NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band will present "A Holiday Concert" at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, in W.M. Turner Auditorium.
The Symphonic Band, directed by Dr. Tamey Anglley, assistant director of bands at SFA, will begin the concert with Leroy Anderson's "The Minstrel Boy," which is the second movement of his Irish Suite from 1947. The band will also perform the Alfred Reed arrangement of "Greensleeves."
"The melody from 'Greensleeves' is the second oldest piece of secular music in our Western culture, its origins having been traced back to about 1360," Anglley explained. "This tune has been adapted as the basis for at least one Christmas carol - 'What Child Is This?'"
The Symphonic Band will close its half of the concert with Clair W. Johnson's arrangement of "Themes from the Nutcracker Suite" by Pëtr Tchaikovsky. The themes included in this arrangement are "March," "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," "Arabian Dance," "Waltz of the Flowers" and "Russian Dance."
The Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. David W. Campo, associate director of bands, will open its portion of the concert with Alfred Reed's stirring "Russian Christmas Music."
"Based on the ancient Russian song 'Carol of the Little Russian Children' and combined with motivic elements derived from the liturgical music of the Eastern Orthodox Church, this joyous work reflects the beauty and spirit of a Russian Christmas," Campo said.
Dr. Gene Moon, director of orchestral studies at SFA, will guest conduct the Wind Symphony in Percy Grainger's "Sussex Mummer's Christmas Carol."
"Like much of Grainger's music, this piece was collected as a folk song by Grainger in 1880 from Miss Lucy Broadwood," Campo explained. "Richard Franco Goldman, conductor of the Goldman Band, suggested to Grainger that he set this beautiful carol for band, and it was Goldman who completed the arrangement upon Grainger's death."
The final work of the concert is the iconic Leroy Anderson composition, "Sleigh Ride."
"Anderson depicts his memories of sleigh rides in his native New England," Campo said, "using brilliant, colorful scoring and real-world sounds, including sleigh bells and whip cracks."
The concert is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
Axe ’Em, Jacks!