Reflections on the Civil War

Jerry Bilik – American Civil War Fantasy
Kermit Poling – No Sound of Trumpet nor Roll of Drum
Jay Ungar / arr. Custer – Ashokan Farewell
Ernst Bacon  – Ford’s Theatre (selections)
Aaron Copland  –  Lincoln Portrait

May 2013 Concert Poster

This concert is the annual “side-by-side” concert with Harford County’s finest high school student musicians.  This July will mark the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.  It was a bloody and crucial battle – one that turned the tide for the Union Army.  The orchestra will begin the concert with Jerry Bilik’s  American Civil War Fantasy which is a medley of popular pieces from the middle 1800′s in the USA.  Southern composer Kermit Poling has written a lovely work for orchestra with two narrators reading parts of speeches and letters from the soldiers during the War.  No Sound of Trumpet nor Roll of Drum is a brilliant work and very moving.

Jay Unger’s Ashokan Farewell, a relatively recent work for violin solo and string orchestra, became popular when it was used in Ken Burns’ series ”The Civil War” shown on PBS.  It is a lovely work in a Celtic style, and most memorable.   American composer Ernst Bacon is not well known, but his music is lovely and well-composed.  The SSO will perform several movements from his work which is about the week of Lincoln’s assassination.  The concert will conclude with the ever popular Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland.  Telling the story of Lincoln’s life and quoting his speeches, Copland has woven a thread of history and destiny together.  WBJC on-air personality Jonathan Palevsky will narrate the work, bringing the concert to a thrilling close!

Coming up on April 20th at Harford Community College!