Raritan Valley Symphonic Band Winter Concert “Holiday Views”

Raritan Valley Symphonic Band Winter Concert

“Holiday Views”

Sunday December 15 @ 3 pm – Bridgewater-Raritan High School – Free Admission

The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band presents its annual Winter concert “Holiday Views” on Sunday December 15 at 3 PM. Under the direction of Music Director William Berz the concert will be held at Bridgewater-Raritan High School 600 Garretson Road Bridgewater NJ. Admission is free!

This year’s concert features a variety of classic wind ensemble works by composers David Maslanka Vaclav Nelhybel Karl King Frank Erickson and John Philip Sousa followed by several traditional holiday favorites.

David Maslanka’s Mother Earth (A Fanfare) starts the concert. This exhilarating intense fanfare is based on a short poem by the influential medieval friar St. Thomas of Assisi:

Praised by You my Lord for our sister MOTHER EARTH

Who nourishes us and teaches us

Bringing forth all kinds of fruits and colored flowers and herbs.

Composed in 1965 Czech born American composer Vaclav Nelhybel’s Chorale is based on a medieval Bohemian chant whose words are a desperate plea to St. Wenceslaus (first king of Bohemia) not to forsake his people nor let them perish. Initially a threatening atmosphere is evoked but the composition gradually changes closing with an ecstatic hymn of hope.

Karl King was one of America’s leading composers of marches. Santiago (1943) one of 185 marches he composed will be conducted by band member Kyle Fairbanks.

Frank Erickson’s Toccata for Band (1957) has become a standard for wind ensembles around the world. This piece alternates between fast- and slow-moving sections each with a distinct theme.

Highlights from Guys and Dolls features medleys from the 1950 Tony Award winning Broadway musical written by Frank Loesser. The musical became a 1955 movie featuring Frank Sinatra and has enjoyed two Broadway revivals in 1992 and 2009.

The concert’s first half concludes with J.P. Sousa’s Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company march (1924) which includes the Auld Lang Syne theme frequently performed on New Year’s Eve.

The second half starts with Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and Composer Jule Styne in July 1945 in Hollywood California during a heatwave as they dreamed of cooler weather.

Home Alone is a melody of songs from the 1990 movie featuring child star Macaulay Culkin as Kevin who was left home while his family traveled to Paris for the holidays. This movie has become a holiday classic.

Howard Rowe’s arrangement of A Celebration of Hanukkah features several well-known songs for this holiday. The concert concludes with two classic holiday works by arranger Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride and A Christmas Festival.

RVSB comprises about 70 musicians from the northern and central New Jersey area. Band membership includes professional musicians and music educators as well as amateur musicians ranging in age from high school through retirees.

Music Director William Berz is Professor Emeritus at Rutgers University where he served on the faculty for 42 years and was Director of the Music department for 11 years.

This concert is funded in part by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission. For more information about the band please visit www.rvsb.org.

Host or Publisher donald grossmann