Pops, Patriots, & Fireworks

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It’s our eleventh performance at Caramoor, and our nation’s two hundred forty-ninth birthday! We are so excited to return to this stage, playing inspiring music we are eager to share with you. We hope you’ll enjoy this program by and for American patriots, and that you’ll return next July 4 for the Semiquincentennial celebration!

We are opening the program this afternoon again with a new prelude to The Star-Spangled Banner. This arrangement of Simple Gifts, by Noah Taylor, staff arranger of the West Point Band, reminds us of a simpler time in our history, and we hope this setting establishes the patriotic tone of the performance. Please stand when you hear the traditional snare drum roll, and join us by singing along with our national anthem.

Although John Philip Sousa is remembered primarily for his marches, he wrote considerable music of other types, including several operettas. One of these, titled The Free Lance, concerned a goatherd who left his goats, hired himself out as a (free lance) mercenary leader of two rival armies, maneuvered his troops so that neither side could win, and declared himself emperor of both countries. Whether Sousa needed another new march for his band in 1906 (he wrote no other marches that year), or whether he realized the limited future of his operetta, is not known, but he did piece several of the operetta tunes together in composing The Free Lance March. – Program note from Band Music Notes

While the names Kander and Ebb might not be as immediately recognizable as Rodgers and Hammerstein, their iconic melodies from Cabaret and New York, New York resonate deeply. Their masterful songs from the long-running Chicago and frequently revived Cabaret have cemented their place in popular culture, even if their names haven’t always followed. Their paths to Broadway began separately in the late 1950s and early 1960s before a mutual publisher introduced them in 1962. Their first collaborations, “My Coloring Book” and “I Don’t Care Much,” were hits for Barbra Streisand. This success propelled them to Broadway with Flora the Red Menace (1965), which, despite a short run, marked the beginning of their fruitful, decades-long partnership.

They tailored Cabaret (1966) with Liza Minnelli in mind, though her iconic portrayal of Sally Bowles came in the acclaimed 1972 film. Both the stage and film versions achieved significant acclaim. Minnelli also briefly appeared in the original Chicago (1975), which has become their most financially successful work, with its ongoing revival since 1996 surpassing 11,000 performances and later winning a Best Picture Oscar. Kander and Ebb were masters of the show tune, capturing a more cynical Broadway sound. Their strength lay in theatrical irony, blending Kander’s musical sentimentality with Ebb’s sharp wit. They skillfully used familiar musical styles to create dramatic tension, as seen in the seemingly joyous title song of Cabaret and the vaudeville numbers in Chicago sung by criminals. Yet, they also penned the glorious anthem “New York, New York,” famously sung by Minnelli, solidifying their legacy with a tribute to the city that mirrored their Broadway triumph. – Program note by Barton Green

The Cowboys is a typical example of John Williams’s capacity to enrich a film story with an almost narrative musical score. Through music, we are transported to the Old West and experience the joys and hardships of cowboy life. Taken from the 1972 motion picture, The Cowboys, starring John Wayne and Roscoe Lee Browne, the music complements the story of a 60-year-old Montana cattleman who enlists (and ultimately mentors) ten schoolboys as cowboys after the regular ranch hands have left with Gold Rush fever. The 400-mile cattle drive provides the boys with a different and harsher schooling as they learn the rigors of the job and have to deal with rustlers. The music conveys the high spirit of wild horses and their taming. Jollity around the campfire is contrasted against the loneliness of the open range. The plains have a beauty, though, which is reflected in the song of a lark. The hard work of the cattle drive, including the fording of the wide, muddy river and dealing with many fears and threats, succeeds in maturing the boys into men. – Program note by California Polytechnic State University/San Luis Obispo Wind Ensemble

One of Sousa’s favorite sayings was “A horse, a dog, a gun, a girl, and music on the side. That is my idea of heaven.” Of the four first-named subjects, the fairer sex was by far the winner when all the titles of Sousa’s compositions are examined. In this instance, the subject was a pretty girl who worked at the annual Boston Food Fair. Even though the March King never met the girl, her memory inspired the title, The Fairest of the Fair, when he was preparing a new march for the food fair in 1908. – Program note from Band Music Notes

I was inspired to invite Mimi Hilaire to solo with WSW after hearing her live album, Mimi & the Podd Brothers: Live in Brooklyn, which was a gift from our friend, arranger, and WSW accordion soloist, Matt Podd. Ms. Hilaire’s range of expression and vocal tone defy description. It is hard to believe that music from the American musical, Damn Yankees, and the quintessential opera, Carmen, could be combined in one musical selection, but Matt Podd, who wrote the original arrangement, does so in a transformational manner, and Ms. Hilaire brings exciting exuberance to the combination. Her ability to turn the corner and sing Glitter and Be Gay is a testament to her vocal flexibility.  I am confident that you will remember these selections long after you leave Caramoor tonight! 

Although its origins have nothing to do with the birth of America, Overture “1812” has become synonymous with the battle for which it was named, in which Russia defended itself against the Napoleonic armies of France. Connect battles to cannons, cannons to fireworks, and fireworks to Fourth of July – and thus, a musical tradition was born. Arthur Fiedler initiated the tradition with the Boston Pops on the Esplanade in 1974, complete with cannons, church bells, and fireworks. We hope you enjoy our special take on this battle hymn of freedom, complete with hand bell choirs, which imitate the victorious pealing of church bells.

We are closing our program today with our traditional Fourth of July encore, The Stars and Stripes Forever, by John Philip Sousa. Since an act of Congress in 1987, it is the official National March of the United States of America. What better way is there to end our Fourth of July celebration?

I wish to thank Gillian Fox, Kathy Schuman, Tim Coffey, and Henry Valoris at Caramoor; Barton Green, Mimi Hilaire, all of the handbell ringers, as well as the WSW Board of Trustees and all the members of the Westchester Symphonic Winds for their artistry and support for our performance this evening! 

Curt Ebersole, conductor/music director
Westchester Symphonic Winds

Carami Hilaire is a soulful soprano from Brooklyn, New York who is a graduate of the Professional Studies program at Mannes. Carami has also received awards from both the Wagner Society of New York and the Premiere Opera competition. She has sung with the Internationale Opernwerkstatt based in Switzerland. She has performed the role of Tosca with both Regina Opera and New Jersey Verismo Opera to rave reviews as well as the roles of Aida in Aida and Musetta in La Boheme. In fall 2020 she sung the role of Alice in Alice in the Pandemic with White Snake Opera projects. In 2022, she sang the soprano solo in Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, with Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra. In May she also performed the role of Circe in “Survivors Odyssey” which was presented live at Opera America’s Opera Conference. In the fall she returned to her collaboration with White Snake Opera Projects to sing the role of Tiamat inCosmic Cowboy which generated rave reviews.

“Indeed, the universe creator and savior Tia, as dramatically sung by Carami Hilaire, unleashed from the magic fires of chaos a Brunhilde for our times…[she] sang with brilliant force and conviction almost continuously.” —Lee Eiseman, The Boston Musical Intelligencer

In 2023, Hilaire joined White Snake Projects again to sing the role of Mara the Demon Queen as well as  Utah Festival Opera to sing the lead role of Aida.

“Her low notes are rich and her high notes soar…Hilaire is especially effective at expressing heartache”—Keola Kinghorn, Front Row Reviewers

She performs “My Wings Burned off” at the Opera America conference in June in collaboration with Synchrony. 

Curt Ebersole has served as the Conductor and Music Director (John P. Paynter Memorial Chair) of the Westchester Symphonic Winds since 2008, fostering its exponential growth over the past 17 years. He retired from Northern Valley Regional High School (Old Tappan, NJ) in 2013 after serving as Director of Instrumental Music for 31 years. His ensembles were honored with consistent critical accolades, and his instrumental Prism Concerts became a local rite of spring. He now serves on the faculty at The Masters School, in Dobbs Ferry, NY (Jane Rechtman Faculty Chair), where he teaches String Ensemble, Chamber Music, and Public Speaking. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Conducting from Northwestern University, and a Master’s degree in clarinet performance from SUNY Purchase, where he studied with Ben Armato. 

Maestro Ebersole has served as a guest conductor and clinician for numerous county, regional, all-state, and adult community ensembles around the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Symphony Space, with the U.S. Army Field Band, along with performances in Las Vegas, South Korea, and Australia. He is the founding coordinator of the Music Educators of Bergen County Wind Conducting Symposium. He has served as a clinician at the Midwest Clinic, Temple University, Florida Music Educators Association, and presented his TED Talk, “Framing Failure,” at TEDxOneonta in 2017. His performance achievements include solo and ensemble performances as both a clarinetist and basset hornist, including a recent recording with the West Point Band. 

To learn more about Curt Ebersole, please visit jce.ebernet.biz. 

Westchester Symphonic Winds — an adult, community-based, 60-piece wind and percussion ensemble — celebrates its 37^th season in 2024 – 25. The ensemble strives to promote music in our area, instill pride in our nation and heritage, provide opportunities for personal expression and growth within its membership, and nurture the love of music by offering an exceptional musical experience for people of all ages.  

The ensemble was founded by Rachel Eckhaus, Robert LaPorta, and the group’s first conductor, James D. Wayne, who conducted the band from 1988 – 2004. Dr. Luis Fernando Jimenez was conductor from 2005 – 08. Curt Ebersole was invited to conduct the 20^th Anniversary Gala Concert in 2008, and was subsequently invited to stay on permanently as Conductor and Music Director. Since 2008, guest conductors and clinicians have included Dr. Mallory Thompson, Dr. John Lynch, Dr. Tom McCauley, Dr. Shelley Axelson, Dr. Travis Cross, Joseph Greco, among many others. 

Over the years, the ensemble has given benefit concerts for many groups, including the Food Bank for Westchester, Student Assistance Services, Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, Irvington Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Rotary Club of Briarcliff Manor, Family Services of Westchester, Yonkers Arts Education, and others.  

The ensemble made its Carnegie Hall debut in 2023, its Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall debut in 2010, its national debut at the 2012 Association of Concert Bands National Convention, and this event marks its eleventh performance at Caramoor. The organization is an Ensemble-in-Residence at the historic Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York, and rehearses there on Monday evenings from September through June.  

To learn more about the Westchester Symphonic Winds, please visit their website.