Annual Spring Concert

Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 7:30pm

Whitney High School

701 Wildcat Blvd.
Rocklin, CA 95765

This is a free concert!

From our conductor, Dr. Robert Halseth

This program presents a wide variety of climates, thoughts and moods, taking listeners on an amazing emotional journey from stormy to sunny and beyond. These pieces were chosen last winter, during some of the heftiest and most dramatic storms Californians have ever experienced: monumental snow, atmospheric rivers, floods, loss of power. Hold on to your hats! We start with 23-year-old J.C. Heed’s electrifying march that literally explodes unto the scene, then quickly contrasts it by letting us know that summer is on the way, with beautiful balmy days and lots of sunshine. Next, San Francisco composer Roger Nixon transports us to a lively outdoor fun-filled festival in the heart of San Diego, circa 1960, to celebrate the Spanish Days of Old California, full of food, colorful costumes, a play, a parade, a rodeo, and street dances. From there, our journey moves to the deep, dark sadness of a woman in Ireland mourning the death of her lover, expressed in a lyric, singing quality by clarinet soloist Sandra Moats McPherson, during the constantly falling rain in the James Joyce poem. The first half of our concert closes with the number 1 pop tune of 100 years ago, as made famous in this country by Paul Whiteman’s band in 1923. 
 
The second half opens with one of the staples of the newly emerging band world, Vaughan Williams’ iconic English Folk Song Suite, premiered in 1923, featuring nine folk songs in three movements, mostly jaunty, that remind us that humankind in all parts of the world is touched and moved by music. Following that are the two newest compositions on tonight’s program: …and tears no bitterness, a sensitive, lyrical piece written with great affection and respect by Australian composer Ralph Hultgren, based on the Christian hymn tune, “Abide With Me,” followed by Mississippi composer Julie Giroux’s Paprikash, a fun recipe based on a chicken dish that uses a lot of paprika, sounding like it could be Jewish, Greek, Arabic, Hungarian or Slavic in character. Hoping that it is, for you, energetic, fascinating and most of all passionate.