USU Alumni Band Says 'I'll See You Again'

It seems like summer just began, but Utah State University’s Alumni Band is getting ready to say “I’ll see you again” in its last concert of the 2007 season. Members of the band, under the direction of Nicholas Morrison, will present their final salute to summer Sunday, July 29, at 7 p.m. on the USU Quad east of Old Main. The concert is free and all are invited.

Two guest conductors will join the band and first is Tom Rohrer, director of bands in the department of music at USU.

 

“Tom has been hiding out in the tuba and percussion section of the Alumni Band this summer,” Morrison said. “It’s always a pleasure for the band to feature Tom.”

 

Rohrer will conduct 633 Squadron by Ron Goodwin with an arrangement by Rohrer. The selection is the theme from a 1964 movie of the same name, the story of an RAF squadron assigned to knock out a German rocket fuel factory in Norway prior to D-Day. The 633 Squadron has to fly up a well-defended fjord at low level. One review of the movie said it featured “a catchy theme tune.”

 

The second guest conductor of the evening is long-time band member, jazz musician and retired USU faculty member Larry Smith, who will be joined by his daughter and vocalist Monica Fronk. The pair will be featured in a selection to be announced, with arrangements by Smith.

 

“The ink will barely be dry on the work before the audience gets a chance to hear it,” Morrison said.

 

The father-daughter duo will also be featured in the jazz standard Willow Weep for Me, by Ann Ronell, with Smith at the podium and Fronk providing the vocals. The composer is best known for this title, which was written in 1932.

 

“Ann Ronell was very interesting,” Morrison said. “She was a classically trained composer who ended up writing jazz selections.”

 

The evening’s major symphonic work is Orpheus Overture by Jacques Offenbach.

 

The story of Orpheus in the Underworld is popular, and almost every early opera composer penned a version of the story, Morrison said. This is Offenbach’s version, and while the opera is rarely seen, the famous overture is often heard and includes three familiar melodies, including the famous Can-Can.

 

The program includes the usual mix of marches and, in a tip-of-the-hat to the coming Utah Festival Opera Company presentation, highlights from West Side Story. And, as an alumni organization, the USU Alumni Band pays tribute to its Aggie heritage with a performance of The Scotsman.

 

Morrison said it has also become a tradition at the last concert of the summer to ask audience members to support future members of the Alumni Band by making donations to the Dalby Endowment. The endowment recognizes and honors the band’s founder Max Dalby.

 

“Members of the Alumni Band set up this endowment about 10 years ago,” Morrison said. “While operating dollars are important, more important to the band’s future are the USU students who will join the band. We believe in scholarship support and the Dalby Endowment does just that.”

 

Morrison concluded by thanking many for a successful summer 2007 season.

 

“We appreciate the support from everybody,” Morrison said. “First, I want to thank the musicians. We couldn’t do these concerts without our loyal musicians who are all volunteers. We also thank our loyal audience who come out and listen to the performances. We are thrilled at the level of participation from all the people.”

 

And finally, with a promise to return next year, Morrison and members of the band conclude with their signature closing number I’ll See You Again by Noel Coward.

 

Morrison invites families to attend and encourages everyone to bring chairs, blankets, snacks and even the family dog to the final outdoor concert. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Kent Concert Hall in the Chase Fine Arts Center.

 

 

 

Contact: Nicholas Morrison (435) 797-3506