The second concert of this Season of Stories, is our annual evening to honor Veterans with patriotic music. We have titled the evening “Invincible” as that describes our Veterans from past to present.
Renowned Conductor Robin Fountain, Professor of Conducting at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, will be leading our expanded orchestra this evening. Among the pieces to look forward to are Liberty Fanfare, America the Beautiful, Arlington, and The Stars and Stripes Forever, just to mention a few.
TENNESSEE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
-PRESENTS-
A Season of Stories
Chapter 2
Invincible
Robin Fountain, Conductor
The Star-Spangled Banner – John S. Smith
Liberty Fanfare – John Williams
America the Beautiful – Samuel Ward
arr. Alfred Reed
Armed Forces Salute – Bob Lowden
The National Guard March – Rudolph Aronson
Colonel Bogey March – Kenneth Alford
~Intermission~
American Salute – Morton Gould
Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #1 – Joan Tower
Arlington – George Kieffer
Liberty Bell March – John Philip Sousa
Washington Post March – John Philip Sousa
The Stars and Stripes Forever – John Philip Sousa
Conductor Robin Fountain
Robin Fountain is Professor of Conducting at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, where he serves as conductor of Vanderbilt Orchestra and as a teacher of conducting. He recently concluded a 14-year tenure as Music Director of the Southwest Michigan Symphony, following a similar period as Music Director of the Williamsport (PA) Symphony.
He has guest conducted the Singapore Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, and many other orchestras in Russia, Poland, France and Germany as well as the U.S.A.
Professor Fountain has led Vanderbilt Orchestra on two tours of China, and in recordings for the Navona and Blue Griffin labels. He has been awarded the Madison Sarratt Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the Blair School’s Faculty Excellence Award. His book The Ensemble Musician (co-written with Vanderbilt colleague Thomas Verrier) is published by GIA Publications.
He was educated at Oxford University, The Royal College of Music in London, and Carnegie Mellon University.
He won a conducting fellowship to Aspen, participated in master classes with Lorin Maazel and Gennadi
Rodhestvensky, and studied at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein, Kurt Sanderling and Leonard Slatkin.
He was also privileged to have the opportunity to train with members of the famed Berlin Philharmonic at
The Conductors Lab in Aix-en-Provence.
Concert Notes
Liberty Fanfare
John Williams was commissioned to write this celebratory piece for the centennial of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Williams was already a well-known composer for movie soundtracks such as Fiddler on the Roof, Poseidon Adventure, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the Indian Jones series, and Star Wars (with many other credits in following years). While most fanfares are brief, lasting only a few seconds, occasionally we get an extended composition such as this 5-minute work) in the flamboyant style of a fanfare.
America the Beautiful
Originally composed by Samuel Ward, it is the arranger that gives this piece its spine-tingling charm. Alfred Reed is primarily noted as a composer of band music rather than orchestral. The tables are turned on our orchestra tonight as they play an arrangement originally written for band.
Armed Forces Salute
This is a popular arrangement of all* the service songs. The audience is invited to stand when they hear the theme song of their current or former service. We honor your service! Did you notice the asterisk (*)? This arrangement does not include the most recent service song, the United States Space Force anthem, Semper Supra (Always Above), which premiered just a couple of months ago, September 20, 2022! Do we have anyone present to claim it yet? Hoot Gibson, Rhea Seddon . . . are you here tonight?
National Guard March
Military music has long played an important role in fostering unit esprit de corps and identity, but the National Guard Bureau had never had organizational music to satisfy this purpose. To rectify this situation, in 2016, and in the best tradition of Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, all National Guard band personnel were invited to compose an original march to be considered for adoption by the Bureau. Several outstanding submissions were received, but Chief Warrant Officer 4 David Myers’ rousing march stood out in its ability to represent both the Bureau’s century-plus history and its mission of supporting the National Guard units of the States, Territories, and District of Columbia.
American Salute
This imaginative arrangement of the Civil War tune Johnny Comes Marching Home by Morton Gould has become a perennial favorite for patriotic concerts. Listen for the rare occasion that the timpani gets to play the melody!
Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #1
Utilizing only the brass and percussion, just as its title’s inspiration (Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man), Joan Tower was commissioned to composed this in 1986. It is dedicated to Ms Marin Alsop, currently director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The percussion inventory for this piece is unusually lengthy: timpani, snare drum, 2 bass drums, 5 cymbals, 2 gongs, tam-tam, tom-toms, the triangle, glockenspiel, marimba, and chimes!
Arlington
Listen to this with reverence! Its song is the plea of the fallen. “Here in the land, make a place for me. There in your heart, leave a space for me.” Copyright laws prevent me from quoting the entire lyrics, but know that they convey both sadness and honor, grief and hope. Once again, remember someone who gave their all.
Liberty Bell March
Marches were not Sousa’s only compositions. He wrote over 200 works including symphonic poems, suites, operas, and operettas. In fact, the Liberty Bell march was originally intended for an operetta that he was writing, The Devil’s Deputy, but the funding for the show fell through. The incidental music excerpt was still unpublished and unnamed when Sousa and his band manager, George Hinton attended the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. As they watched a presentation entitled America in which a backdrop depicting the Liberty Bell was lowered, Hinton suggested The Liberty Bell as a title for the unfinished operetta’s march. Coincidentally, Sousa soon received a letter from his wife telling him their son had marched in a parade in honor of the Liberty Bell. The title was set!
Washington Post March
Yes, it was named after the D.C. newspaper, the Washington Post! The march was created in 1889 by Marine Band director stationed in Washington, John Philip Sousa. This was at the behest of the newspaper to celebrate the first awards presented by the Washington Post Amateur Authors Association. This was a club created by The Post to encourage District schoolchildren to write — (and perhaps their parents to buy newspapers).
Stars and Stripes Forever March
Perhaps, the most recognized march in the world, Sousa composed it in 1896. A century later, in 1987, an act of the U.S. Congress made it the national march of the United States of America. On the final strain’s grandioso, feel free to supplement the bass drum with your hands! “Hats off! The Flag is passing by!”
Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra Donors Season 41
Maestro (Conductor) Level $5,000+
City of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Nashville Musicians AFM Local 257
Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra Guild
National Endowment for the Arts
Richard Siegel Foundation
Tennessee Arts Commission
Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce
Adams Sixteen Foundation Trust
Mr. Dick & Mrs. Martha Curl
Mr. Ernest & Mrs. Peggy Burgess
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Mr. Matt & Mrs. Pat Ward
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Dr. Steven & Mrs. Gloria Payne
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Bravo (Skillful) Level $1,500 – $4,999
Dr. John and Mrs. Bobbie Duke
Mr. Bryan & Mrs. Donna Cumming
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Adam’s Family Foundation
Murfreesboro Breakfast Rotary Club
Mr. Phillip Barnett
Ms. Ellen Buckner
Mr. Jack Campbell & Dr. Ann Collette
Mr. Keith Carlson & Mrs. Dorothy Gehrke
Mr. Joe & Mrs. Anna Wakham, Jr.
Gibson Gives Foundation
Crescendo (Growing) Level $500 – $1,499
Ms. Carole Reynolds
Mr. & Mrs. John Moss
Ms. Lois Wehofer
Mr. & Mrs. Don Witherspoon
Mr. Tom & Mrs. Mindi Wroblewski
Mr. Brian & Mrs. Kirsten Coleman
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Dolce (Sweetly) Level $1-149
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Musicians & Sponsors
VIOLIN 1
Stefan Petrescu Mr. Ray & Dr. Pam Singer
Susan Mullen Dr. & Mrs. Laurence Harvin
Teresa Hargrove
David Johnson
Charis MacKrell
Natalie Wright
Hannah Sorrells
VIOLIN 2
Cheri Drummond Mr. Jack Campbell & Dr. Ann Collette
Lisa Green James & Judith Smythe
Jennifer Warren James & Judith Smythe
Jennifer Burton
Josee Weigand
Anne Landis
VIOLA
Linda Davis Mr. & Mrs. Kevin McNulty
Darrell Merryman
Joshua Shepherd
Alexander Yanovitch Pat Johnson
Bergen Christensen
Philip Scherer
CELLO
Telalit Charsky
Margie Way-Kiani Mr. Tom & Mrs. Mindi Wroblewski
Alice Lloyd
Johanna Wright-Vines
Gideon Klein
Jayna Powell
BASS
John Ownby Adam’s Family Foundation
Charlie Hickerson
Michael Rybiski
FLUTE
Deanna Little Mr. & Mrs. Matt Ward
Donna Wehofer Ms. Lois Wehofer, Mr. Steve & Mrs. Jane Marsh
PICCOLO
Peggy Peterson
OBOE
Grace Woodworth Mr. & Mrs. Dick Curl
Nicole McVey Dr. & Mrs. Steven Payne
ENGLISH HORN Michael Adduci
CLARINET Greg Lawson Mr. & Mrs. John Moss, Mr. Christopher Lawson
Molly Waxman Neil & Carrie Waxman
BASS CLARINET
Rachel Grasso
BASSOON
Harold Skelton Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Cumming
Wilson Sharpe MSO Guild
HORN
Cristian Codreanu Mrs. Ronella Hornsby, Ms. Ellen Buckner
Kristen Bowers
Greg Danner
Robyn Ryan Ms. Ellen Buckner
TRUMPET
Alan Suska Dr. & Mrs. Steven Payne
Chris McCormick
Shannon Stewart Ms. Carole Reynolds
TROMBONE
Josh Houser Mr. Joe Wakham
Fred Nelson Mr. Robert Mullins
Greg Cox Bryan & Donna Cumming
TUBA
Marcus Arnold
TIMPANI
Jeff Mulvihill Mr. & Mrs. Matt Ward
PERCUSSION
Chris Nelsen MSO Guild
Mark Winn
Jonathan Wright
HARP Sarah Crocker Ms. Carole Reynolds
PIANO
Windell Little Jr.
STAGE MANAGER
Jessie Hanks Mr. Phil Barnett
