To celebrate the 50th concert season, the Tri-County Symphonic Band is welcoming Steve Wheeler – a Marion native, ORR graduate and award-winning musician – to serenade local audiences with his latest works.
Mr. Wheeler is returning to the area to present and perform a commissioned piece “Suites and Sweets” on Sunday, February 5 at 3:00 pm at the Gilbert Bristol Auditorium at the ORR High School. Mr. Wheeler composed the suite, entitled “For Those Without a Voice” which will have its world premier at the concert.
The piece was specifically written to celebrate the 50th concert season for the Tri-County Symphonic Band. Mr. Wheeler is a former Tri-County Symphonic Band percussionist and award-winning composer, as well as a performer, engineer and teacher.
“I’ve been seriously involved in music since the age of eight, when I began taking drum lessons at a music store in Pawtucket, RI,” said Mr. Wheeler. “My teacher, Greg Varatta, really helped instill a passion for the instrument in me.”
Mr. Wheeler works in a variety of genres from orchestral and concert band music, to jazz, metal, techno, funk and music for film. He currently resides in Alabama where he teaches and expands upon his music career. He has composed over 40 original pieces of music and enjoys the creative aspect of it.
“It can take anywhere from a day to months to compose a piece of music,” said Mr. Wheeler. “This particular piece took about two months from start to finish…it’s a fairly complex piece.”
“‘For Those Without a Voice’, is a mixed tribute to those who do not have a voice, whether metaphorically, meaning the disenfranchised, fearful, and neglected…or literally speaking, meaning the deaf or mute,” said the musician.
When creating a new piece, Mr. Wheeler sketches the basics out on the piano, working out the main melodies and uses a software program to assist in the editing, playback and the breaking up of the piece among the various musical instruments. He plays drums, keyboards and guitar but is also a specialist in the recording and mixing aspect of music composition.
“Composition is great because it incorporates almost all aspects of music into one. Melody, harmony, rhythm, orchestration and dynamics all come together in this one, big, blank canvas that has nearly endless possibilities,” he said.
“The Tri-County Band is an amazing group of people that consist of strong players that are passionate about music, and to be a part of it in the past helped my percussion playing immensely,” said Mr. Wheeler. “Being able to write for them now has been a joy and has played a significant role in improving my writing for large ensembles. It is not very often that you find a large ensemble that will perform new works of music. To have that many people willing to sit down and play your music is a blessing.”
Tri-County’s former music director, Daniel A. Lasdow will direct the show. He will lead the band in a collection of suites written for concert band. The works span the history of band music beginning with “First Suite for Military Band,” written by English composer Gustav Holst.
Other suites include “English Fold Song Suite” by Ralph Vaughan Williams and “Suite of Old American Dances”. “Prelude, Sicilliano and Rondo”, by Malcolm Arnold will also be included. Composer Arnold is best known for his award winning film score for the 1957 motion picture “Bridge on the River Kwai”.
Current band director and Marion resident Phillip Sanborn returns to the Tri-County stage as a Mr. Sanborn will be performing “All Those Endearing Young Charms” by Simone Mantia.
The “Sweets” part of the themed concert will include a variety of goodies which will be available in the lobby at intermission and are free to attendees. The sweet treats were donated by a local business.
Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children 12 and under are free.
For more information go to www.tricountysymphonicband.org. To learn more about Steve Wheeler’s music, go to www.stevewheelermusic.com.
By Joan Hartnett-Barry