BYU Symphonic Band Sounds of Home
Dr. Nate Seamons, conductor
7:30 PM | APR. 8, 2026 | CONCERT HALL | MUSIC BUILDING
Liberty Fanfare JOHN WILLIAMS
b. 1932
arr. Jim Curnow
Irish Tune from County Derry ....................... PERCY GRAINGER 1882–1961
Bookmarks from Japan ................................... JULIE GIROUX b. 1961
II. Nihonbashi - Bridge Market
V. Evening Snow at Kambara - Light Is the Touch
I. Fuji-San - Mount Fuji
Shenandoah FRANK TICHELI
b. 1958
Four Scottish Dances ................................. MALCOLM ARNOLD 1921–2006
arr. John Paynter
II. Vivace
With Heart and Voice ................................ DAVID GILLINGHAM
b. 1947
Let Us All Press On EVAN STEPHENS 1854–1930
arr. Richard Elliott and Ryan Terry
Dr. Nate Seamons
Dr. Nate Seamons joined the faculty at Brigham Young University in 2021, where he serves as assistant professor of music education and associate director of bands. In this capacity, he is the conductor of the BYU Symphonic Band and the BYU University Band. He also teaches courses in music education. He previously served as the director of bands at Snow College and as band director for multiple public schools in Utah and Texas, including American Fork High School in Utah and the L. D. Bell High School cluster in Texas. He holds degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Nevada–Las Vegas, and the University of Utah.
Dr. Seamons has been an invited guest conductor for all-state bands, honor bands, and school programs both regionally and nationally. His research has been presented at the Midwest Clinic, the College Band Directors National Association National Conference, and the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conference in Gwangju-Gyeonggi, Korea. He currently serves as the Western Division chair for the National Band Association and has been involved in service with the Utah Bandmasters Association since its inception in 2012. Seamons is a Conn-Selmer educational clinician and an active designer and consultant for marching bands.
Outside of music, he has served in the United States Army Reserves for the past 25 years. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (four times), and the Combat Action Badge. He enjoys traveling, skiing, hiking, and boating with his family.
Program Notes
Liberty Fanfare
John Williams (arr. Jim Curnow)
Composed in 1986 for the rededication of the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Fanfare is one of John Williams’s most recognizable ceremonial works. Opening with brilliant brass fanfares and rhythmic vitality, the piece captures a sense of grandeur, optimism, and national pride.
In the context of tonight’s program, this work represents a point of arrival—standing at the Statue of Liberty, a historic symbol of welcome, hope, and new beginnings. For many of our ancestors, this landmark marked the first glimpse of a new home.
Irish Tune from County Derry
Percy Grainger
Percy Grainger’s setting of this beloved Irish folk melody is one of the most treasured works in the wind band repertoire. Often associated with the song “Danny Boy,” the tune carries a deep sense of longing and nostalgia.
Lyrics to “Danny Boy”
Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountainside, The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling, It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide. But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow, Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow, It’s I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow, Oh, Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying, If I am dead, as dead I well may be, Ye’ll come and find the place where I am lying, And kneel and say an Ave there for me; And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me, And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be, For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me! And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me! Come to me!
Grainger’s arrangement is notable for its sensitivity and warmth, allowing the melody to unfold naturally while surrounding it with rich, expressive harmonies. Here, “home” is not a place we see, but a place or someone we remember—something distant, cherished, and deeply personal. The music invites listeners to reflect on heritage, memory, and the emotional ties that connect us to where we come from and those we loved.
Bookmarks from Japan
Julie Giroux
Julie Giroux’s Bookmarks from Japan is a musical travelogue inspired by her experiences visiting Japan. Each movement captures a vivid impression of a specific place, blending traditional Japanese musical elements with the expressive palette of the modern wind ensemble.
Presented out of order (movements II, V, and I), these selections function like snapshots—moments of discovery that highlight the beauty, culture, and spirit of Japan. Through colorful orchestration and cinematic storytelling, Giroux reminds us that “home” can also be found in places we visit, even briefly—locations that leave a lasting imprint on our perspective and broaden our understanding of the world.
II. Nihonbashi - Bridge Market
“Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858) traveled the Tokaido from Edo to Kyoto in 1832. The official party he was traveling with were transporting horses which were gifts to be offered to the imperial court. The journey greatly inspired Hiroshige, for he sketched many of its scenes during his round-trip travels. In all, Hiroshige produced 55 prints for the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. Fifty three of the prints represent each of the 53 post stations along the way. The two additional prints are of the starting and ending points. The post stations offered
food, lodging and stables for travelers of the Tokaido Highway.
“The Nihonbashi bridge was the central point of development, which is now a business district of Chuo, Tokyo, Japan, aptly named the Nihonbashi District. For centuries it thrived as a mercantile district. The first department store ever developed in Japan was by the Mitsui family named Mitsukoshi. From its early days as a fish market to the current financial district of Tokyo (and Japan), this bridge spanning the Nihonbashi River is a true landmark in Tokyo. In fact, highway signs that state the distance to Tokyo actually state the distance to the Nihonbashi bridge. Up until shortly before 1964, you could see Mount Fuji from the bridge; however, the 1964 Summer Olympics put in a raised expressway over the Nihonbashi bridge, obscuring its view entirely. Petitions to relocate the expressway underground in order to regain view of Mount Fuji are continuous but so far have been futile due to the costs for such a project.
“This movement is a melody of my own crafting. It is folk sounding in nature as I was trying to capture the spirit of the bridge going all the way back to 1603 when the first wooden bridge was built over Nihonbashi River. It started out as a fish market but quickly became a place for other merchants to gather. In this piece, the melody gets tossed from instrument to instrument representing the continuous street hoking and haggling that was. . .”
—Note by composer
V. Evening Snow at Kambara - Light Is the Touch
“Based on the bookmark ‘Evening Snow at Kambara’ by Hiroshige Ando which is from the series The 53 Stations of the Tokaido Highway.
“The subtitle Light is the Touch refers to snow softly falling on the skin. In this piece, the falling snow symbolizes spiritual healing. The piece starts with solo piano, harp and alto flute. The melody is simple yet haunting and grows with the slow addition of players. The piece ends with the same three soloists it began with. It is a song in structure, a song representing the soft touch of healing.” —Note by composer
I. Fuji-San - Mount Fuji
“The sketch Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Gaifu kaisei), also known as South Wind, Clear Sky or Red Fuji, by Hokusai Katsushika is the inspiration for this work which is subtitled Fuji-san. In early autumn when, as the original sketch title specifies, the wind is southerly and the sky is clear, the rising sun can turn Mount Fuji red. Fuji-san has many different looks depending on the viewer's vantage point, time of year, weather and even time of day. Big, bold and easily recognized yet shrouded in mystery and lore, Mount Fuji offers a multitude of inspirational facets.
“This piece is based on one view of Mt. Fuji covered in mist and low clouds which slowly burn off as the day progresses. Orchestration and composition techniques follow this scenario, starting off with mysterious, unfocused scoring. As the piece progresses, the scoring gets more focused and bold with the final statement representing Fuji-san in a totally clear view.”
—Note by composer
Shenandoah
Frank Ticheli
Frank Ticheli’s setting of Shenandoah transforms the traditional American folk song into a deeply moving and expansive musical experience. The melody, long associated with river life and westward exploration, speaks to themes of longing, distance, and connection.
Ticheli’s arrangement unfolds gradually, with lush harmonies and a sense of spaciousness that evokes the vast American landscape. In this piece, home is both a destination and a memory—something yearned for across great distances. The music captures the quiet, enduring pull of belonging and the emotional journey of those seeking it.
Four Scottish Dances: II. Vivace
Malcolm Arnold
“Four Scottish Dances was composed early in 1957 and is dedicated to the BBC Light Music Festival. The second movement is a lively reel, beginning in the key of E-flat and rising a semitone each time it is played until the bassoon plays it, at a greatly reduced speed, in the key of G. The final statement of the dance is at the original speed in the home key of E-flat.” —Note by composer
Arnold’s music blends folk influences with his own compositional voice, creating a work that feels both authentic and personal. Here, home is experienced through culture and tradition—through the rhythms, dances, and communal expressions that define a people. The piece offers a glimpse into the everyday life and spirit of Scotland.
With Heart and Voice
David Gillingham
David Gillingham’s With Heart and Voice is a vibrant and uplifting work rooted in the spirit of communal music-making. Drawing inspiration from hymnody and the power of collective expression, the piece is both energetic and deeply grounded.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this musical material from this hymn is sung as “Come, Ye Children of the Lord.” The original music is a Spanish melody, sometimes called “Madrid.” Using this melody as thematic material, Gillingham weaves a tapestry of winds and percussion that takes us through grief, despair, and ultimate triumph.
Gillingham’s writing emphasizes unity—voices coming together with shared purpose and conviction. In this context, home is not just a place, but a community built through connection, collaboration, and shared discipleship. The music celebrates the strength that comes from joining together “with heart and voice” as “children of the Lord.”
