo, world premiere
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $36 for adults, $26 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, by calling 877-840-0457, or online at https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/WSWCelebrations.
About the Guest Artists
Steve Cohen joined the New Orleans Symphony (later known as the Louisiana Philharmonic) in 1975 and remained as principal clarinet through May 2004. He began his career as clarinet professor at Northwestern University in 2005, retiring in 2022 as Professor Emeritus. Cohen toured the United States as principal clarinetist of the Texas Opera Theater and Europe as principal clarinetist of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. For 43 summers, he performed as principal clarinet at the Brevard Music Center. Cohen was a guest artist and master class clinician at the Seoul Philharmonic’s Clarinet Festival in 1998, returning to perform again in September of 2022. He has performed recitals and held master classes throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Korea, China, Taiwan, Bangkok and Japan. He hosted the International Clarinet Association (ICA) Convention in New Orleans in 2001, contributed many articles to the ICA journal, performed at several ICA conventions including the August 2009 convention in Porto, Portugal. He returned to Portugal as a guest artist and teacher at the International Music Course in Guimaraes. In Chicago, Cohen was principal clarinet with the Music of the Baroque orchestra and has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (including on Eb clarinet), Chicago Lyric Opera orchestra, and as a chamber musician throughout the area. He taught at the Oberlin Conservatory, University of Southern California, Indiana University, Hartt College of Music, Yale University, Cincinnati College-Conservatory, Louisiana State University, and University of Texas at Austin. Since retiring, he has taught at Juilliard and Yale, and performed with the New Haven Symphony, among others. A native of New York City, his teachers have included Loren Kitt, Larry McDonald, Karl Leister, and Robert Marcellus.
Dr. Malcolm Jones has been the Director of Bands/Professional Lecturer of Music at Marist University since 2022. Overseeing all aspects of the comprehensive band program at Marist, he directs the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, and Pep Band. Before his appointment at Marist, Malcolm Jones was the Director of Bands at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, AZ from 2020-2022. Jones served as the Interim Director of Bands at Malone University (OH) and an Adjunct Professor at Kent State University in 2017. He has also served as the Director of Bands in the Maple Heights City School District (OH), teaching grades 5-12 from 2013-2015. As a regionally and nationally sought-after adjudicator, clinician, and presenter, Jones has had frequent guest conducting appearances at honor bands, public schools, and other college/university campuses. Jones holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting from Arizona State University, studying with Prof. Gary Hill, Dr. Jason Caslor, and Prof. James Hudson. In addition, he holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Akron and a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Kent State University. Dr. Jones is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, New York State School Music Association, New York State Band Directors Association, Dutchess Country Music Education Association, and World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. Dr. Jones is also an honorary member of the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.
Jessica Stein-Natale is a trumpet player and music educator from the Hudson Valley. She serves as the 4th–12th grade band director at Haldane Central School District, where she directs five student bands. In 2025 Jessica also became the instrumental music director for the Haldane Drama pit orchestra, leading professional and student musicians. Jessica is the Vice President of the Putnam County Music Educators Association and has held leadership positions as Band Chairperson for the Junior High All-County Festival and the Zone 10 NYSSMA Area All-State Festival. As a performer, Jessica is a member of Westchester Symphonic Winds (Tarrytown, NY) and has played in numerous musical theater productions with organizations such as Brewster Theater Company, Marist College, and Yorktown Stage. She has performed at prestigious music festivals, including the Aspen Music Festival, and has performed internationally with the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Jessica served as the apprentice conductor for Westchester Symphonic Winds during the 2022–2023 season and in 2024 she began her role as Assistant Conductor for WSW. Jessica has received additional conducting training through the Westchester Symphonic Winds-Music Educators of Bergen County Conducting Symposium, The Hartt School of Music Conducting Clinic (Glen Adsit), and Sleepy Hollow Conducting Clinic (Aaron Burgess - Ithaca College). She holds a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase and a double Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance and music education from The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
FEBRUARY 9
Adventures
Sunday, February 9, 2025
2:00 p.m.
Tarrytown Music Hall
Tarrytown, NY
Westchester Symphonic Winds Continues 37th Season with "Adventures"
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) continues its progressive season of music for wind band with “Adventures,” the second performance of its 37th season on Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. The concert will take the audience on the adventures of a lifetime, beginning with Romantic opera and ending with music of the American bayou.
Guest artists for the Adventures concert include adventurers from West Point, Long Island, and Brooklyn. Taking the stage as the featured soloist is Carami Hilaire, who hails from Brooklyn and is just as comfortable singing operatic leads and sultry jazz. Our guest conductor is Lt. Col. Daniel Toven, commander of the West Point Band; he brings a wealth of experience to this exciting program. Apprentice conductor Barton Green, a member of the WSW clarinet section and the band’s principal arranger, now takes his turn on the podium.
Noting the significance of the concert program theme, Maestro Ebersole shared, “For musicians, every performance is an adventure. This program emphasizes the diversity and flexibility a wind ensemble can exhibit with every type of repertoire. From blues jazz (Blue Shades, by Frank Ticheli) to a soulful spiritual (Deep River, by Benjamin Horne), to musical theater (Damn Yankees and Candide), this concert is for everyone!”
Program includes:
GLINKA - Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla
HORNE - Deep River
TAYLOR - And the Joy We Share, Lt. Col. Daniel Toven, guest conductor
ALDRIDGE - On Parade
TICHELI - Blue Shades
CHANCE - Variations on a Korean Folk Song, Barton Green, apprentice conductor
ADLER/BIZET, arr. Green - Whatever Lola Wants/Habanera, Carami Hilaire, soprano
BERNSTEIN, arr. Green - Glitter and Be Gay, Carami Hilaire, soprano
KARRICK - Bayou Breakdown
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $30 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, by calling 877-840-0457, or online at https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=2984
About the Guest Artists
Carami Hilaire, a soulful soprano from Brooklyn, New York, is a graduate of the Professional Studies program at Mannes and a recipient of awards from the Wagner Society of New York and the Premiere Opera competition. She has performed internationally with the Internationale Opernwerkstatt in Switzerland and performed the role of Tosca with both Regina Opera and New Jersey Verismo Opera to rave reviews as well as the roles of Aida in Aida and Musetta in La Boheme. Her recent notable performances include singing Alice in Alice in the Pandemic (White Snake Opera Projects, 2020), the soprano solo in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem (Pioneer Valley Symphony, 2022), Circe in Survivors Odyssey (Opera America, 2022), and Tiamat in Cosmic Cowboy (White Snake Projects, 2022), earning critical acclaim for her dramatic and powerful delivery. In 2023, she portrayed Mara the Demon Queen (White Snake Projects) and reprised her role as Aida (Utah Festival Opera). Critics have praised her vocal richness and emotional expressiveness. Keola Kinghorn, Front Row Reviewers, shared, “Her low notes are rich and her high notes soar…Hilaire is especially effective at expressing heartache.” She is set to perform My Wings Burned Off at the Opera America conference in June 2025 in collaboration with Synchrony.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Toven serves as the Commander of the West Point Band. Prior to this assignment, Lt. Col. Toven served as the Deputy Commander and Associate Bandmaster of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and Director of The U.S. Army Chorus, and Deputy Commandant at the U.S. Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Other previous assignments include Deputy Commandant at the U.S. Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Commander of The Army Ground Forces Band (Fort Bragg, North Carolina), Army Forces Command Staff Bands Officer, Director of the U.S. Army Europe Soldiers’ Chorus (Heidelberg, Germany), and Director of the U.S. Army Soldiers’ Chorus (Fort Meade, Maryland). As a trombonist, he has recorded with the Keystone Winds, and performed with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and the St. Vincent Camerata Brass. As a vocalist, he has sung with numerous professional ensembles in the Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., areas, including the Washington National Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, and can be heard on the Cantaloupe Music recording of Steve Reich’s “The Desert Music.” A native of Union City, Pennsylvania, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Trombone Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Music in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music, and a Master of Military Art and Science from the Command and General Staff College. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Barton Green is a classically trained vocalist and arranger with a BM in Voice Performance from the University of Washington and an MM in Voice from the Yale School of Music. He has performed with leading opera companies in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia including New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, Vancouver Opera, Banff Centre, Staatsoper Giessen, Opera de Bogota, International Macau Music Festival, and Tokyo Radio. His favorite vocal roles include Tamino in The Magic Flute, Rodolfo in La Boheme, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Ruggero in La Rondine, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Nemorino in The Elixir of Love, Cassio in Otello, Fenton in Falstaff, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Henrik in A Little Night Music, Enoch Snow in Carousel, and the title roles in The Tales of Hoffmann, Albert Herring, and Romeo et Juliette. He has soloed with the National Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, New Mexico Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony, Delaware Symphony, and Bochum Symphony. Born in New Orleans and raised across the U.S., Barton discovered a passion for orchestration and musical theatre, creating arrangements for works by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Lerner and Loewe. His arrangements have been performed by the Northwinds Symphonic Band (Long Island), the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra, the West Point Band, and the Westchester Symphonic Winds, where he has played clarinet for over a decade. He is grateful for the mentorship of Helen Bauer (Northwinds) and Curt Ebersole and WSW for their continued generosity, support, talent, and enthusiasm.
NOVEMBER 10
Landscapes
Sunday, November 10, 2024
3:00 p.m.
Tarrytown Music Hall
Tarrytown, NY
Westchester Symphonic Winds Opens 37th Season with "Landscapes"
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) presents “Landscapes,” the opening performance of their 37th season on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. The concert will transport the audience across a musical landscape rooted in diverse themes ranging from American culture and history to classic Shakespearean literature.
Guest artists for the Landscapes concert include musical neighbors spanning the distance from the Hudson Valley to the Pacific Coast. Taking the stage as the featured soloist is SFC Nicole Caluori, now in her fifteenth year as Principal French Horn of the West Point Band. Leading the ensemble as the first guest conductors for the 37th season are Dr. Gerard Morris and Andrew Dolgon. Dr. Morris joins the group from the University of Puget Sound School of Music, where he is serving in his fifteenth year as Director of Bands and department chair for winds and percussion. Apprentice conductor Andrew Dolgon, a member of the WSW trombone section, is the elementary band director for the Pelham Union-Free School District in southern Westchester and maintains an active private studio in Westchester.
Noting the significance of Landscapes as the 37th season opening concert, Maestro Ebersole shared, “Music transcends time and distance, bringing communities together as we collectively explore the richness and diversity of our histories and traditions. Landscapes is the first of our series of programming this season that will take listeners on exciting musical journeys.”
Program includes:
arr. TAYLOR - Simple Gifts
SMITH/arr. Sousa & Damrosch - The Star-Spangled Banner
GIROUX - Overture in Five Flat
NAIGUS - Harvest Light, SFC Nicole Caluori, horn soloist
HESKETH - Danceries
COPLEY - Ayo, Andrew Dolgon, Apprentice Conductor
BREMER - Early Light, Dr. Gerard Morris, Guest Conductor
DUNTON - Echota
COLLINS - O rose of May
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $30 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. In addition, US veterans and US military personnel are admitted free in honor of Veterans Day. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, by calling 877-840-0457, or online at
https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=2947.
About the Guest Artists
Sergeant First Class Nicole Caluori has been a featured soloist with the West Point Band and was a concerto competition winner at Eastern Music Festival. As a chamber music enthusiast, SFC Caluori is the horn player in the Regimental Brass Quintet, Collective Brass, and has performed at the Shalin Liu Performance Center for the Rockport Chamber Music Festival with the West Point Woodwind Quintet. SFC Caluori studied horn performance at Florida State University and Southern Methodist University with William Capps and Gregory Hustis and received her Bachelor’s degree in 2007. In her free time, SFC Caluori enjoys an active lifestyle, running, and spending time with her husband, Nick (who serves as third horn in the West Point Band), their three children, and dog, Coda. SFC Caluori is from Coral Springs, FL and has been Principal Horn of the West Point Band since 2009. Prior to joining the band, SFC Caluori spent summers at Tanglewood Music Center, National Repertory Orchestra, Sarasota Music Festival, and Eastern Music Festival. She has also performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Albany Symphony, and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic.
Andrew Dolgon is a music educator and brass player from East Meadow, New York, and has been a member of the Westchester Symphonic Winds since November 2022. Currently, he serves as the elementary band director for the Pelham Union-Free School District in southern Westchester, conducting the 4th and 5th grade bands across the district’s elementary schools. He also has a thriving private studio in Westchester. As a brass player, Andrew has performed with The Brooklyn Wind Symphony and The Westchester Band and has performed at numerous venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (Champaign, IL), and The Brucknerhaus (Linz, Austria). Andrew holds a Masters in Music Performance and Literature with an emphasis in Tuba Performance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Pennsylvania State University. While at the University of Illinois, Andrew served as a teaching assistant with the Marching Illini, where he conducted at football games, basketball games, and the Marching Illini In-Concert performance on the stage of the Foellinger Great Hall. Andrew resides in Westchester with his wife, Nicole and their two cats, Pumpkin and Kiwi
Gerard Morris joined the University of Puget Sound School of Music faculty in fall 2009, and currently serves as director of bands and department chair for winds and percussion. In 2016, he was honored as the recipient of the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2022 was promoted to the rank of full professor. Morris has appeared as conductor, guest clinician, and lecturer at numerous events throughout the United States and abroad, including CBDNA National and Division Conferences, WMEA State Conference, BCMEA Conference, CMEA Bay Section Conference, University of Georgia JanFest, South Dakota Bandmasters Association Conference, and guest artist in residence at American Community School Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Morris's conducting and teaching are informed by years of professional performing experience as principal euphonium with Boulder Brass and United States Marine Corps Band, Hawai’i. With these organizations he toured the United States, Australia, and Costa Rica as both an ensemble member and soloist. Morris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Western Michigan University, a Master of Music Education degree from University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Doctor of Music degree in conducting from Northwestern University.
MAY
11
Titans
Saturday, May 11, 2024
8:00 p.m.
Tarrytown Music Hall
Tarrytown, NY
Westchester Symphonic Winds Concludes 36th Season Tarrytown Series with “Titans”
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) presents the third and final Tarrytown series concert of their 36th season on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 8:00 pm at Tarrytown Music Hall. The concert title, “Titans,” represents the selection of eclectic, iconic, and titanic works for wind band featured on the program.
The concert brings two guest artists to the stage – Dr. Timothy Roblee and Staff Sergeant Christopher Leslie. Dr. Robble, Director of Bands at Shenandoah Conservatory, conducts two works by local legend Percy Grainger, and Staff Sergeant Christopher Leslie, principal euphonium of the West Point Band, performs the new Concerto for Euphonium by Thomas Davoren. The cornerstone of this program is the famous and titanic Symphony in Bb, by Paul Hindemith. The program also features these larger-than-life works: Arabesque, by Samuel R. Hazo; Early One Morning and Handel in the Strand by Percy Grainger; and Riften Wed, by Julie Giroux.
Commenting on the program, Maestro Ebersole shared, “Our season finale combines the lyricism of Percy Grainger, the emotional depth of Julie Giroux, the technical brilliance of euphonium soloist Chris Leslie, and the titanic genius of Paul Hindemith. The Symphony in Bb is a cornerstone work of the 20th century, and you do not want to miss this performance.”
The full program includes:
HAZO - Arabesque
GRAINGER - Early One Morning (arr. Joseph Kreines)
GRAINGER - Handel in the Strand
DAVOREN - Concerto for Euphonium
GIROUX - Riften Wed
HINDEMITH - Symphony in Bb
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, by calling 877-840-0457, or online at https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=2860.
About the Guest Artists
Staff Sgt. Christopher Leslie has been a member of the West Point Band since 2016 where he currently serves as Principal Euphonium. A burgeoning musical career has led to performances with some of America’s finest professional ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic and the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own".
Staff Sgt. Leslie has garnered numerous accolades, winning the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition and the International Tuba Euphonium Conference Solo Competition. His 2017 debut solo album, “To The Point”, received critical acclaim, winning the Roger Bobo Award for Excellence in Recording and two silver medals from the Global Music Awards.
Outside of his duties at West Point, Leslie teaches at Montclair State University as Adjunct Professor of Euphonium. He earned his D.M.A. from the University of Georgia, an M.M. from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and a B.M. from St. Olaf College. He has had the privilege to study with David Zerkel, Daniel Perantoni, David Werden, and Hiram Diaz.
Timothy J. Robblee is the Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Conducting at Shenandoah Conservatory where he guides all aspects of the wind band program, teaches conducting, conducts the Wind Ensemble and EDGE Ensemble, and serves as host of the annual Shenandoah Instrumental Conducting Symposium. Prior to his current appointment, he served as the Associate Director of Bands at Northwestern University, and Director of Bands at Washington State University in Pullman, WA and Willamette University in Salem, OR. In addition to his collegiate positions, Robblee spent eight years as an instrumental music educator in the Palo Alto, CA public schools. His recent guest conducting engagements include the Korean International Music Educator’s Association National Honor Band, the British Columbia (Canada) All-Province Band, the U.S. Army “Pershing’s Own” and other honor bands across North America. Robblee maintains active memberships in the College Band Directors National Association, Music Educators National Conference, Virginia Music Educators Association, National Band Association, and World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. Dr. Robblee pursued graduate studies in clarinet at the Munich Hochschule für Musik and holds a Ph.D. in wind band conducting and music education from the University of Minnesota, an MM in conducting from Northwestern University, and a BA in music education from Whitworth College in Spokane, WA.
MARCH 9 & MARCH 16
The West Point Band with the Westchester Symphonic Winds
Saturday March 9, 2024
2:00 p.m.
Eisenhower Hall Theatre
West Point, NY
The West Point Band with the Westchester Symphonic Winds
Saturday March 16, 2024
2:00 p.m.
White Plains High School
White Plains, NY
The West Point Band and Westchester Symphonic Winds Present Two Collaborative Performances in March
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) marks a milestone event for their 2023-2024 season as they join the West Point Band for a collaborative concert featuring both groups performing individually and in a combined ensemble. To better serve communities on both sides of the Hudson River, the groups are performing the program twice during the month of March. The West Point Band hosts the first performance on March 9 at 2 pm at Eisenhower Hall Theatre at West Point. Westchester Symphonic Winds hosts the second performance on March 16 at 2 pm at White Plains High School.
With past WSW performances showcasing individual members of the West Point Band as soloists, the collaborative concerts this March are a greatly anticipated first for WSW. Curt Ebersole, WSW’s Music Director and Conductor, shared, “This unique opportunity, to play alongside the esteemed and historied West Point Band on the stage at Eisenhower Hall Theatre, is truly a treasure for our members. We’re looking forward to sharing this special musical celebration!”
The concert program includes works spanning three centuries by nine American composers and one Australian composer, Percy Grainger, who resided in White Plains for forty years and gained American citizenship as a bandsman in the United States Army. As part of the West Point Band’s 2024 Winter Concert Series the collaborative concerts are free and open to all. Tickets are not required.
Program includes:
WSW :
DAY – Shimmering Sunshine
GIROUX – Riften Wed
MARKOWSKI – Desert Sage
West Point Band:
LARSEN – Short Symphony, Mvts. III & IV
GRAINGER – Spoon River
STILL – To You, America
JOHNSON – The Corps of Philadelphia
JOHNSON – The Death of Willis
BARFELD – Dreamcatcher
Combined Ensemble:
COPLAND – Simple Gifts
SOUSA – The Stars and Stripes Forever
Established in 1817, the West Point Band is the United States Army’s oldest band and the oldest continuously-operating unit at West Point. Its lineage can be traced to the field musicians assigned by George Washington in 1778 at the establishment of West Point as a permanent military post.
Now in its 36th season, WSW is an adult community-based wind and percussion ensemble of 60 musicians from Westchester County and the tri-state metropolitan area. The ensemble is in residence at Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York and marks its tenth annual Independence Day performance at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York this July.
For additional information on the collaborative concerts and a full schedule of the West Point Band’s 2024 Winter Concert series, visit https://westpointband.com/winterconcertseries.html. To learn more about WSW and view the 2023-2024 season brochure, visit www.westchestersymphonicwinds.org.
About the Performers
The West Point Band
Comprised of graduates from America's finest music schools, the West Point Concert Band is a versatile ensemble that continues to entertain and inspire audiences through innovative programming and world-class performance in concert and ceremonial settings. The ensemble can be heard around the Greater Hudson Valley, New York City, and throughout the United States. Its storied history features performances for U.S. Presidents, heads of state, and foreign dignitaries. The band is regularly invited to participate in high-profile events in the New York metropolitan area at locations such as Yankee Stadium, MetLife Stadium, and the Statue of Liberty.
The Concert Band performs concerts, military ceremonies, and at athletic events for the United States Corps of Cadets. The band regularly supports cadet activities at the United States Military Academy, including Graduation Week, Reception Day, Cadet Summer Training, and coaching the Cadet Spirit Band. Additionally, the band collaborates with the English, Geography, History, and Philosophy departments as useful teaching resources at West Point.
The Concert Band has performed at major venues including David Geffen Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and the Meyerson Symphony Center. The band has been showcased with the New York Philharmonic, continuing a long-standing collaboration between the United States Army’s oldest band and America’s oldest orchestra. It also maintains a close association with the New York Yankees, utilizing the full performing ensemble and chamber groups for high-profile games. Members of the Concert Band have also been featured on the History Channel, Fox News, CNN, ESPN, and the NBC Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks. As performers and educators, the musicians of the West Point Band continue to present provocative performances while providing the Corps of Cadets with a piece of living history.
Westchester Symphonic Winds
Membership in the Westchester Symphonic Winds is available to all qualified musicians. Membership information can be obtained by contacting us via email at personnel@westchestersymphonicwinds.org or by U.S. mail (Westchester Symphonic Winds, Box 485, 333 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605). You can also visit us online at: www.westchestersymphonicwinds.org and through any of our social media platforms.
Westchester Symphonic Winds, Inc. is a Section 501(c)(3) Not-for-Profit organization. Corporate and personal contributions, financial assistance, and volunteers are essential and always welcomed!
For additional concert and ticket information, advertising, donations, and updates, visit us at: www.westchestersymphonicwinds.org.
About the Conductors
Curt Ebersole has served as the Conductor/Music Director (John P. Paynter Memorial Chair) of the Westchester Symphonic Winds since 2008, fostering its exponential growth over the past sixteen years, culminating in The American Prize for 2018-2019. He retired from Northern Valley Regional High School (Old Tappan, New Jersey) in 2013 after serving as Director of Instrumental Music for 31 years, and now teaches at The Masters School, in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music in Conducting degree from Northwestern University, where he studied conducting with John P. Paynter and clarinet with Larry Combs, and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Clarinet Performance from SUNY-Purchase, studying with Ben Armato. He has served as guest conductor/clinician for many county, regional, and all-state student ensembles, and adult community ensembles across the nation, including performances at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and Symphony Space, and in Las Vegas, South Korea and Australia. His achievements include multiple teaching awards, ensemble performances as a clarinetist and basset hornist, and speaking/clinic engagements with the Midwest Clinic, TEDxOneonta, and numerous state music education conventions and conducting symposia.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Toven serves as the Commander of the West Point Band. Prior to this assignment, Lt. Col. Toven served as the Deputy Commander and Associate Bandmaster of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and Director of The U.S. Army Chorus, and Deputy Commandant at the U.S. Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Other previous assignments include Deputy Commandant at the U.S. Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Commander of The Army Ground Forces Band (Fort Bragg, North Carolina), Army Forces Command Staff Bands Officer, Director of the U.S. Army Europe Soldiers’ Chorus (Heidelberg, Germany), and Director of the U.S. Army Soldiers’ Chorus (Fort Meade, Maryland).
As a trombonist, he has recorded with the Keystone Winds, and performed with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and the St. Vincent Camerata Brass. As a vocalist, he has sung with numerous professional ensembles in the Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., areas, including the Washington National Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, and can be heard on the Cantaloupe Music recording of Steve Reich’s “The Desert Music.”
A native of Union City, Pennsylvania, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Trombone Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Music in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music; and a Master of Military Art and Science from the Command and General Staff College. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
FEB
11
Monuments
Sunday, February 11, 2024
2:00 p.m.
Tarrytown Music Hall
Tarrytown, NY
Westchester Symphonic Winds Begins New Year with "Monuments"
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) presents the second performance of their 36th season with “Monuments” on Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 2:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. The program includes works spanning the scope of repertoire from original compositions for wind ensemble to selections from opera and musical theater by many of the most monumental composers of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Cast originally as our Jean Valjean for the 2019 festival highlights from Les Misérables, guest soloist John Anthony López returns to sing two iconic selections for tenor: “Bring Him Home,” from Les Misérables, and “Nessun Dorma,” from Turandot.
Leading the ensemble as guests on the podium for this second concert of the 36th season are Michelle Rofrano and Aaron Staluppi. Ms. Rofrano is an active conductor of both opera and orchestral repertoire, with recent performances worldwide. Mr. Staluppi has performed with WSW on several occasions as a collaborative tubist, and takes the podium for the first time as part of our apprentice educational outreach program.
Commenting on the significance of the concert program title, Maestro Ebersole shared, “We named this concert ‘Monuments’ because of the towering, epic repertoire and composers the program represents. With Verdi, Puccini, and Bernstein represented on this concert, it will be truly memorable.”
Program includes:
VERDI - Overture to Nabucco
OQUIN - Tower Ascending
SCHÖNBERG - Bring Him Home, from Les Misérables
PUCCINI - Nessun dorma, from Turandot
WILLIAMS - Symphonic Dance, No. 2, “The Maskers”
BERNSTEIN - Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, by calling 877-840-0457, or online at the Music Hall Box Office.
About the Guest Artists
John Anthony López is a graduate of the Crane School of Music, where he studied voice with Ms. Patricia Misslin. Credits include Jean Valjean (Les Misérables), Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof), Old Deuteronomy (CATS), Fagin (Oliver!), Dan (Next to Normal), The Man in the Yellow Suit (Tuck Everlasting), King Arthur (Spamalot), Gomez (Addams Family), Grandpa Who (Old Max/US) in the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Broadway concert appearances in Chess (Actor’s Fund), Something Wonderful, Camelot and Oliver! (Irish Repertory).
Acting credits include Pharoah (Aida), The Constable (Much Ado About Nothing), The Captain (Mr. Rogers), Saunders (Lend Me a Tenor) and Ben (The Sunshine Boys) .
Additional reels and photos available at -https://www.johnanthonylopez.com/.
Michelle Rofrano is an Italian-American conductor deeply interested in the intersection of art, storytelling, and social activism. An avid opera conductor, she has led productions at City Lyric Opera, The Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, Orpheus PDX, Opera Saratoga, The Glimmerglass Festival, and the Westminster Choir College and served as a cover conductor for notable works with San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Florida Grand Opera, the Spoleto Festival USA, and Opera Birmingham. While Rofrano has a particular passion for Italian opera, she also enjoys exploring contemporary and innovative projects. In 2022, she conducted the meditative opera Song of the Ambassadors (Skye/Allado-McDowell) at Alice Tully Hall, a groundbreaking opera in development that interweaves music, science, and technology. The following year, she led a recording project as Music Director for the first opera designed for 3D Spatial Audio, No One Is Forgotten: An Immersive Opera. Rofrano is the founder and Artistic Director of PROTESTRA, a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness about various social justice issues through the lens of classical music, and she is the co-creator of Girls Who Conduct, an initiative that mentors young women and non-binary musicians in an effort to achieve gender parity on the conducting podium. Rofrano completed graduate conducting studies at the Peabody Conservatory and counts Marin Alsop, Joseph Colaneri, Gustav Meier, and Markand Thakar among her mentors.
Aaron Staluppi serves as the Director of Elementary Instrumental Music for the Westfield Public School District in New Jersey where he teaches 4th and 5th grade elementary band. In addition to his duties at the elementary level, he also serves as the assistant director of the Westfield High School Blue Devil Marching Band. Prior to joining the music staff in Westfield, Mr. Staluppi taught collegiate, high school, and elementary music programs in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. He is an active freelance musician, a private lesson teacher, and is heavily involved in the marching arts as an instructor, designer, consultant, and music arranger. During the summer, Mr. Staluppi consults with various drum and bugle corps in the area, and enjoys a rigorous travel schedule as he teaches young leaders from across the country with the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy. As a performer, Mr. Staluppi has performed with the Albany Symphony, Albany Pro Musica, the New England Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the Westchester Symphonic Winds as a substitute member of the tuba section since 2017. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and Master of Music degree in Tuba Performance with an emphasis in conducting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
NOV
5
LEGENDS
Sunday November 5, 2023
3:00 p.m.
Tarrytown Music Hall
Tarrytown, NY
Westchester Symphonic Winds Opens 36th Season with “Legends”
TARRYTOWN, NY – Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) presents “Legends,” the opening performance of their 36th season on Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 3:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. The WSW Invitational Double Reed Ensemble and guest artists from legendary corners of the musical community join Maestro Curt Ebersole and the ensemble for this first concert of the new season.
Now in his eighteenth season as English horn soloist with the Metropolitan Opera, Pedro Diaz takes the stage as the featured guest artist for the afternoon, performing Gaetano Donizetti’s Concertino for English Horn. In addition to his solo performance, Mr. Diaz joins the WSW Invitational Double Reed Ensemble for three works specifically arranged for the group by WSW clarinetist and board member Barton Green.
Leading the ensemble as the first guests on the podium for the 36th season are Brian K. Doyle and Andrew Hill. Making his debut with WSW, guest conductor Dr. Brian Doyle is serving in his seventeenth year as Director of Bands at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Apprentice conductor Andrew Hill, a member of the WSW trombone section, is currently the Band Director at Byram Hills High School and a freelance musician and conductor based in the Metro New York area.
Maestro Ebersole notes the significance of the 36th season opener sharing, “This program includes music that represents different centuries and different styles. But at its heart, these selections are all legendary in scope and cultural impact.”
Program includes:
GREEN - Pre-Americana
SMITH/arr. Sousa & Damrosch - The Star-Spangled Banner
BERNSTEIN - Overture to Candide, Andrew A. Hill, Apprentice Conductor
BIEDENBENDER - dream of ember, dream of star, Dr. Brian K. Doyle, Guest Conductor
DONIZETTI - Concertino for English Horn, Pedro R. Diaz, English horn soloist
DAY - Shimmering Sunshine
Double Reed Ensemble:
HANDEL/arr. Green - Entry of the Queen of Sheba
MANCINI/arr. Watson - Baby Elephant Walk
MERCURY/arr. Green - Bohemian Rhapsody
KOZHEVNIKOV - Symphony No. 3 “Slavyanskaya”
The “Legends” concert, featuring guest artist Pedro R. Díaz and WSW's Invitational Double Reed Ensemble, is made possible through the generous support of A.Laubin, Inc., American maker of handcrafted oboes and English horns.
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. In addition, US veterans and US military personnel are admitted free in honor of Veterans Day. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, by calling 877-840-0457, or online at
https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=2772.
About the Guest Artists
Pedro R. Diaz joined The Metropolitan Opera in 2005 and has performed as solo English hornist in hundreds of productions. As a highly sought teacher, Mr Díaz has lectured extensively at the top music conservatories such as The Juilliard School, The Manhattan School of Music, The Eastman School of Music,The Hartt Music School and Duquesne University. His international appearances include masterclasses in Panama, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Leipzig, Berlin, and Italy.
A native of Puerto Rico, he received his early musical training in the Escuela Libre de Musica, an esteemed public school for the performing arts. He has performed as a guest artist with The Chicago Symphony, Dallas, Pittsburgh and The New York Philharmonic, among others. On a recent research trip to Italy, Mr. Diaz was able to track down the original solo and orchestral parts for the Donizetti Concertino for English horn (1816), at the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica di Bologna. For the first time in two hundred years, these materials have been published in a critical edition by Theodore Presser, along with a new album release performance by Pedro Diaz, featuring Riccardo Frizza and musicians of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. His playing has been hailed by critics as evocative, eloquent and expressive and is considered one of the pre-eminent players of his generation.
Mr. Diaz has performed the opera, Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner, sixteen times in three different productions under the batons of James Levine, Daniel Barenboim and Sir Simon Rattle.
Brian K. Doyle joined the Crane School of Music faculty as Director of Bands in 2006. He conducts the Crane Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, and also teaches courses in conducting. A graduate of Michigan State University, his principal teachers included John Whitwell, Joseph Lulloff and James Forger. Doyle later received the AMusD in Wind Conducting under the mentorship of Michael Haithcock at the University of Michigan.
Prior to completing his undergraduate degree in Music Education, Doyle served for two years in the United States Air Force as a saxophonist in the 745th Air Force Band at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. Returning to Michigan State University, Doyle was a member of the award-winning Borealis Saxophone Quartet, taking top honors at the Coleman, Carmel, and Fischoff Chamber Music competitions in the early 1990s. At that time, he also performed in ensembles backing touring musicians such as Bob Hope, Bernadette Peters, Mel Torme, Jeffrey Osborne, Roberta Flack, and Tommy Tune. Additionally, as an active member of the mid-Michigan music scene, Doyle performed in several big bands as well as the salsa band, Orquesta Tradiçion Latina.
Dr. Doyle’s former teaching posts include faculty positions at Indiana University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, and as a grade 5-12 public school music educator in Imlay City, Michigan. While in North Carolina, Dr. Doyle served as the resident conductor of the Triangle British Brass Band and performed regularly as saxophonist with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. For ten summers, Dr. Doyle conducted ensembles at the renowned Interlochen Arts Camp. Dr. Doyle now spends his summers as the conductor of the Crane Youth Music Wind Ensemble. During the year, he is in regular demand as a clinician and conductor.
Andrew A. Hill is a freelance conductor and professional musician based in New York City. He holds a Masters of Music in Conducting from Colorado State University and a Bachelors of Music in Music Education/Trombone Performance from San José State University.
As a conductor, Andrew made his New York City debut with the New Conductors Orchestra leading the orchestra in David Diamond's Symphony No. 1 (1941) on February 11 and February 12, 2023. He was recently invited to the Final Phase of the Lake Como Conducting Competition in Bellano, Italy and participated in November of 2022. Known as a dynamic leader, he is featured in the book Learn Lead Lift, discussing his approach to leadership and sharing anecdotes from his experience as a music director. As a professional musician, Andrew has extensive experience as a trombonist performing orchestral, jazz, broadway, salsa and contemporary repertoire. He has performed at Carnegie Hall (NYC), Davies Symphony Hall (SF), Walt Disney Concert Hall (LA), Berliner Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany), Milan Conservatory (Milan, Italy), Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine (Udine, Italy), The Royal Concertgebouw Hall (Amsterdam), Smetana Hall (Prague), Teatro El Círculo (Rosario, Argentina) and Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires, Argentina).
As a music director, Mr. Hill recently finished four years as the Music Director (band, orchestra and jazz director) at Los Gatos High School, California where he was awarded Educator of the Year in 2021-2022. Currently, he is the Band Director at Byram Hills High School in New York.
Virtual Silent Auction
Bidding opens: May 6, 2023 at 12:00 AM EST
Bidding ends: May 12, 2023 at 11:00 PM EST
Our first virtual silent auction is live! Bidders will have the opportunity to own an original painting by Tom Furano titled Symphony Variations on a Theme. Inspired by WSW's 2022 Fall Concert, Desert Sage, Furano translates his artistic vision of the music performed on the concert with a special homage to the concert's premiere piece, Desert Sage by Michael Markowski. The painting is acrylic paint/ink on a stretched gessoed canvas 16"x20".
Winning bidder will be announced on WSW's May 13th performance at Tarrytown Music Hall.
ENDED
Westchester Symphonic Winds Presents "Diamonds and Dragons"
Westchester Symphonic Winds (WSW) is proud to present an exciting evening of music on Saturday, May 13 at 8:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. The concert will feature a diverse program of works from eight international composers including Steven Bryant, Omar Thomas, Mike Mower, James Beckel, Henri Kling, Hirokazu Fukushima, Viet Cuong, and Vasily Kalinnikov.
Under the direction of Curt Ebersole, the band will conclude its 35th Anniversary series of Tarrytown Music Hall concerts with this performance. "This concert will be a celebration of the rich and diverse repertoire of wind band music," said Maestro Ebersole. "Audience members will be treated to a range of styles and moods, from the lush harmonies of Shenandoah to the playful energy of The Elephant and the Fly, and the intense energy of Eternal Memoir - Saga of the Lucky Dragon. We're thrilled to close the program, as we do every five years, with the vibrant antiphonal brass sounds of the Finale from Symphony No. 1 by Kalinnikov.”
Program includes:
BRYANT - In This Broad Earth
THOMAS - Shenandoah
MOWER - Concerto for Flute and Wind Orchestra, Staff Sergeant Katrina Owens, flute soloist
BECKEL - Through a Window, Staff Sergeant Keith Kile, tuba soloist
KLING - The Elephant and the Fly, Staff Sergeant Katrina Owens, piccolo soloist; Staff Sergeant Keith Kile, tuba soloist
FUKUSHIMA - Eternal Memoir-Saga of the Lucky Dragon, Dr. John P. Lynch, conductor
CUONG - Diamond Tide
KALINNIKOV - Finale from Symphony No. 1
To Purchase Tickets: Tickets for this performance are priced at $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and free of charge for children under 10. Tickets may be purchased online, in person at the Tarrytown Music Hall box office, or by calling 877-840-0457. Tarrytown Music Hall is located at 13 Main Street, Tarrytown, NY 10591.
WSW’s first performance of its 35th Anniversary Season was recorded and broadcast at Tarrytown Music Hall through generous donor support. As WSW concludes its series of Tarrytown concerts with this performance, gifts in recognition of the ensemble’s 35th Anniversary can be made by visiting their campaign online at https://donorbox.org/wsw-35th-anniversary-fund.
WSW is a dedicated ensemble of musicians who share a love of wind band music. The band is made up of individuals from all walks of life, and welcomes new members of all skill levels.
About the Guest Artists
Staff Sergeant Katrina Owens - Originally from McLean, Virginia, Staff Sergeant Katrina Owens is currently the piccolo player in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. Prior to joining the Army in 2014, she completed music performance degrees from the University of North Texas and George Mason University. Additionally, Katrina performed in the Dallas area with the Madera Wind Quintet and the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, as well as working with Eugene Corporon and the North Texas Wind Symphony on numerous recording projects. She has also performed with the Ohio Light Opera and the Franco-American Vocal Academy Orchestra in Perigueux, France. Currently, Katrina regularly performs with the Hudson Opera Theatre and is an original member of Vent Nouveau, the Hudson Valley’s premiere wind chamber ensemble. In her spare time, Katrina enjoys gardening and hiking with her husband, Bill, and their young boys, Alec and Evan.
Staff Sergeant Keith Kile, originally from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is the Principal Tubist of The West Point Band. Outside of The West Point Band, Keith is an active free-lancer and has performed recently with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in Reykjavik, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. Also a passionate educator, Keith serves on faculty at The New School's Mannes Prep Division in New York City and the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Prior to moving to New York, Keith performed regularly on both tuba and euphonium and appeared with The Mr. Jack Daniel's Original Silver Cornet Band, the Hal Leonard Studio Ensemble, numerous regional orchestras in the Midwest and Southeast, and served in the 129th Army National Guard Band for eleven years. As a successful soloist, Keith was selected the winner of the prestigious Jacobs School of Music Concerto Competition and is now a regular performer at conferences around the United States. Keith holds a B.S. in Music Education from Tennessee Tech University, a M.M. from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and is currently pursuing a D.M.A. at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.
John Lynch is a leading international wind band conductor and a dual citizen of the United States and Australia. He is currently the Director of Bands/Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a freelance conductor/composer/teacher based in Madison, Wisconsin. He was formerly the Director of Bands and Wind Symphony Conductor at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he created the first graduate degrees in wind conducting and the first comprehensive university band program in Australian history. He is the founder and artist director of the Verbrugghen Ensemble, the Conservatorium’s chamber orchestra in residence, and was previously Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of Georgia and the University of Kansas. Other positions include those at Northwestern University and Emory University. He was the conductor of Chicago’s renown Northshore Concert Band and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony and is the founder of the Greater New York Wind Symphony and the University of Kansas/Kansas City Youth Wind Symphony. He has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia including the national conferences of the College Band Directors National Association, American Bandmasters Association, National Association for Music Education, Australian National Band and Orchestra Conference, the Midwest Clinic, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, as well as at Interlochen, Barcelona’s Grec Festival, and invited tours of Ireland, Spain, China, Argentina, and Europe.
Lynch has three professional recordings on the Naxos label including the premiere in the Wind Band Classics Series, and one on the Klavier label. He is a published composer through C. Alan Music and Maestro and Fox. Awards include The American Prize, the national Stanbury Award for outstanding conducting and teaching, New York’s Big Apple Corps National Leadership in the Arts award, The University of Georgia Creative Research Medal, a Northwestern University Searle Fellow for Teaching Excellence, elected membership in the American Bandmasters Association and Phi Beta Mu international band honor fraternity, and was nominated for Performance of the Year in the Australian Arts Music Awards. An advocate for diversity in music, he serves on the boards of several think tanks including the Institute for Composer Diversity and is one of the featured conductors in “The Horizon Leads Forward.” John Lynch is a passionate advocate for new music and has commissioned, recorded, and premiered works from around the globe by both today’s leading composers and those new to writing for the wind band medium with a focus on diversity. He holds degrees from Indiana University, the Eastman School of Music and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.