Passavant Center Thiel College Greenville, PA - BoxCast
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Passavant Center
Thiel College
Greenville, PA
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.
The Thiel College
Music Department
PROUDLY PRESENTS
Shenandoah to Sakura
A collection of folk songs from around the world
FEATURING
The Thiel College Chamber Ensembles
PERFORMING WORKS BY
Walter H. Barnes Johnny Burke Abraham Idelsohn
Nancy J. Brammer Jordan Grigg Amanda Sycamore
AND
The Thiel College Concert Band
PERFORMING WORKS BY
Franco Cesarini Percy Grainger William Himes
Ray Cramer Clare Grundman Frank Ticheli
ASSISTED BY
Kathy Miller, Organ
Musical Direction by
Nicholas Samson
Assistant Musical Direction by
John Jerasa
Light Design by
Fran Comstock
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.
PROGRAM
Thiel College Chamber Ensembles
Boomerang Amanda Sycamore
Percussion Ensemble
Kelligrews Soirée Johnny Burke / arr. Walter H. Barnes
Brass Quintet
Danny Boy Traditional / arr. Jordan Grigg
Woodwind Trio
À la Claire Fontaine Traditional / arr. Walter H. Barnes
Brass Quintet
Pennsylvania Trio Nancy J. Brammer
I. Visiting Day
II. Church Day
III. Courtin' Day
Woodwind Trio
Hava Nagila Abraham Idelsohn / arr. Walter H. Barnes
Brass Quintet
~INTERMISSION~
Thiel College Concert Band
Second American Folk Rhapsody Clare Grundman
Fantasy on Sakura Sakura setting by Ray Cramer
Latin Folk Song Trilogy William Himes
I. El Tortillero
II. Lament - Huainto
III. Riqui Ran
Cajun Folk Songs Frank Ticheli
I. La Belle et le Capitaine
II. Belle
Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon Percy Aldridge Grainger
Kathy Miller, Organ
Greek Folk Song Suite Franco Cesarini
I. O Charalambis
II. Stu Psiloriti
III. Vasilikos tha jino
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.
PROGRAM NOTES
Boomerang Amanda Sycamore
(b. 1973)
Originally written as the first movement of a four-mallet marimba solo, Boomerang
was expanded for percussion ensemble by its composer, Amanda Sycamore. As its
name suggests, this composition is based on folk music native to the continent of
Australia. After beginning with a driving rhythm reminiscent of the Outback, the
composition soon shifts to a delicate melody before eventually returning to the
original theme.
Amanda Sycamore currently serves as the Principal Percussionist for the Salisbury
Symphony Orchestra in Salisbury, North Carolina. She holds a bachelor’s degree in
music education and a master’s degree in percussion performance from the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Music.
Kelligrews Soirée Johnny Burke / arr. Walter H. Barnes
(b. 1945)
Now a popular Newfoundland folk song, Kelligrews Soirée was originally written by
Johnny Burke, a famous balladeer from St. John’s, the capital city of the Canadian
province, Newfoundland and Labrador. The song is named after an annual event of
the same name which takes place every July in the town of Conception Bay South in
Newfoundland. This event features several full days of activities for the entire family,
including the world-famous Kelligrews Soirée folk festival and garden party.
Kelligrews Soirée was written in the style of Irish music-hall songs such as The Irish
Jubilee and Lanigan’s Ball, and makes reference to Clara Nolan’s Ball, an American
vaudeville song of the nineteenth century. The text of the song tells of dressing up in
borrowed finery and going to the soirée. It also mentions the food, curiosities, and
celebrities in attendance, as well as the donnybrook that caps the festivities.
Danny Boy Traditional / arr. Jordan Grigg
Based on the traditional Irish folk melody “Londonderry Air,” Danny Boy was not
known by its most common name until lyricist Frederic Weatherly penned the words
to it in 1910. The “Londonderry Air” melody was discovered by a woman
named Jane Ross who, in 1851, heard a traveling fiddler playing it on a street in
Limavady, Ireland. Ross asked if she could notate the music for her friend in Dublin
who was trying to preserve the ancient music of Ireland. Decades later, a British
lawyer named Frederic Weatherly received a copy of the tune from his Irish-born
sister-in-law, and eventually applied his lyrics, creating one of the most famous
songs ever written. Over the years, Danny Boy has become an unofficial anthem of
Irish Americans and Irish Canadians and has become a common song choice for
funerals and memorial services. A retired Irish American police officer named Charlie
McKenna from Rhode Island famously said “I want Danny Boy sung at my funeral
mass, and if it isn’t, I’m going to get up and walk out.”
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.PROGRAM NOTES
À la Claire Fontaine Traditional / arr. Walter H. Barnes
À la Claire Fontaine (“By the Clear Fountain”) is a traditional French folk song that has
also become significantly popular in Belgium and Canada - especially in the French-
speaking areas of Canada such as Québec. The song may have appeared as early as
1604 when the first permanent French settlement was established in what is now
Canada. As with all traditional songs, numerous versions of both music and lyrics can
be found, and versions known in France may be quite different from those known in
Canada. À la Claire Fontaine is a song about lost love. The text speaks of a lover
bathing in a fountain, hearing a nightingale singing, and thinking about her lover
whom she lost long ago. The nightingale’s heart laughs, but her heart weeps.
Pennsylvania Trio Nancy J. Brammer
(b. 1942)
The Pennsylvania Trio is a programmatic work for woodwind trio which depicts Amish
life in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. While Amish community members typically
practice choral music rather than instrumental, this composition attempts to express
some traditional Amish customs using woodwind instrumentation. The trio was
originally composed for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. The following text was written
by the composer and provides context for each movement.
I. Visiting Day - Sunday is often a visiting day for the Amish after their service or on
a Sunday when there is no service. Many closed and open buggies with their high
stepping horses will be on the road in Lancaster county.
II. Church Day - The Amish service is held in various homes every other week. Many
buggies will be parked outside. Their traditional music is old German hymns. The
young people have hymn sings as part of their social interaction.
III. Courtin’ Day - Courting time for the Amish is in November in open buggies. This
movement depicts the horse and the conversation between the boy and girl. He also
tries to kiss her and in the end, she asks him to stop the buggy.
Hava Nagila Abraham Idelsohn / arr. Walter H. Barnes
(1882-1938)
Hava Nagila ("Let Us Rejoice") is an Israeli folk song traditionally sung at Jewish
celebrations. While the origins of this tune are obscure, its fame is certainly not. Most
historians agree that the lyrics were written by the musical scholar Abraham Idelsohn
in 1918 to celebrate Britain’s victory in Palestine. Idelsohn’s lyrics are based on
Psalm 118 (verse 24) of the Hebrew bible. The melody is based on a Hasidic Nigun,
and is a Romanian variant of the traditional hora dance. Originally recorded by
Idelsohn in 1922 - and later by singers from Lena Horne and Josephine Baker to Bob
Dylan and Glen Campbell - the song was made most famous by Harry Belafonte’s
1959 recording, Belafonte at Carnegie Hall.
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.PROGRAM NOTES
Second American Folk Rhapsody Clare Grundman
(1913-1996)
Dedicated to Manley Whitcomb and the Florida State University Band, Grundman’s
Second American Folk Rhapsody was composed in 1959. It opens with a fanfare
quoting Skip to My Lou, followed by a leisurely transition into Billy Boy in a waltz
style. Skip to My Lou runs through several variations before entering into a regal,
march-like introduction of Shenandoah. After the short march, Grundman’s rhapsodic
writing returns and interweaves Skip to My Lou with Shenandoah, featuring beautiful
melodic timbres and lush alto saxophone/horn counter lines. The piece closes with a
broad restatement of Billy Boy in 4/4 and a maestoso climax.
Over a five-decade composing career, Clare Grundman - one of America’s most
prolific composers and arrangers - provided countless bands with music combining
substance, playability, and audience appeal. Many of his most enduring works use
American folk materials, including his four American Folk Rhapsodies.
Fantasy on Sakura Sakura Setting by Ray Cramer
(b. 1940)
Sakura Sakura is perhaps the most famous of all Japanese folk songs. It is
recognized throughout the world. This setting was done as a gift from Ray Cramer to
the Musashino Academia Musicae and the student members of their fine wind
ensemble. Within a few months after the premiere, the manager of the wind
ensemble, Koichi Onodera, died at an all-too-early age. He loved this setting, and the
piece brought him tears with each hearing. During Cramer's stay in Tokyo, while
working with the wind ensemble, Cramer and Onodera developed a very close
friendship. Cramer greatly admired Onodera's intense loyalty and dedication to the
school and the students. Ray Cramer felt it was only fitting that this work be
dedicated to his memory. The setting is very Japanese in style, character and timbre.
Latin Folk Song Trilogy William Himes
(b. 1949)
Written in 2000, Latin Folk Song Trilogy features three distinctly different folk songs,
each from a different Latin American country. Movement I is based on a Chilean folk
song entitled El Tortillero (The Tortilla Vendor) and is creatively scored to mimic the
joyful dissonance of a busy street corner. The second movement - an Argentinian folk
song entitled Huainto - is a heartfelt and poignant contrast to the first and third
movements. The third movement is based on a Venezuelan version of an old Spanish
folk song entitled Aserrín Aserrán or “Sawdust Sawdust.” This song is typically
accompanied by a game that is played by young children (similar to Here We Go
‘Round the Mulberry Bush.) This movement features a simple, yet appealing melody
accompanied by exciting and colorful percussion parts.
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.PROGRAM NOTES
Cajun Folk Songs Frank Ticheli
(b. 1958)
Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians, a group of early French colonists who began
settling in Acadia (now Nova Scotia) around 1604. In 1755, they were driven out by
the British, eventually resettling in south Louisiana. Today, there are nearly a million
French-speaking descendants of the Acadians living in Louisiana and parts of Texas,
preserving many of the customs, traditions, stories, and songs of their ancestors.
Although a rich Cajun folk song tradition exists, the music has become increasingly
commercialized and Americanized throughout the twentieth century, obscuring its
original simplicity and directness. In response to this trend, Alan and John Lomax
traveled to south Louisiana in 1934 to collect and record numerous Cajun folk songs
in the field for the Archive of Folk Music in the Library of Congress. By doing so, they
helped to preserve Cajun music in its original form as a pure and powerful expression
of Louisiana French Society.
La Belle et le Capitaine and Belle can both be heard in their original versions on the
Lomax recordings (Swallow LP-8003-2, Swallow Records Co., Ville Platte,
Louisiana). La Belle et le Capitaine tells the story of a young girl who feigns death to
avoid being seduced by a captain. Its Dorian melody is remarkably free, shifting back
and forth between duple and triple meters. In this arrangement the melody is stated
three times. The third time, an original countermelody is added in flutes, oboes,
clarinets, and trumpets.
Belle is about a man who goes away to Texas only to receive word of his
sweetheart's illness, forcing him to return to Louisiana. Finding her unconscious upon
his return, he pawns his horse to try to save her, to no avail. The folk melody is
sometimes varied rhythmically, texturally, and coloristically, and an original melody
is added for variety.
Cajun Folk Songs is composed as a tribute to the people of the old Cajun folk song
culture with hopes that their contributions will not be forgotten.
Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon Percy Aldridge Grainger
(1882-1961)
Grainger considered the folk singers the "kings and queens of song...lords in their own
domain -- at once performers and creators." He once described concert singers as
slaves to tyrannical composers. It was for the wind band, a "vehicle of deeply
emotional expression,” that Grainger made some of his most memorable folk song
settings, several of which are now cornerstones of band repertoire. Ye Banks and
Braes o' Bonnie Doon is based on a slow, sustained Scottish folk tune entitled The
Caledonian Hunt’s Delight. The river Doon flows gracefully between the Loch Doon and
the Firth of Clyde in Stirlingshire, Scotland. Grainger was inspired to write this
composition by a Robert Burns poem entitled The Banks of Doon, written in 1783.
Grainger's original setting of this was done in 1901 for "men's chorus and whistler,"
and the present version for band was published in 1936.
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.PROGRAM NOTES
Greek Folk Song Suite Franco Cesarini
(b. 1961)
The typical instruments of Greek folk music are the clarinet, the mandolin, the violin,
various types of tambourines, and the characteristic "buzuki." Greek folk music
consists of a repertoire of three main groups of songs: traditional folksongs
(dimotiko), folksongs from the immigrants (rebetiko), and songs from contemporary
composers. The best-known author of Greek folk music is Mikis Theodorakis who, in
addition to his political engagement against the fascist regime, has spread, through
his melodies, the texts of the main Greek poets.
In Greek Folk Song Suite, Franco Cesarini has elaborated three songs belonging to
the most ancient tradition. The first, O Haralambis, is in 7/8 time, typical of a popular
folk dance called kalamatianos. Originally, the song O Haralambis was sung to
"tease" during weddings, since the text of the song refers to a young man who
refuses to marry. The central part of the piece includes another folk song called I
Voskopula. The second movement, Stu Psiloriti, refers to an ancient song from the
Island of Crete. The Psiloritis is the highest peak of the Ida Mountains. The third
movement of the suite is based on the song Vasilikos tha gino, a very ancient song of
the Ipeiros region. One characteristic of this movement is a reminder of the sirtaki,
the most popular Greek dance abroad.
About the Thiel College Concert Band
The Thiel College Concert Band is a wind and percussion ensemble comprised
exclusively of students currently studying at Thiel College. Students enrolled in
Concert Band (MUS 468) meet for rehearsal four days each week - Monday through
Thursday from 4:10 pm to 5:20 pm. Because it is a graded, credit-bearing course
(1 credit hour), the students are taught and evaluated on a variety of musical
concepts including style, articulation, intonation, music theory, ensemble
musicianship, instrumental technique, and professionalism (e.g., attendance and
rehearsal etiquette). The Thiel College Concert Band performs a broad spectrum of
works including transcriptions, marches, and chamber music. The ensemble is
under the direction of Mr. Nicholas Samson.
2021 Thiel College Band Staff
Nicholas Samson, Director of Bands & Choirs
John Jerasa, Assistant Director of Bands
D.J. Depanicis, Assistant Rock Band Coach & Guitar Specialist
Brianne Samson, Woodwind & Vocal Coach
Morgan Bodnar, Majorette Advisor and Recruiting Specialist
Jessica Peters, Color Guard Student Advisor
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.PERSONNEL
Thiel College Concert Band
Nicholas Samson, conductor
Flute / Piccolo Trumpet
Bethany Brodock, Parsippany, NJ # Roman Booth, Columbiana, OH *
Jayda DiGregorio, Greenville, PA Dara Grachan Pauletta Edwards, Salix, PA @
Raquel McDonald, Syracuse, NY # Hank Fisher, Jamestown, PA
Sylvia Patterson, Greenville, PA Kinsey Lowers, Jamestown, PA
Emiley Pientrantonio, West Middlesex, PA Mak Sanders, Newbury, OH * @
Ashlyn Toy, Kittanning, PA
Horn
Clarinet Samantha DiBucci, Greenville, PA @
Michaela Brown, Martinsburg, PA
Katie Miller, West Middlesex, PA Trombone
Camryn Sankey, Jamestown, PA Rachel Busi, Hermitage, PA
George Tice, Elizabeth, NJ # Roy Wilt III, Greenville, PA
Hanna Wielandt, Franklin, PA
Euphonium
Bass Clarinet Kylie Vergnola, Guys Mills, PA @
Nova Firster, Greenville, PA # ^ Steven Wright, Ford City, PA @
Alto Saxophone Tuba
Brianne Coatsworth, Washington, PA Jacob Orczeck, Martinsburg, PA @ ^
Sarah Haritos, Wilmington, DE Erika Smith, Greenville, PA
Alissa Thames, Avella, PA
Percussion
Tenor Saxophone Evan Taylor Ayala, New Castle, PA ^
Logan Ross, Titusville, PA Devyn Bossard, Townville, PA ^
Kevin Hawn, Youngstown, OH ^
Baritone Saxophone Christian Kemp, Knoxville, PA ^
Brittany Moon, Sandy Lake, PA Marissa Maciejewski, Monroeville, PA ^
Taylor Ranegar, Pittsburgh, PA ^
Matthew Redfoot, Greenville, PA ^
Key
* denotes member of Performing Arts Honor Society
# denotes member of Woodwind Trio
@ denotes member of Brass Quintet
^ denotes member of Percussion Ensemble
Ensemble members are listed alphabetically to emphasize the importance of each
individual to the group's success.
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ABOUT THE CONDUCTORS
Nicholas Samson – a native of Greenville, PA - currently serves as the Director of Bands and
Choirs at Thiel College. He holds a Bachelor of Music (education) degree and a Master of Music
(performance) degree from Youngstown State University. His major teachers include Dr.
Christopher Krummel of Youngstown State University and Susan Sexton of Grove City College.
Mr. Samson has also studied with Dr. Stephen Hawk of Slippery Rock University, Dr. Hae-Jong
Lee of Youngstown State University, and Dr. Michael Bray of Thiel College.
During his graduate studies at Youngstown State University, Mr. Samson performed as a member
of the Dana Faculty Brass Quintet and provided musical direction for the YSU Tuba & Euphonium
Ensemble. As an undergraduate, Mr. Samson was awarded seats in numerous musical
ensembles including the YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, YSU Jazz Ensemble I, and the YSU
Dana Chorale. He is a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, having served as Chapter
President and Province Music Director. Outside of the collegiate environment, Mr. Samson has
performed with numerous professional musical ensembles including the Youngstown Symphony
Orchestra, the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, the
Ashtabula Symphony Orchestra, and the Panyard Steel Orchestra.
As a trumpet soloist, Mr. Samson has been a semi-finalist in solo competitions on the national
level including the National Trumpet Competition, in Fairfax, Virginia. Additionally, he has
performed as a featured soloist with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and the Mercer County
(Pennsylvania) Community Band. As a commercial musician, he has performed with entertainers
including Yo-Yo Ma, The O’Jays, The Tokens, Peter Tork of The Monkees, Dee Snider of Twisted
Sister, Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, and Jay Harmon
of Sly & the Family Stone. As a member of the Youngstown Saxon Band, Mr. Samson performed
while on a tour of Europe, which included concerts in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria, as well as
Munich, Nurnberg, Heidelberg, and Stuttgart, Germany.
Mr. Samson has provided musical direction for and conducted numerous musical theater
productions, having held the position of Resident Music Director of the Youngstown Playhouse in
Youngstown, Ohio and the James E. Winner Jr. Arts and Culture Center in Sharon, Pennsylvania.
As a music educator, Mr. Samson has taught professionally in both the private and public
sectors. While employed by the Southington Local School District in Southington, OH, he served
as the Director of Bands and Choirs, as well as a general music education teacher for grades
kindergarten through eight. Following his tenure at Southington Local Schools, he and his future
wife, Brianne, established Maestro Arts Performing Arts Academy, a private music education
studio where he taught band, choir, music theory, and musical theatre classes to area young
people. Mr. Samson currently performs primarily with his steel pan trio PanTropix. He resides in
Sharon, Pennsylvania with his wife, Brianne, and their three sons, Alexander, Brian, and Andrew.
John Jerasa currently serves as the Assistant Director of Bands at Thiel College. Born and
raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania, it was there where he developed his passion for music
education and trumpet performance. Mr. Jerasa received his Bachelors of Music degree from
Youngstown State University and his Master of Education degree from Westminster College. He
works within the Mercer Band Directors Association, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association,
and the National Association for Music Education.
Mr. Jerasa has been an educator in Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania for over a
decade. Currently, he serves as the Director of Bands at West Middlesex Area School District,
where he conducts various levels of concert band, the “Big Red” Marching Band, pep band, jazz
band and various small chamber ensembles. John resides at his home in Hermitage, PA where
he lives with his wife, Grace, and their dog, Brutus.
Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.Copyright © 2021 Playbill Online Inc. All marks used by permission.
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