Concert Band Confluence:
BYU Symphonic Band and BYU University Band Nate Seamons, conductor
7:30 PM | NOV. 18, 2025 | CONCERT HALL | MUSIC BUILDING
BYU UNIVERSITY BAND
Toccata for Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FRANK ERICKSON Xinbo Li, guest conductor
A Mere Moment; Bolero in Remembrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICHELE FERNÁNDEZ American Riversongs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PIERRE LAPLANTE Mickayla Hunter, guest conductor
Summer Dances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BRIAN BALMAGES – INTERMISSION –
BYU SYMPHONIC BAND
Prelude to Something Big . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANTHONY O’TOOLE Third Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ROBERT JAGER Mickayla Hunter, guest conductor
Shadow Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JULIE GIROUX Full Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RYAN GEORGE Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral Combined with SB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICHARD WAGNER Benjamin Tischner, organ
Edited by John Bourgeois
SYMPHONIC BAND PERSONNEL
Piccolo
E-flat Clarinet
Flute
Bass Clarinet
Indi Lee
*Ruby Knudson Emily Sherrill Emma Allgaier Jill Ferderber Mary Hammond Linnea Creer Josie Mumford
Oboe
*Paris Tracy Monica Arias
English Horn
Agnes Fillmore
Bassoon
*Zachary VanSweringen Brooke Wilson Carmen Maruri
Contra Bassoon Carmen Maruri
Clarinet
*Hyrum Buck Jessica Callaghan Joseph Aguirre Caleb Short Ali Creason Becky Schank Coral Schlag Claire Norton Sadie Caldwell
Katherine McKinney Liah Meredith
Alto Saxophone *Elijah Bills Logan Beck Marissa Mallory
^Pete Alger David Hayes Enoch Timmons Elijah Smith
Bass Trombone Bowen Boyack
Euphonium
Will Keohane
*Luke Liechty Joseph Miller Ethan Bultez Nathan Bird
Bari Saxophone
Tuba
Tenor Saxophone
Henry Wallin
Trumpet
*Miles Olson Clara George Andrew Ziemer David Martinez Jr. Audra Marriott Brayden Crossley Spencer Felt Tyler Newman
Horn
*Ksusha Billings Allyse Miller Ann Greenwood Hannah Ebbert Cannon Sechrist Erica Lingwall Cambree Edwards
Trombone
*Jeron Charlton David Clayton Paxton Wilson
*Nathan Stone Aaron Cajilema Richard Ruch
Piano
Sadie Reeves Erickson
Organ
Benjamin Tischner
Harp
Jessica Peterson
Percussion
*Dallin Jepsen Garrett Robison Louisa Anderson Drew Haws Lawson Oblad Sam Shipley *Principal ^Teaching Assistant
UNIVERSITY BAND PERSONNEL
Piccolo
Alanna Farnsworth
Flute
Tenor Sax
Mary Yeates Sabrina Winters
Lennox Liljenquist Aaliyah Jones Cora Bogardus Melanie Chamberlain Beibei Cheng Stephanie Clark Kyleigh McMullen Summer McComas Mia Davis
Bari Sax
Oboe
Horn
Tessa Harrison Lanae Madsen Lydia Wise June Gordon
Clarinet
Zadia Hughes Reed Laker Emily Netzley Emma Blunck Sophie NewMyer Rebekah Partington Sean Perry Manami Lehman
Bassoon
Aidan Brookhart
Alto Sax
Sienna Carlsen Rebeca Cardenas Ammon Florian Hannah Spencer
Hyrum Blauer
Trumpet
Ricky Kelsey Alex Guglielmo Darren Randall James Bowen Maxwell LeFevre Kai Jones Tereesah Curtis Evan Donald Melissa McConkie Andrew McConkie Lydia Nebeker Alec Harlow
Trombone
Spencer Kirby Matthew Herron Kelsi Swenson Simon Van Tassell Taylor Imbler Maxwell Bowen Dallin Jorgensen Eliza Gunn
Euphonium
Aaron Abele Anna Jones Caleb Sandorf Isaac Pedersen
Tuba
Carter Borget
Bass
Lincoln Perkins
Percussion
Ruth Peterson Evan Allgaier Judy Hinton Olivia Aydelotte *Principal ^Teaching Assistant
University Band Program Notes American Riversongs is a moving tribute to an earlier time, when our rivers and other waterways were the lifelines of our growing nation. Featuring “Down The River,” “Shenandoah (Across The Wide Missouri),” “The Glendy Burk,” and a delightful Creole bamboula tune. Commissioned and dedicated to the 1988–89 Oberlin High School Band, Stephen Johnson III, director, Oberlin, Ohio. - Program notes from publisher
Summer Dances was written for the Columbia Concert Band. Whether it is actually summer or winter, Balmages’s Summer Dances strives to emulate the many summer music festivals and civic celebrations around Columbia, Maryland. Exciting woodwind flourishes set the stage for the heroic main motive of the piece, stated by the brass. This theme is woven throughout the piece in contrasting settings, styles, and colors. A beautiful, lyric chamber section gives way to a stately dance presented by the full ensemble. A powerful ending caps this dynamic piece. - Program notes compiled from Myron Peterson and publisher
A Mere Moment (Bolero in Remembrance) is a memorial commissioned by Iowa Directors: a poignant but stirring and inspiring lyrical work set in bolero style with multicultural elements. Haunting melody, sweeping countermelodies, and a gentle, warmly swaying rhythmic tapestry. - Program notes from composer
Toccata for Band has long enjoyed a place in the musical heritage of the American concert band. This stately work is built around two main themes. The first, which is introduced in the brass and high woodwinds, is staccato, bouncy, and energetic, while the second theme is much calmer—legato and flowing. Each theme is woven into the music and creates a feeling of familiarity throughout, despite the contrast between the fast and slow sections of the work. - Program notes by Dallin Jorgensen
BYU Symphonic Band Program Notes Prelude to Something Good by Anthony O’Toole This vibrant and energetic concert opener was written for Dr. Jack Stamp and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Wind Ensemble, in commemoration of Dr. Stamp’s retirement after 25 years of service to IUP. It has all of the incessant energy and rhythmic intrigue that have become hallmarks of O’Toole’s writing. There are several "Stamp-isms" woven into the music. By that I mean musical idiosyncrasies unique to [Stamp's] compositional style. These include, but are not limited to, commonly used intervals, rhythms, formal structures, and orchestration style. Third Suite by Robert Jager The Third Suite was written for Mr. Leo Imperial, director of the Granby High School Band of Norfolk, Virginia, and dedicated to him and his very fine organization. The suite received its first performance by them in December 1965 from a manuscript. The first movement is a march whose rhythm is altered by alternating meter signatures. The second movement is a waltz, which continues the meter alteration idea and features oboe, flute, bassoon, and brass sections. The Rondo is full of fun and bright tunes, which are developed near the end, followed by a quick coda stating the main theme once again. Each movement depicts a quirky, slightly distorted, and cheerful melody that is developed throughout the movement. The first movement, March, makes use of the different colors within the band, while distorting the steady sense of time normally associated with a march. The second movement, Waltz, again distorts the sense of time within the dance, interspersing light and bright colors within the band's boisterous interjections. The final movement, Rondo, develops
the entire movement on the first five chords of the introduction. The Rondo is upbeat, playful, and energetic. Shadow Falls by Julie Giroux “When the shadow falls across the doorway, it is time for me to go home." My grandmother used to say that all the time. She hated to be out after dark. I think of that term often, and in the summer of 2013, I had the distinct honor of spending 10 days on tour with a wonderful group of musicians in Japan. On the last day of the tour, the shadows fell across the doorway and left me with a heavy heart. As an American, we are fond of saying things like “see you later” as a goodbye. For the most part, I knew parting from my new friends was more of a “see you never again” type of fare-thee-well. Composing Shadow Falls was like therapy. It was a good way to express my feelings of joy and sadness. That summer, music brought us all together, and now, Shadow Falls serves as a forever farewell. Full Circle by Ryan George In 1997 I found myself in Indianapolis, sitting in rehearsals with the Bands of America (Music for All) National Honor Band. Ray Cramer was the conductor. I was an 18-year-old senior horn player on the tail end of a high school career that was loaded with B.O.A. experiences: marching band championships, concert band festivals, three years at the summer symposium, and now I was closing out that chapter with the National Honor Band. Those four years and the experiences that I had at those B.O.A. events were profound and were major motivators in my decision to pursue music as a profession. When Ray contacted me about writing this piece, I was struck immediately with the realization that my life had come full circle. I was now doing what I had set out to do 22 years ago and would be returning as a composer to the same honor band, with the same conductor, and the place that had been the catalyst for so much. Full Circle is intended to be a musical homecoming: something
that exudes joy, excitement, and optimism. This piece is not so much about compositional cleverness (a thematic idea that bookends the work is the only real reference to circularity in the piece), but a reflection of the past and its influence on the present and the future. It is an embrace of those moments and experiences that positively change our lives. Full Circle was written in honor of Ray Cramer and the 2019 Music For All National High School Honor Band, and was made possible through Music for All and the Friends of Ray Cramer Consortium. Elsa’s Procession by Richard Wagner, ed. John Bourgeois Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral (1850) is taken from Wagner's opera Lohengrin. The story takes place in the court of King Henry I, where Elsa is accused of having murdered her brother, Gottfried. The knight Lohengrin arrives on a boat drawn by a swan and offers to defend and marry Elsa on the condition that she never asks his name. The music in this selection, from the beginning of the fourth scene from act II, is the beautiful, dramatic bridal procession followed by a chorus. A long train of ladies, magnificently attired, proceeds slowly, finally ascending the steps of the church. After the second theme is presented, Elsa appears amid the processional train, and the noblemen respectfully bare their heads as Elsa begins her magnificent journey to the cathedral for her wedding to Lohengrin. This opera marked the transition from Wagner’s early operas (Rienzi, The Flying Dutchman, and Tannhäuser) to his later masterworks (The Ring, Tristan und Isolde, Die Meistersinger, and Parsifal).
Biographies Dr. Nate Seamons, conductor Dr. Nate Seamons joined the faculty at Brigham Young University in 2021, where he serves as the 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. He has served as the 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, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the University of Utah. Dr. Seamons has served as associate conductor for the Wasatch Winds and the Irving Symphonic Band in Irving, Texas. He has also guest-conducted the Utah Premiere Brass and the Utah Wind Symphony. 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 International Clinic, the College Band Director Association National Conference, and the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conference in Gwangju-Gyeonggi, Korea. Dr. Seamons has been blessed to perform in Korea, Hong Kong, Slovakia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, England, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Canada. He is a former trombonist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra at Temple Square. Dr. Seamons is a Conn-Selmer educational clinician and an active designer and consultant for marching bands. When not involved with music, he is also a 25-year member of the United States Army Reserve, where he currently serves as a battalion commander. He lives in Utah County with his wonderful family. He enjoys traveling, skiing, hiking, and boating with his family.
Mickayla Hunter, Master’s Candidate and Guest Conductor From the age of eight years old onward, Mickayla has enjoyed the versatility of the flute that enables her to play in both string symphonies and band/wind symphonies, be a flute soloist with choirs, and play duets and trios with her harpist and cellist sisters. Mickayla will be receiving a master’s degree in instrumental conducting this spring. She received dual baccalaureate degrees from UVU in both flute performance and music education in May 2024. She received her associate’s degree in music—flute performance from BYU– Idaho in April 2021. Mickayla was a member of the Nauvoo Brass Band as a performing missionary flutist 2021 and 2022. Mickayla was Lone Peak’s 2019 Sousa Award recipient. She was first-chair flutist both at all-state and district honor band. Mickayla was awarded the 2018–2019 Instrumental LPHS Music Sterling Scholar Award. She has been a concerto soloist multiple times with various bands and orchestras, and as a finalist for Utah Symphony Salute to Youth. She had the honor of playing a flute solo for UVU’s commencement in May 2024. Mickayla currently plays with the BYU Wind Symphony and was first chair in UVU’s Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra. She was principal flutist in the BYUI Sinfonietta, BYUI Symphony Orchestra, and Lyceum Philharmonic. Mickayla has 12 years of private flute and piano teaching experience. Her students have been first chair in their local school bands, have participated in marching band, and have played solos at UMEA conferences. As both a conductor and flutist, music has always been Mickayla’s means of expression to tell her story and her vehicle of communication to connect with others’ hearts.
Xinbo Li, graduate assistant conductor Xinbo Li holds a bachelor’s degree in music education with a concentration in vocal music from the China Conservatory of Music. She has received several awards in classical singing and piano performance. Originally from China, Xinbo is currently a graduate conducting assistant at Brigham Young University, where she has conducted the BYU Symphonic Band and the BYU University Band.
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