(Posted March 26, 2006)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata College Wind Symphony and 2006 High School Honors Band will perform the world premiere of a composition, "River of Sorrows" commissioned especially for the ensemble at a concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 2 in Rosenberger Auditorium in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts on the Juniata campus.

The concert tickets are $7 for adults, $2 for senior citizens and children under age 18, and Juniata students get in free. There will be a panel discussion about "Juniata, River of Sorrows" with composer Todd Goodman and author Dennis McIlnay, who wrote the book that inspired the composition, at 1 p.m., April 2 in Alumni Hall in the Brumbaugh Academic Center. At 1:45, author McIlnay will sign books, followed by a viewing of a short film based on his book.

"I read "Juniata, River of Sorrows, and I realized that it could be quite and interesting piece of music," says Jim Latten assistant professor of music at the college. "We thought that commissioning this composition would be a great way to show the importance of our first concert in the newly refurbished Hallbritter center."

The ensembles will be conducted by Latten, director of the Wind Symphony.

The Symphony will open the second half of its program by performing with the high school ensemble a new composition, "River of Sorrows." The piece is written by Todd Goodman and based in part on a recent history book, "Juniata: River of Sorrows" by McIlnay.

"The music portrays the river and its peaceful nature, so the piece will have elements of a floating melody, Latten explains. "There also will be references to some of the incidents and skirmishes that have happened on the river over its history."

Goodman, a native of Bedford, Pa., earned a bachelor's degree in music at the University of Colorado-Boulder and currently is in a master's degree program at the University of Pittsburgh. He has served as the Altoona Symphony's composer in residence since 2002. He has written eight pieces for the Altoona Symphony, including " Symphony No. 1," "Fanfare for a New Era" and "Sketches of Home."
In addition to the "River of Sorrows," the concert, entitled "War, Peace and the Artistic Spirit," will focus on music that enters on war and peace.

The concert opens with the Wind Symphony palying "Mars, The Bringer of War" from composer Gustav Holst's "The Planets," followed by "Venus, The Bringer of Peace," also from "The Planets." The 2006 High School Honors Band will perform "The Vanished Army (They Never Die," by Kenneth Alford, and "Litany (In Terra Pax)" by Robert Jager.

After the "River of Sorrows" the combined ensembles will perform "Each Time You Tell Their Story," by Samuel Hazo; "Symphony No. 1 for Winds and Percussion (In Memoriam, Dresden, Germany)" by Daniel Bukvich. The concert will end with a recessional composition, "Let There be Peace on Earth," arranged by Latten.

Members of the Wind symphony are as follows:

Flute: Amber Burkholder, a freshman from South Dayton, N.Y.; Nicole Denny, a freshman from New Milford, Pa.; Julia Gwin, a senior from Denver, Pa.; Kara Karstetter, a freshman from Lewistown, Pa.; Jonalyn Longnecker, a junior from Brownstown, Pa.; and Ariane Parde, an international student from Lille, France.

Oboe: Alec Brown, a freshman from Huntingdon, Pa.; Laura Detwiler, a student at Tussey Mountain High School; and David Lewis, a member of Juniata's music faculty.Bassoon: Max Grube, a student at Tussey Mountain High School; and Monica Tully, a freshman from Herndon, Pa.

Clarinet: Janet Berlin, a community member from Huntingdon; Amy Boore, a senior from Huntingdon; Amy Breitlinger, a freshman from White Oak, Pa.; Joseph Daft, a junior from Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Rachel Edelstein, a freshman from Fleetwood, Pa.; Tara Fitzsimmons, a Science in Motion Educator; Jason Hoover, a sophomore from Wilmington, Del.; Alyson Jacques, a sophomore from Carlisle, Pa.; Courtney Rondinelli, a freshman from Tomball, Texas; and Claire Wakefield, a freshman from Deer River, N.Y.
Alto Clarinet: Melinda Korb, a freshman from Morrisdale, Pa.

Bass Clarinet: Krista Creuzberger, a sophomore from Hollidaysburg, Pa.; Shane Fether, a junior from Williamsburg, Pa.; and Nicholas Gabor, a sophomore from Plum, Pa.

Contrabass Clarinet, String Bass Keyboard Percussion: Kari LaBella, a senior from Norfolk, N.Y.
Alto Saxophone: Dwight Bard, a sophomore from Warfordsburg, Pa.; Jessica Clemens, a freshman from Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Allison Estright, a sophomore from Hollidaysburg, Pa.; Andy Fornadel, a sophomore from Columbia, Md.; and Nicole Zeller, a freshman from Williamsburg, Pa.

Tenor Saxophone: Logan Barkman, a freshman from Roaring Spring, Pa.; Muhammad Jami, a senior from Little Meadows, Pa.; and Brittany Kennedy, Huntingdon Area High School.

Baritone Saxophone: Joshua Fishel, a freshman from Spring Grove, Pa.

Horn: Erica Bennett, a freshman from Hollidaysburg, Pa.; Joelle Caporaso, a freshman from East Stroudsburg, Pa.; Joseph Houck, a sophomore from Spruce Creek, Pa.; Jennifer Kendall, a sophomore from Baltimore, Md.; Jill Keeney, professor of biology at Juniata; Marsha Loth, a senior from Hollidaysburg, Pa.; and Kimberly Reveley, a sophomore from Ridgewood, N.J.

Trumpet: Michael Anderson, a freshman from Mount Wolf, Pa.; Marty Balaban, a junior from Massena N.Y.; Tucker Dietrich, a junior from Spring Grove, Pa.; Charles Earnhart, a freshman from Mercer, Pa.; Nathan Edlredge, a freshman from Williamsport, Pa.; Tyler Kochel, a freshman from Lancaster, Pa.; Michael Madden, a sophomore from McVeytown, Pa.; Aaron Shotts, a sophomore from Everett, Pa.; and Jason Strobl, a senior from Center Valley, Pa.

Trombone: Shannon Callahan, a senior from Woodbridge, N.J.; Joshua Galasso, a freshman from Johnstown, Pa.; and James Nelson, a senior from Lanse, Pa.

Euphonium: Richard Fisher, a freshman from Wellsboro, Pa.; Aaron Keeney, a student from Huntingdon Middle School; and Ryan Knepp, a community member from Huntingdon, Pa.

Tuba: Alison Earnhart, a junior from Mercer, Pa., and William Croissant, a community member from Huntingdon, Pa.

Percussion: Alison Heft, a freshman from Lititz, Pa.; Kevin Kasun, a senior from Altoona, Pa.; Jennie Rinehimer, a sophomore from Berwick, Pa.; Carolyn Romako, a sophomore from New Cumberland, Pa.; Douglas Schunk, a Science in Motion educator; and Amy Wade, a sophomore from Schuylkill Haven, Pa.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.