ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

MARCHFEST HIGH SCHOOL HONOR BAND

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

Dr. Catharine Bushman, Director of Bands & Honor Band Coordinator Alfred Watkins, Lassiter High School (GA, retired)

Andrew Nelson, Milaca High School (MN) WELCOME We are busily planning for your participation in the 2018 Marchfest High School Honor Band. Congratulations on being selected for this Honor Band Festival. Two bands of select high school performers have been assembled as the clinic performance ensembles. Alfred Watkins (Lassiter High School, Georgia, retired) and Andrew Nelson (Milaca High School) will be your clinicians. Below are the music selections for the two bands. Also in this packet are the clinician’s biographies.

WATKINS BAND Program to be selected from:

Fanfare and Flourishes – James Curnow To Realms of Endless Day – Johnnie Vinson

Joy – Frank Ticheli An Irish Rhapsody – Claire Grundman

Uptown Funk- Mark Ronson, arr. Jay Bocook

NELSON BAND Program to be selected from:

Valdres – Johannes Hannsen, arr. James Curnow Malaguena – Ernesto Lecouna/Marian Banks, arr. Michael Sweeney

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – Randall Standridge Lightspeed – Robert Buckley

Highlights from the Music Man - Meredith Willson, arr. Alfred Reed The participation fee for all accepted students is $30 per student and is due at registration on March 20. This fee includes lunch and dinner as well as a Marchfest t-shirt. This year we will wear Marchfest shirts and jeans for the concert! Please bring everything you need for your instrument, print your music in advance and bring a folding music stand (if you have one – we will also provide stands). FOR STUDENTS A full day of activities will take place for participating students, including full ensemble rehearsals, sectionals with St. Cloud State University faculty, performances by SCSU ensembles, mini-lessons for juniors & seniors interested in majoring in music in college, and performances by the clinic ensembles. NOTE: Students should apply only if they can fulfill the responsibilities of the entire Marchfest Honor Band, including rehearsals and concerts. Students will not be excused for activities outside of the Honor Band. **New this year! Percussionists will also have an opportunity to rehearse and perform percussion ensembles with SCSU Faculty Dr. Terry Vermillion. FOR DIRECTORS Directors will not want to miss the opportunity to attend clinics given by Alfred Watkins and SCSU Music Faculty. In addition, you will want to attend the open rehearsals of the Honor Bands and the concert given by the St. Cloud State University Wind Ensemble at 3 p.m. at the Finale Concert at 5:30 p.m. FOR EVERYONE The culminating activity for students, directors, and the public will be a concert on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. in Ritsche Auditorium on the St. Cloud State University campus. Tickets will be on sale at the door for $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors.

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

MARCHFEST HIGH SCHOOL HONOR BAND http://www.stcloudstate.edu/music/community/festivals.aspx

Dates/Times: Tuesday, March 20, 2018, 7:30 am – 6:30 pm Where: Ritsche Auditorium, Stewart Hall Performing Arts Center St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN Link to maps & directions: https://www5.stcloudstate.edu/campusmap/ Fee: A participation fee of $30 will be collected for each participating

student. Students will receive lunch at Garvey Commons at SCSU and a Marchfest t-shirt.

Mini-lessons with High School juniors & seniors intending to major in music may Faculty : request a mini-lesson with SCSU Music Faculty during the Honor Band. Students should prepare one or two excerpts showing a variety

of musical abilities and expression. Lessons will be scheduled based on faculty member’s availability.

Percussionists: Will have a special Concert Percussion Ensemble experience with

SCSU Faculty Dr. Terry Vermillion SCSU Wind Ensemble Will perform a special concert for all festival particpants at 3 pm in

Ritsche Auditorium Concert The culminating activity for students, directors, and the public will be

a concert on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. in Ritsche Auditorium. Tickets will be $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

Concert dress: **Marchfest t-shirt and jeans. We hope you and your fine students will participate in the clinic. Should you have any questions prior to your arrival, please contact me by e-mail or telephone. We’re looking forward to seeing you on March 20 at 8:00 am. Sincerely,

Catharine Bushman Wind Ensemble & Music Education csbushman@stcloudstate.edu (320) 308-2082

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Bruce & Dee Pearson Fund

ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

MARCHFEST HIGH SCHOOL HONOR BAND TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

7:30 a. m. Registration – PAC Center Stage Lobby

8:00 a.m. Welcome – Center Stage Arena

8:30 a. m. Rehearsal – PAC Center Stage and PAC 113

10:45 a. m. Watkins Band – Sectionals

Nelson Band – Rehearsals

Director’s Session 1 – Mr. Watkins

11:30 a. m. Lunch – Garvey Commons (included in registration)

12:30 p. m. Rehearsal

Nelson Band – Sectionals (12:30-1:15)

1:30 p. m. Directors Session 2 – Panel discussion on Brass Techniques

3:00 p. m. SCSU Wind Ensemble Concert (Ritsche Auditorium)

3:30 – 4:15 p. m. Sound check – Nelson Band

Visit Music Vendors – Watkins Band

4:15 – 5:00 p. m. Sound check – Watkins Band

Visit Music Vendors – Nelson Band

5:30 p. m. Finale Concert –Marchfest Festival Bands

GUEST CONDUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES

Alfred L. Watkins was Director of Bands at Lassiter High School for 31 years. For six years prior to joining Lassiter, Watkins served as Director of Bands at Murphy High School in the Atlanta Public Schools. Bands under Watkins’ direction have performed four times at the Midwest Band Clinic, six performances at the Bands Of America National Concert Band Festival and four performances at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. The symphonic band has performed on the college campuses of the University of Georgia (4), Florida State University, University of South Carolina, University of Southern Mississippi and Troy State University. The Lassiter Flute Choir, Clarinet Choir, Trumpet Ensemble, Trombone Choir, and Percussion Ensemble have all performed on the national stage. The Lassiter Percussion Ensemble

has performed twice at the Midwest Clinic, PASIC, three times at the National Percussion Festival and four times at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. The Lassiter Marching Band was the 1998 and 2002 Bands of America Grand National Champion and the band also won nine BOA Regional Championships. Under Watkins’ leadership, the band also participated

in four Tournament of Roses Parades, three times in the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, twice in the Orange Bowl Parade and once in the Florida Citrus Bowl Parade. During Mr. Watkins’ Lassiter tenure, all four (or five) Lassiter concert bands received consecutive Superior Ratings from 1993 until his retirement in 2013, with the top two bands performing in Grade VI since 1989. The band program is one of only fourteen high bands in America to have received both the Sudler Flag of Honor for concert and the Sudler Shield for marching. The Lassiter Winter Color Guard was named 1996 and 1997 Winter Guard International World Champions. In 2014, Watkins’ former students and friends commissioned composers Mark Camphouse and James Curnow to write works honoring Mr. Watkins and his career: “Second Essay for Symphonic Band” and “Lexus for Solo Trumpet, Winds and Percussion.” In 2014, Watkins received the Edwin Franko Goldman Award from the American School Band Directors Association for outstanding contribution to the advancement of school bands. The $1.5 million Alfred L. Watkins Band Building at Lassiter High School bears his name. He and is wife of 32 years, Rita, live in Marietta. They have two sons: Christopher, as trumpet player/bugler in the United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D. C. and Jonathan, a graduate of Auburn University (Finance).

Andrew Eric Nelson is a 1988 graduate of Litchfield High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and the 1987 MMEA All-State Band. He was a high school recipient of the John Philip Sousa Award, as well as the National School Choral Award and the United States Marines Semper Fidelis Bandman award. Mr. Nelson received his Bachelor of Science Degree Summa Cum Laude from St. Cloud State University in 1993, and His Masters Degree in Education from St. Mary’s University in 2004. Active in the Music-Education field, he is a member of the Minnesota Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, and past president of the Central Minnesota Band Directors Association. In 2007 Mr. Nelson was awarded Milaca “Community Member of the Year”, and in 2014 he was a Semi-Finalist for the Education Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Mr. Nelson has twice conducted bands at the MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic and in 1998 his Marching Band at Blaine High School performed a halftime show for the Minnesota Vikings. In

addition to his instructional duties as director of bands at Milaca High School, Mr. Nelson serves as an active adjudicator with the Minnesota State High School League and the Tri-State Band Judging Association. Mr. Nelson lives in Foreston with his wife Christine and daughters Natalie and Nicole.