Rochester Crusaders Announce 2008 Program
After a highly successful 2007 and a return to Drum Corps Associates finalist status, the Rochester Crusaders are proud to announce their 2008 crusade!
“The Russian idiom was so successful for us last year,” program coordinator Gene O’Brien said. “The members and audience just loved this music and we figured we still have much to say on the subject.
“This music has a great visceral impact and is wonderful educationally. It gives us an opportunity to entertain – which is paramount for us – and to educate both audiences and performers,” O’Brien stated.
Crusaders will open with “Cathedral Chorus” from Alfred Reed’s 1944 band masterwork “Russian Christmas Music.” Reed wrote this piece on commission for a concert in Denver, CO intended to improve American-Soviet relations.
The “Russian piece” on this concert was intended to be Prokofiev’s “March, Op. 99” but it was discovered that the work had already been performed in the United States. Reed, an experienced studio composer and arranger, was quickly summoned to fill the gap. He had a mere 16 days to compose what would become one of the most popular and frequently-performed pieces of band literature.
Crusaders’ quiet moment will be “Gliding Dance of the Maidens” from Alexander Borodin’s 1909 ballet “Prince Igor.” “Gliding Dance” is one of the so-called “Polovetsian Dances,” which are the best-known selections from that ballet.
The material Crusaders will be performing was incorporated into the 1953 Broadway musical “Kismet” as “Stranger in Paradise.” “We loved this piece as our ballad moment because it gives the program a populist, just plain beautiful moment,” O’Brien explained.
The third segment of Rochester’s show will be music from Modest Mussorgsky’s 1874 piano suite “Pictures at an Exhibition.” “The ‘Pictures’ music really worked for us last year,” O’Brien said. “This production will give brass arranger Jim Prime the chance to utilize some material that we didn’t have the opportunity to use last year. It will also be a great chance for the percussion to stretch. ‘Pictures’ was one of our strongest percussion moments in 2007.”
The closer will start with the chorale from “Great Gate of Kiev,” then “Hut of Baba Yaga” and a finale of the main “Great Gate” theme.
“We are very excited about this music and concept,” O’Brien stated. “We think with Jimmer and Paul Rennick it is going to be excellent music meets great arranging.”
The 2008 Season for the Rochester Crusaders Kicks off on Sunday November 25th at 9:00am and runs till 3:00pm. It will be held at Hope Hall School located at 1612 Buffalo Rd. Rochester, New York 14624.
We currently have openings in all sections of the corps and are excited to see what the 2008 season brings.
Show Coordinator Gene O’Brien says “I Just can’t wait to get this thing started back up. It’s going to be even more exciting than last year” The entire staff is revved up and ready to put this years production together.
This year’s compositional Staff for 2008 is as follows:
Gene O’Brien – Show Coordinator
Jim Prime Jr. – Brass Arranger
Paul Rennick – Percussion Arranger
Jeff Wroblewski – Visual Arranger
Tracy Bapst & Sara Cole – Color Guard Design
Stay Tuned for More Announcements Coming Soon!
Founded in 1947, The Rochester Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps is a 501c3 non-profit musical, visual and educational organization that provides quality instruction that focuses on a musical and visual program that is both artistically and technically challenging. While being a competitive unit which travels all over the Northeast, we strive to bring the Rochester community closer to the unique activity of Drum and Bugle Corps which we perceive as an art form. The Crusaders also strive to keep the spirit of competition and the camaraderie throughout the Drum Corps community.
The 2008 season is sure to be even more exciting with more growth for the Rochester Crusaders. We are accepting applications in all sections. Anyone interested can contact us at brianwilt [at] rochestercrusaders [dot] org.
JOIN THE CRUSADE!
