Shenandoah Conservatory Thank You

Shenandoah University

1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601

The Westfield HS Wind Symphony and SU Conservatory Wind Ensemble paid tribute to our Nation’s Veterans in a free concert on Thursday, November 8 at 7:00 in Armstrong Concert Hall.  The Westfield High School Wind Symphony under the direction of Stephen Panoff, winner of the SU Alumnus of Excellence Award, will performed the first half of this concert.

One of their featured pieces will be, “Hymn to the Fallen” by John Williams from the WWII movie, “Saving Private Ryan.” They will also perform, “Inchon” by Robert W. Smith which uses percussion placed throughout the concert hall to create the sound of helicopters. This piece is designed to depict, in sound, the evacuation of Inchon during the Korean War.

The SU Conservatory Symphonic Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Scott Nelson, will perform the music of Robert Jager.  “Esprit De Corps,” written for the US Marine Band, will begin the SU Wind Ensemble’s half of the program.  Jager’s Epilogue: “Lest We Forget” will also be performed.  This piece was commissioned by the US Army Field Band to, “commemorate the decent people who suffered through the agony of World War II.”  In addition, an unpublished work, “A Child’s Garden of Verses” written by Jager for the SU Wind Ensemble in 1972, will be performed.  SU faculty member, Dr. Charlotte Aiosa will be the Soprano Soloist for these Robert Louis Stevenson poems set to music by Jager.

The concert concluded with Jager’s, “Preamble,” based on the opening lines of the US Constitution, “We the People.”  Please join us if you are a veteran, want to support our veterans, or just want to enjoy an evening of great music.