Energetic and percussion driven, this concert band work provides meaningful participation for a large battery while maintaining a clear musical and emotional trajectory from the winds. A Bach chorale serves as the structural foundation, helping students develop awareness of form, balance, and ensemble cohesion as the music unfolds in unique ways. A worthwhile choice for programs seeking to feature percussionists in a musically engaging setting.

-Program note by composer

Guest Conductor, Alex Harrington

Through the Storm is a work for band that encapsulates the anticipation, serenity, calamity, chaos, and majesty of a harsh winter storm. Inspired by the Texas “deep freeze” in February 2021, this work begins as all winter storms do — with the foreboding first fallen flake. The opening marimba’s driving melodic fragment is insistent, yet ever changing — like the winds of winter. At times, the majesty of the storm can be quite breathtaking, like the horn swell into the first lush and lyrical section of the piece.

As instruments add in, we are quickly drawn to the volatile nature of the storm, both strong and violent. Percussion instruments clash and clamour, whipping the main idea to the menacing lower voices. Things calm down a bit as we reach the eye of the storm, but we still aren’t quite at ease. Tensions rise and fall, the temperature begins to drop with hardened, frigid layers of sounds. The horns return to remind us of the true majesty of the storm, but are soon overtaken by the urgent groove of the percussion section, charging us to the eye wall — the most dangerous part of the storm. The storm swells to its most aggressive episodes with alternating low and high voice entrances and a final crescendo to the biggest impact of the night. Then, almost as quickly as it came, the storm begins to recede. The winds slow down. Snow falls more slowly, but still slightly slips through sparse pockets of the night air. We have finally made it through the storm.

As a member of, and musical arranger for the Eighth U.S. Army Band, John Barnes Chance served in Seoul, South Korea, during the Korean War. It was during this time that he became familiar with a traditional Korean folk song called Arirang. Chance explains, “The tune is not as simple as it sounds, and my fascination with it during the intervening years led to its eventual use as the theme for this set of variations”.

Arirang is a tune based on the pentatonic scale, and it can be dated back to the 18th century as a song of love and heartbreak. It was utilized in the 20th century as a resistance anthem during the Japanese occupation of Korea, when the singing of patriotic songs, including the national anthem, was criminalized. Chance’s set of variations, written for concert band in 1965, begins by presenting the Arirang theme, and proceeds to develop it through five variations. The piece alternates between fast and slow variations, with the final variation being marked “Con Islancio” (“with impetuousness”), and it uses a variety of time signatures and rhythmic motives to alter the theme. Chance maintains the Eastern influence of the original tune through his use of the pentatonic scale, as well as prominent use of distinct percussion instruments, such as temple blocks, cymbals, and a gong.

The piece was awarded the Ostwald Award in 1966 by the American Bandmasters Association.

– Program Note adapted from Baylor University Symphonic Band concert program, 15 September 2022

Guest Conductor, Alex Harrington

The Thunderer was Mrs. John Phillip Sousa’s favorite march. Their daughter Helen revealed this, who had surmised that The Thunderer might have been her father’s salute to the London Times, which was known as the “thunderer.” It was since then determined that Sousa probably had no association with the newspaper at that time, however. The “thunderer” might have been one of the ones in charge of making arrangements for the 1889 conclave — in particular Myron M. Parker, who worked tirelessly to make the event the spectacular success that it was.

In the second section of the march, Sousa included an adaptation of earlier trumpet and drum piece, Here’s to Your Health, Sir!

– Program note by Paul E. Bierley

Alex Harrington is currently a Graduate Student at Northern Illinois University studying Wind Conducting and assisting with all operations of the NIU band program. Prior to NIU, she taught K-12 band and general music in Novi, MI and taught private woodwind and piano lessons to children and adults. She received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Olivet Nazarene University where she was a drum major for the Tiger Marching Band for two years. She has been an active conductor at the NIU Wind Conducting Symposium and has recently attended the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and Illinois State Conducting Symposiums as a conducting participant.