- Please stand as you are able and join in our national anthem,
conducted by the band coordinator, Joe Mesner.
["The Star-Spangled Banner"]
["The Star-Spangled Banner" continues]
[audience claps]
- And now, it is my distinct privilege
to introduce the 2022 WSMA High School State Honors Band
and their distinguished conductor, Scott Teeple.
[audience clapping and cheering]
[audience member coughs]
[dramatic music]
[majestic music]
[cheerful music]
[majestic music]
[joyous music]
[joyous music swells]
[dramatic music]
[majestic music]
[majestic music swells]
[joyous music]
[joyous music swells]
[cheerful music]
[cheerful music swells]
[cheerful majestic music]
[majestic music]
[majestic music swells]
[audience clapping and cheering]
[feet stomping] [audience cheering]
[audience clapping]
[audience member coughs]
[audience member coughing]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music swells]
[dramatic music reverberating]
[audience member coughs]
[elegant somber music]
[elegant somber music continues]
[frenetic elegant music]
[dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music]
[frenetic dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music]
[frenetic dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music]
[frenetic dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music]
[dramatic music]
[somber music]
[somber music continues]
[dramatic music]
[tense frenetic music]
[dramatic music]
[tense frenetic music]
[dramatic music]
[tense frenetic music]
[dramatic music]
[tense frenetic music]
[dramatic music]
[tense frenetic music]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music swells]
[tense music]
[dramatic music]
[tense music]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music swells]
[tense dramatic music]
[tense music]
[mysterious music]
[gentle bright music]
[cheerful music]
[gentle bright music]
[cheerful music]
[cheerful music continues]
[tense bright music]
[cheerful music]
[mysterious cheerful music]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music swells]
[somber music]
[bright music]
[mysterious bright music]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
[tense dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music swells]
[dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music]
[tense dramatic music swells]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music swells]
[tense dramatic music]
[tense mysterious music]
[somber music]
[somber music continues]
[mysterious bright music]
[mysterious bright music continues]
[dramatic music]
[mysterious bright music]
[tense music]
[dramatic music]
[tense music]
[dramatic music]
[majestic music]
[majestic music continues]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music swells]
[tense music]
[dramatic music]
[tense music]
[somber music]
[dramatic somber music]
[dramatic music swells]
[dramatic music reverberates]
[audience clapping and cheering]
[feet pounding] [audience clapping]
[audience clapping and cheering]
[audience continues clapping and cheering]
- This is a ridiculous embarrassment of riches for me.
My heart has been filled since the invitation from WSMA came
while we were all sitting at home,
looking at screens in 2020.
And then again in June, I got to meet the wonderful people
who are on stage right now.
I would just underscore all of the thank yous
that have been expressed.
This doesn't happen because of me.
It happens because of their hard work
and the community that is there to support them
in all of this.
So, I selfishly, and very humbly and kindly, thank you
for all of that support and gratitude.
I wanted to celebrate a bit of Wisconsin,
and I also wanted to celebrate a bit of the benevolence
that comes with the gift of the Overture Center
to the city, the community, and the state.
So, I think, more exciting than sitting and looking
at this beautiful stage and hearing these musicians,
is hearing that organ also be a part of it.
So, I am very grateful to all of our colleagues
who made that piece happen.
And the first piece by my friend Stacey Berk,
who teaches at Stevens Point, was just a real joy.
And she came and met with the students in June.
So, for us to work with a composer
was a first experience for many of us.
So, to work with the person who conceived the piece
and then collaborate with the people who bring it to life
was incredibly special.
And we got to do that again with Omar's piece,
which you'll hear in just a minute.
But the next piece I had asked Dan Mitchell,
who is a Wisconsin native now working in Nashville,
to write a piece that reflected what we as a race
might have experienced during the pandemic.
And he gave us "From the Depths We Rise,"
which not only recognizes the dark side of that,
but then, as you see in the program note,
he starts to think of all of the people who stepped forward,
the first responders,
the people who struggled to make progress on our behalf.
So this has been a really important piece to us,
and perhaps it will provide you
with some kind of meaningful experience as well.
[audience member coughs]
[pensive music]
[pensive music continues]
[somber pensive music]
[wistful music]
[wistful music continues]
[majestic music]
[wistful music]
[somber wistful music]
[wistful music]
[majestic music]
[wistful majestic music]
[somber wistful music]
[wistful majestic music]
[wistful music]
[somber wistful music]
[somber wistful music continues]
[somber music]
[somber wistful music]
[somber wistful music continues]
[audience clapping]
[feet pounding] [audience continues clapping]
We asked Dan to write a piece that would be accessible
to a variety of ability levels,
and we really wanted a piece
that would not only be accessible to university groups,
but to high school bands in particular, and community bands.
And there is a consortium of UW System schools
who pooled their funding together to create that piece.
So it has a very special home here in Wisconsin.
I know it's going to travel around the globe,
but we're very proud that the UW System schools created that
and hopefully add that piece to our repertoire.
The next piece I wanna share,
the final note here is "Of Our New Day Begun."
And as we had FaceTimed with Dan Mitchell,
and Stacey Berk came and joined us in January,
I also wanted to see if we could get Omar Thomas
up from UT Austin.
So, with the blessing of WSMA,
and the kindness of the donors, the independent donors
and the corporate donors
that you see listed in your program,
we were able to garner the funding to bring Omar
to work with the students yesterday and today.
I'm not going to describe
what that experience was like for them,
but I have a feeling you're going to hear about it.
I asked Omar if he would just come to the stage
and say a few words about this piece,
"Of Our New Day Begun," which will close our program.
Would you please welcome Omar Thomas?
[audience clapping and cheering]
[audience continues clapping] [Omar faintly speaking]
- Good afternoon, everyone.
First of all, this is my first time
to the state of Wisconsin,
and I have been spoiled and ruined,
because, you know, it will get no better
than this experience that I've had spending time
with Scott and these amazing, amazing musicians
that you see behind me.
So, thank you all for all that you've done
to prepare these wonderful young people
for this moment and for the moments beyond.
So, that means the world to me. Thank you so much.
Clementa C. Pinckney, age 41,
the church's pastor and a South Carolina state senator.
Cynthia Graham Hurd, age 54,
a Bible study member and a branch manager
for the Charleston County Public Library System,
sister of former State Senator Malcolm Graham.
Susie Jackson, 87, the oldest victim,
who was a Bible study and church choir member.
Ethel Lee Lance, age 70, the church's sexton.
DePayne Middleton-Doctor, age 49,
a pastor who was also employed as a school administrator
and admissions coordinator at Southern Wesleyan University.
Tywanza Sanders, age 26, the youngest victim,
who was a graduate of Allen University,
grandnephew of victim Susie Jackson.
Daniel L. Simmons, age 74,
a pastor who also served
at Greater Zion AME Church in Awendaw.
Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, age 45,
a pastor, also a speech therapist and track coach
at Goose Creek High School.
Myra Thompson, age 59, a Bible study teacher.
This piece is in memorance of the Charleston Nine,
of Charleston AME, South Carolina.
And I ask that as we take in this movement, this music,
that we keep them at the focus of our collective energy.
Thank you, and let us march on till victory is won.
Thank you.
[audience clapping]
[dramatic music]
[tense music]
[somber music]
[somber music continues]
[dramatic music]
[somber plodding music]
[somber wistful music]
[somber wistful music continues]
[somber music swells]
[somber wistful music]
[somber music swells]
[somber wistful music]
[somber music swells]
[somber wistful music]
[anguished music]
[anguished music swells]
[dramatic anguished music]
[dramatic anguished music swells]
[somber anguished music]
[frenetic anguished music]
[frenetic anguished music continues]
[anguished music]
[dramatic anguished music]
[dramatic anguished music swells]
[feet thumping and hands slapping]
* Lift every voice and sing
* Till Earth and Heaven ring
* Ring with the harmonies
* Of Liberty
* Let our rejoicing rise
* High as the list'ning skies
* Let it resound loud as the rolling sea *
[dramatic anguished music]
[majestic music]
[majestic music swells]
[drums pounding]
[majestic music]
[majestic music swells]
[somber music]
[somber wistful music]
[somber wistful music continues]
[somber wistful music]
[feet pounding and hands slapping]
[dramatic somber music]
[dramatic somber music swells]
[dramatic music reverberates]
[audience clapping and cheering]
[audience continues clapping and cheering]