June 24, 2012

Compositions written by Karl L. King, the band’s namesake, are always performed, and this weeks concert included the march, Military Life, and Robinson’s Grand Entrée, along with his famous galop, Circus Days, and a beautiful aerial waltz, Alpine Sunset.

Other marches on the program were Russell Alexander’s The Southerner, and Earl McCoy’s Lights Out.  This last march included a portion of the bugle call, Taps.

The evening’s classical offerings included March Militaire Francaise, by the French composer Camille Saint-Saens, and Light Cavalry Overture by the Austrian composer Franz von Suppe.   Born in Paris, Saint-Saens is considered one of the most versatile musicians of all time.  March Militaire Francaise is the final movement of his 1879 Algerian Suite.  It is believed to be an expression of the composer’s joy and sense of security in coming upon a French garrison.  Franz von Suppe, on the other hand, was the father of Austrian operetta, considered the most successful and highly esteemed operetta composer.  His overture, Light Cavalry, premiered in 1866.

A lighter composition was a musical tribute to trumpeter Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong, and included the songs What A Wonderful World, When The Saints Go Marching In, St. Louis Blues, and Hello Dolly!

Two sections of the Band were be featured during this hour-long concert.  First, members of the Clarinet section took the spotlight with Henry Mancini’s Pie-In-The-Face Polka from the movie The Great Race.  And then, members of the trombone section performed Shoutin’ Liza Trombone, written by Henry Fillmore.

Dr. Timothy Rhea, director of bands at Texas A & M University in College Station, was the special guest conductor for this concert.  His numbers were von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture and Robinson’s Grand Entrée.   Dr. Rhea serves as administrative head of the instrumental music department, conductor of the Wind Symphony, and director of the nationally famous “Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band”.  He is a graduate of the DeKalb, TX High School, and earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree with honors from the University of Arkansas.

Dr. Rhea's Master of Music in Wind Conducting was earned at Texas Tech University, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting and Composition was earned from the University of Houston in 1999.  In July 1999, Dr. Rhea was awarded the Outstanding Young Bandmaster of the Year for the state of Texas, and in December 2000, Dr. Rhea was presented with the President’s Meritorious Service Award from Texas A & M University.  In addition, he has composed or arranged more than 300 musical selections for band, and is in demand nationally as a conductor, clinician, and adjudicator.