Fanfare Dissensus

Kimberly K. Archer (b. 1973)

“Fanfare Dissensus has become my internal soundtrack over the past couple of months as I learn to lean into my authenticity and not shy away from discomfort in my life.”

- Christy Taylor; Music Educator, baritone saxophone

Commissioned by the O'Fallon Township High School Wind Ensemble for premiere at the 2022 Midwest Clinic. Melissa Gustafson-Hinds, conductor.

Fanfare Dissensus emerges from a time of particular discord in the world. Just like the word “consensus” refers to widespread agreement or like-mindedness, the word “dissensus” refers to disagreement and conflict. The work is tonal and mostly in the key of B-flat. Still, dissonant conflict grinds from the chromatic and octatonic scales, as well as in the minor and major seconds of the opening gesture. Additionally, there is a short fugue following the initial fanfare. The goal of a fugue is to set a main motive against contrasting musical ideas. This is referred to as a contrapuntal technique, with the prefix “contra” meaning contrasting or contrary.

Kimberly K. Archer (b. 1973 in Mendota, IL) is currently serving as Professor of Composition at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois. She teaches composition, music theory, orchestration, analysis, counterpoint, and 20th century music. Past appointments include Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Western Carolina University in North Carolina, and Southeast High School in Florida. Dr. Archer holds a a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Music in Composition from Syracuse University, and Bachelor of Music Education from The Florida State University. Her teachers include David Maslanka, David Gillingham, Andrew Waggoner, Donald Grantham, and Charlie Carter.

“Moth is so intricate and every time I listen I hear something new. It’s also seriously challenging to learn, so it’s been a fun way to push myself.”

- Andrea Wooley; Recreation Center Coordinator; clarinet

“Moth is one of the more difficult pieces we have played. It's nine pages of musical terror and excitement!”

- Margaret Lowe; Retired Music Educator; alto saxophone

The “moth to the flame” narrative is a familiar one. We have all seen moths in the glow of flames or stadium lights. Scientists call this phenomenon “phototaxis,” but I prefer to think of this attraction in much more romantic terms. The dusty moth, though destined to live in shadow, has an insatiable craving for the brightness of day. Drab, but elegant, nervous, but swift, his taste for the glow of the flame or the filament is dire. Perhaps he dances in the light because it holds the promise that he might be as beautiful as his favored kin, the butterfly. For only there, in its ecstatic warmth, may he spend the last of his fleeting life, and believe himself to be.

Moth seeks inspiration from the dualities between light and dark, beautiful and grotesque, reality and fantasy, and the ultimate decision to sacrifice sensibility for grace.

Called “alluring” and “wildly inventive” by The New York Times, the music of American composer Viet Cuong has been performed on six continents by musicians and ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Eighth Blackbird, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Sō Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, Atlanta Symphony, Sandbox Percussion, Albany Symphony, PRISM Quartet, and Dallas Winds, among many others. Cuong’s music has been featured in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center, and his works for wind ensemble have amassed several hundreds of performances worldwide. Passionate about bringing these different facets of the contemporary music community together, his recent projects include a concerto for Eighth Blackbird with the United States Navy Band. Cuong also enjoys exploring the unexpected and whimsical, and he is often drawn to projects where he can make peculiar combinations and sounds feel enchanting or oddly satisfying. His works thus include a snare drum solo, percussion quartet concerto, and double oboe concerto. He is currently the Pacific Symphony’s Composer-in-Residence and serves as Assistant Professor of Music Composition at The University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Cuong holds degrees from Princeton University (MFA/PhD), the Curtis Institute of Music (AD), and Peabody Conservatory (BM/MM).

“Not because it's my name, but I feel like it gives the ensemble liberty to play around with their musicality and expression. The simplicity of the piece opens up a whole other world for us as musicians and I absolutely LOVE it. The choral lyrics to this piece are also *chefs kiss*.”

- Autumn Lyle; Music Substitute Teacher, trumpet

Autumn was originally composed for SATB choir, and was later transcribed for wind band by the composer. The choral version features original text inspired by seasonal scenic imagery. The setting for wind band stays true to the pacing and character of the original, with added instrumental texture and colour.

The sun hides

low in the sky

igniting the forest

with rays of light.

The air lies motionless

until a gentle wind whispers,

disrupting this peace.

With this wind

dances a colourful melancholy, painting the seasons

with brushstrokes of time.

Memories swirl

in this cool breeze,

though warmth lingers

in the arms of trees

holding on

until the last single leaf falls.

- Program Note by composer

The origin of the piece goes back to 2008 when Nishimura wrote a free verse poem for an assignment in high school. When trying to decide what to write, she found herself reflecting on how fall was a special time of year because of the colors and emotions she associated with the season. Nearly ten years later, Nishimura found herself reminded of the poem while thinking about the beauty and nostalgia of fall. After finding the poem, she was compelled to set the words to music and completed her composition of Autumn for SATB choir within 24 hours.

Cait Nishimura (she/her) is a Japanese Canadian composer based in Waterloo, Ontario. Known for writing nature-inspired, programmatic music, Cait has established herself as a prominent voice in the concert band community. Since winning the Canadian Band Association’s composition prize in 2017, Cait’s music has been presented at MusicFest Canada, The Midwest Clinic, and numerous other international conferences and festivals. Her work has become increasingly popular among educational music communities, with new works being regularly commissioned and performed around the world. Cait is passionate about empowering others through art, and strives to set a positive example for future generations of musicians through her creative work and her dedication to mental health awareness and environmentalism. She is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre and holds degrees in music and education from the University of Toronto.

Run To The Light

Ivan Trevino (b. 1983)

Featured Percussionists: Daisy Cardona & Rebecca Markov

“As a percussionist, it’s rare to play wind ensemble pieces that remind me so much of my time spent in my tight-knit college percussion ensemble, but this piece fills that space in my heart so beautifully. The groove and energy of this piece is just so joyful and infectious!”

- Kirsten Gilmore; Early Childhood Educator, percussion

Run to the Light was written for Eastman School of Music’s centennial celebration. It was premiered by Eastman Wind Ensemble on Oct. 19, 2022. The piece is dedicated to a thousand or so very special people in Victoria, Texas.

A newly hired band director at my high school had a diploma hanging up in his office. “What’s that?” I asked. “It’s from Eastman,” he said. “What’s Eastman?” I asked again. “It’s a music conservatory,” he said. I left his office thinking to myself, “What’s a music conservatory?”

That was my junior year of high school, and that’s how foreign this whole classical music thing was to me. Fast forward one year later. I auditioned at Eastman and got in. This was due in large part to this teacher, his guidance, and my own luck that he took a job teaching music in small town Victoria, Texas, where I lived. Thank you again, Mr. Mikula.

When I told my mom I got accepted, she didn’t congratulate me. Well, of course she did, but not right away. The first thing she said was “how are we going to pay for it?” My parents didn’t go to college, but are hard-working, smart people who still make their living cutting hair. They did everything they could to make music part of my life. Paying for college though, especially at a school like Eastman, was far beyond anything they had saved or planned for. My parents put together whatever funds they could and did what everyone does in Texas during a time of need: they organized a bar-b-cue benefit. It’s a go-fund me of sorts, but an in-person one with BBQ, beans, rice and all the fixings. One of my dad’s regulars was a writer for the local paper and wrote a charming story about my parents, my opportunity to attend Eastman, and about the upcoming BBQ benefit. Local restaurants donated food, and my parents and an assembly line of volunteers served plates to friends, family and members of our community who showed up to give their support and enjoy a hot meal. There was even an auction with one of those fast-talking auctioneers helping the crowd bid on donated items. My parents hosted this benefit for four summers, and each time, they raised $10,000 for my college tuition, with over 1,000 people attending each year. This is still incomprehensible to me. Meanwhile, Eastman provided me with a generous yearly scholarship to ease the cost of tuition, which helped greatly. My journey to Eastman was looking more and more possible, thanks in part to this scholarship, and of all things, BBQ. But we still weren’t quite there.

One day, Mary Lou Urban, an unassuming family friend of ours, walked into the barber shop to see my mom for her regularly scheduled perm. This time, Mrs. Urban came in holding a small envelope with my mom’s name on it. Inside was a gift: a personal check for $10,000. My mom cried, Mrs. Urban cried. But that’s not all. Each summer for four years, she gave my mom a check for this same amount. Mrs. Urban is no longer with us, but what she did for me and my family is unforgettable. My mom refers to her as my angel. I do too. Between the community’s support, Eastman’s scholarship, Mrs. Urban’s gifts, and my parent’s own hard work and sacrifice, I got to Eastman.

20 years later, I find myself at Eastman again, this time as a visiting teacher to step in for the one and only, Michael Burritt, my former Eastman professor who is on a sabbatical leave. What an honor. I return with my beautiful wife, Amanda, who I met on Gibbs St. when we were both students. This music is dedicated to all of the supporters in my hometown community, Mr. Mikula, Mrs. Urban, my parents, and all of the people who helped me run to my light. I carry them with me, in my teaching, composing and performing, and I hope this spirit of joy and gratitude shines through in this music.

Ivan Trevino (b.1983) is a Mexican-American composer, percussionist, writer and arts advocate. He has shared his music with audiences around the world, from Asia to South America to Madison Square Garden in New York City.

As a composer and songwriter, Ivan’s music has been performed on five continents in over 25 countries. He is a multi-award winning recipient of the Percussive Arts Society’s International Composition Contest and has over 70 compositions and songs to his name. Most recently, he was the featured composer on American Public Media’s Performance Today.

An active educator, Ivan currently serves as Lecturer in Percussion at University of Texas at Austin. He is also co-director of the Eastman Percussion Festival, a biennial summer festival hosted by Eastman School of Music. He is an artist and clinician for Innovative Percussion, Black Swamp Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Pearl / Adams, Meinl, and Beetle Percussion.

Ivan is also well-known for his work as a drummer with Break of Reality, an international touring cello rock quartet. Break of Reality has released five studio albums and has been featured on PBS, Huffington Post, Yahoo Music and is on regular rotation on National Public Radio.

Ivan’s work spans various media including storytelling, poetry, and film scoring. His collection of online writings are regularly circulated throughout the arts community, including “My Pretend Music School”, a blog post that has sparked debate about music school curriculum and has become required reading for collegiate courses around the U.S.

Ivan currently lives in Austin, TX with his wife, Amanda, and their children, Henry and Oscar.

“My favorite part about being in Formation is the community. As someone who recently graduated, it's great to realize I'm not on an island and that there are hundreds of successful female band directors and musicians in my area. Formation helped me to realize I wasn't alone!”

- Naomi Williams; Registrar at Eastside Academy/Music Teacher; piano

Flute

Megan Gonzales

Nancy Gove

Shayla Hetletvedt

Megan Hilborn

Jordan Johnson

Wyndi May

Cara McKinley

Katie O'Shea

Hannah Ogden

Oboe

Lora Duncan

Megan Shultz

Clarinet

Kit Gu

Meredith Heinzmann

Lauren Hepburn

Sarah Kaal

Marie-Claire Maffei

Stephanie Sheppard

Ingrid Smith

Anita Wong

Andrea Wooley

Bass Clarinet

Elizabeth Juntuneen

Stephanie Kuborssy

Bassoon

Erica Lundgren

Alto Saxophone

Mel Brazley

Margaret Lowe

Lisa Dockendorff

Barbara Hubers-Drake

Tenor Sax

Anna Ballasiotes

Liz Currey

Baritone Saxophone

Lauren Causby

Christy Taylor

Horn

Alicia Barta Huffines

Raleigh Mostovoy

Emily Stephenson

Megan Vinther

Meghan Wagner

Trumpet

Laura Ehli

Hailey Kepple

Adelyn Luke

Autumn Lyle

Deb Meyer

Trombone

Emily Graham

Elizabeth McDaniel

Lesley Moffat

Mya Wagner

Tori Wright

Euphonium

Cheyenne Earls

Emily Suter

Sammie Turner

Tuba

Grace Paananen

Lorraine Thurston

Percussion

Sarah Bost

Daisy Cardona

Kirsten Gilmore

Madison Keezer-Birmingham

Anita Kumar

Rebecca Markov

Taryn Zickefoose

String Bass

Karen Helseth

Piano

Naomi Williams

“Music is an escape from the ’real world’ for me. For a few hours, once a week, I'm able to forget what's going on everywhere else and focus on creating something magical (and musical) with others just as passionate as I am.”

-Wyndi May; Admin; flute

Erin Keeton-Howard (she, her)

Erin Keeton-Howard is a Seattle-based educator, conductor, and composer. Community music, and the formation of community through making music, is at the heart of her research interests, educational philosophy, and personal passion. Erin is delighted to engage in this adventure through her work as a guest conductor/ composer/clinician and through her recently released book: “Women in Wind Band” (GIA Publications, 2023).

Serving as Director of Bands at The Northwest School and Director of bands at North Seattle College, Erin is currently in her 15th year of teaching. She is a multi-year nominee ​for Teacher of the Year and has been awarded the Sigma Alpha Iota Leadership Award. In 2020 her wind ensemble at Inglewood Middle School was selected to perform at the National Association for Music Education Northwest Region conference. While teaching, Erin maintains an active role in community music. She is a director and founder of Formation Wind Band, Seattle’s all-women wind ensemble. Previous community music involvement includes serving on the artistic staff of Rainbow City Performing Arts and founding the Give Back Brass Band.

Erin graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri (B.S. in music education) and the University of Washington (M.A. in music education, emphasis instrumental conducting). In addition to her musical pursuits, Erin is passionate about travel, cooking, the PNW coast, and sudoku. Erin resides in Mountlake Terrace, WA with her wife Felicia and two lovable pups, Tucker and Edna Boone.

Anne Kreider-Hughes (she, her)

Anne is a musician and educator based in Seattle, WA. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Anne received her Masters in Teaching from the University of Puget Sound, with an emphasis in secondary instrumental music.

For sixteen years, Anne has enjoyed teaching middle school band and orchestra and is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at Voyager Middle School in the Mukilteo School District. As the former Artistic Director and Music Director of Seattle's Rainbow City Band, Anne has a passion for working with and empowering adult musicians within her community. She balances her time between her love for music and spending time with her wife, daughter and fur babies in the Lake City Neighborhood.

“Formation Wind Band is THE best wind band I have had the pleasure to play with. The camaraderie and leadership is incomparable and I am so fortunate for the opportunity to make music with women in my community.”

- Elizabeth McDaniel; Music Teacher/Freelance Trombonist/ Managing Director/Mom; trombone

Special Thank You to:

North Seattle College

Zachariah MacIntyre