Raritan Valley Symphonic Band Winter Concert
“Holiday Season in Somerset”
Sunday December 14 @ 3 pm – Franklin High School – Free Admission
The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band presents its annual Winter concert, “Holiday Season in Somerset” on Sunday December 14 at 3 PM. Under the direction of Music Director William Berz, the concert will be held at Franklin High School, 500 Elizabeth Avenue, Somerset, NJ. Admission is free!
This year’s concert features a variety of classic and festive wind ensemble pieces followed by several traditional holiday favorites.
The performance starts with British composer Kenneth Alford’s march “On the Quarter Deck” written in 1917 for the World War I British naval officers. American composer William Latham’s “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light” is a beautiful Baroque Christmas tune used by many composers.
Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Folk Song Suite” is a cornerstone work in wind ensemble literature. The three-movement work contains eight different folk songs from the Norfolk and Somerset regions of England.
“The Hesitating Blues” is a traditional song from the early 1900s that has been adapted over the years in many styles. This adaption by the famous W.C. Handy was arranged by William Grant Still in 1916 for military band.
The first half concludes with “Music from Wicked”, the Broadway musical and film composed by Stephen Schwartz. This arrangement by Michael Sweeney includes the songs “No One Mourns the Wicked,” “Dancing Through Life,” “Defying Gravity,” and “For Good.”
The second half of holiday favorites starts with “Jingle Bells Forever”, a clever setting by Robert W. Smith in a march style with allusions to J.P. Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever”. Jerry Brubaker’s “Snow!” includes “Frosty the Snowman”, “Let it Snow”. and Winter Wonderland”.
“A Celebration of Hanukkah” is Howard Rowe’s arrangement of “Who Can Retell,” “Rock of Ages,” “The Dreidel Song,” “Chanukah Chag Yafe Kol Kach-Chanuka,” and “Hanerot Halalu-These Lights That We Kindle.”
The last two pieces on the concert are two holiday favorites by legendary composer and arranger Leroy Anderson: “Sleigh Ride” and “A Christmas Festival”.
RVSB comprises about 70 musicians from the northern and central New Jersey area. Band membership includes professional musicians and music educators, as well as amateur musicians ranging in age from high school through retirees.
Music Director William Berz is Professor Emeritus at Rutgers University where he served on the faculty for 42 years and was Director of the Music department for 11 years.
This concert is funded, in part, by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission. For more information about the band please visit www.rvsb.org.
Also check out other Music events in Somerset, Entertainment events in Somerset, Concerts in Somerset.
