Cleveland Rocks! 10th Annual Northeast Ohio Band Invitational

Dr. Gary Ciepluch
The Hudson High School Combined Concert Band
(c) Luann Burnham

Yesterday afternoon, Severance Hall in Cleveland was filled with the sounds of hundreds of young musicians offering their talents in the 10th Annual Northeast Ohio Band Invitational. This annual musical event is the visionary inspiration of Dr. Gary Ciepluch, Director of Bands and Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University, conductor for the University Circle Wind Ensemble, and the founder/director of the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphonies Dr. Ciepluch's desire and passion has been to see that young musicians have an opportunity to perform in a world class concert hall; to experience and learn from other great amateur musicians in our area; and encourage students to lead lives enriched by music. If the response of those in attendance on Sunday afternoon was any indication of the success of that vision, this series of concerts should have a long and prosperous run bearing much fruit.

The Hudson High School Concert Bands were invited to attend this year's Invitational. It should be noted that invitations to this prestigious event are extended to preforming groups only every six or seven years. So, this is not an annual event for any school's ensemble but a highly regarded and esteemed invitation that brings recognition to a local school's musical accomplishments. Hudson's program began with the Combined Concert Band performing William Latham's Brighton Beach Concert March. John Burrington was the conductor. Written in 1954, this composition was written in the style of a British march, in the tradition of Elgar, Holst, Walton and Vaughan Williams.

Conductor John Burrington leading the Hudson High School
Combined Concert Bands at Severance Hall
(c) Luann Burnham

Following the Latham march, the Combined Concert Band offered Robert Smith's stirring rendition of Greensleeves: A Fantasia for Band. Here, the ensemble showed off its many and various timbrel colors and the results were most excellent. Special recognition should be made of Eun Cho's splendid flute solo which opened and closed the work.

Bev O'Connor, Director of Bands in the Hudson City Schools, then came to the stage to conduct the Wind Symphony in four unique and diverse pieces. Our Yesterdays Lengthen Like Shadows was written by Samuel Hazo in 2008 for the South Carolina High School All State Band. Although this composition appears simple at first sight, it is a very complex series of textured melodies that surround one ever-present note. This one note (E-flat) is sustained through the entire piece without any break and is undetectable until the end when the ensemble sings the note in unison. The melodies and harmonies that occur around this one note symbolize the events and experiences in our lives. As the program note stated: “The one ever-present note symbolizes you, just one part in a complex movement of auditory shapes.”  

The final movement, Hobbits, of Johan de Meij's First Symphony The Lord of the Rings followed which depicted the characters Frodo and Gandalf sailing away in a white ship disappearing slowly beyond the horizon. Next, O'Connor led her musicians in a thrilling performance of Michael Sweeney's Passages, a composition intended as a celebration of life. O'Connor was aided by a beautiful and lyrical solo played by Will Ennis on alto saxophone; surely one of the most memorable moments of the entire afternoon.

Bev O'Connor receiving the audience applause
at Severance Hall
(c) Luann Burnham

The Wind Symphony concluded their hour of music making with a lively rendition of Percy Grainger's Molly on the Shore which contrasted two Irish reels offering each section of the band long stretches of thematic and counter melodic material. Again, mention should be made of the fine soloists in this ensemble, especially Christopher Johnstone on clarinet.

Other groups performing at the Invitational included the Chardon High School Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Bands, the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony and Symphonic Winds, the Case Western University Symphonic Winds, the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Wind Ensemble, and the Shaker Heights High School Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.

While most of the music was memorable and energizing, the true "Kodak" moment came early in the afternoon high above the stage at Severance Hall. A young family with grandparents in tow had come to hear one of their children perform with the Chardon High School Band. A young sibling was also present and clearly this could have been a first time ever in a concert hall for the little boy. When the music began this child was completely enthralled and at times waving his hands enthusiastically mimicking the conductor on stage. That moment reminded me once again of the power of music and the important lesson of offering to our children the beauty and experience of live music making. Who knows what that encounter might have had on that child. Hopefully, in a number of years, he too will follow in his sibling's footsteps and have the opportunity to perform at legendary Severance Hall and experience the joy of making great music.

Love One Another - Brian