Music department’s first concert shows love for USA

The sounds of our nation will be floating through campus starting tomorrow night at 7 p.m. from Doerman Theatre as the UT Music Department performs a concert entitled "Tribute to America," highlighting American music and composers.

This is the first concert of the season and it is a massive undertaking involving the UT Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Chorale and Community Choir.

The program is the culmination of work started this previous summer by Director of Bands Jason Stumbo and Stephan Hodge, professor and choral director of the music department.

It will be emceed by Alex Yager, the voice of the Rocket Marching Band and contain a large amount of pieces, including collaborations between the Wind Ensemble and choirs for the first time in five years.

According to Stumbo, the chosen selections are meant to entertain and educate the crowd.

He explained the program is modeled after concerts from earlier in the 20th century, mixing traditional marches, soloist performances and a few serious pieces.

Selections include classics like "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and several marches written by John Philip Sousa, as well other works such as "Song of Democracy," a piece written by Pulitzer Prize winner Howard Hanson with text from Walt Whitman.

"These are historically valuable pieces our students should get the opportunity to perform," Stumbo said.

Besides ensemble performances, the evening will feature Denise Ritter-Bernadini, assistant professor of music, performing George Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me" and Thaddeus Archer, part-time trumpet instructor, performing the infamous "Carnival of Venice."

While the program is meant to educate, the directors stress the concert is geared toward the general public and will be highly entertaining.

"This is not going to be an egg-head concert, it's not an intellectual concert — It's a feel-good and it's a music-for-everybody type concert," Hodge said.

Both staff and students have been preparing intensely for the concert, which is scheduled several weeks earlier than concerts in previous years.

Stumbo said there are unique challenges when preparing a show of this magnitude.

"There are endurance issues, you know, as far as chops and lips go, but there are also a lot of mental endurance issues," Stumbo said. "With all of the repertoire we're playing, students have to stay focused."

Students such as horn player Chelsi Vasquez, a senior majoring in music education, are up for the challenge.

"I think [the theme] is very good for the community and the audience," Vasquez said. "We usually play a lot of European music all the time and that's all it is, especially in orchestra. You know, like, Haydn, you know Strauss, you know Beethoven, but what about all the American composers? There is a lot of great American music out there and this concert is going to help showcase that."