Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra

Receiving this in the mail was among the greatest honors of my life.  ~AB

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I would like to publicly thank all those who contributed  to the mounting of the premiere production of Stand, thereby making it an event truly for the people and by the people.  This list is comprehensive.  Please keep scrolling…

A heartfelt “Thank You!”  to those who contributed financially. In particular, many thanks to author and long-time fan of my writing, Larry Kart, without whose monumental donation the event would have likely been canceled.  Also, deep gratitude is owed to my former Rockland Country Day School student, Nick Zagoreos, whose timely donation covered the unexpected cost of The Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon’s coach bus; an expense that threatened my vision for the work’s premiere performance.  Of course, without funding for the Marines’ overnight accommodations, this vision would have also been compromised.  The generous donation of The New York Yankees covered this expense, thereby affording me solace in moving forward as planned.  On a personal note, I would like to thank Ms. Jennifer Steinbrenner for her personal support in attending the premiere.

I would be remiss if I did not thank my parents, Ted & Phyllis Brown, for their continued support, and specifically, to Mom for hearing me out through the lengthy and demanding process of producing this event.  It was among my great honors to have my parents sitting next to LtCol Meyer and SgtMaj Green in the front row, at the perimeter of SDP’s parade deck.

A complete list of financial contributors can be seen on the Contributor page of this site.

In addition to those who contributed financially, the many who contributed their time, efforts, energy, ideas, artistry, experience, expertise, resources and passions are cited in a neat an organized fashion in the downloadable pdf of the concert program in the right margin of this website.  However,  I will make an effort to acknowledge the same here, including some heretofore not cited, in this more visible forum.

There are not enough “thank you’s” verbally or in gesture to express the depth of my gratitude for each and every individual’s contribution.  My apologies if I leave anyone out, but I believe this will be a comprehensive list.

Band Personnel (* indicates lead player):
Reeds: *Dave Pietro, Matt Hong,Tim Armacost, Ralph Lalama, Ed Xiques
Trumpets: *Jon Owens, Evan Barker, Jami Dauber, Tatum Greenblatt
Funeral Honors Trumpet: Tony Kadleck
French horn: Theresa MacDonnell
Trombones: *Mark Patterson,Mike Christianson, Jason Miller, George Flynn
Piano: Jim Ridl
Guitar: Kenny Wessel
Bass: Cameron Brown
Drums: Ray Marchica
Auxiliary Percussion: Lee Finkelstein
Vocalists: Holly Durniak Castle, Lee Finkelstein, Nina Hennessey, Lousie Rogers, Nicole Pasternak, Haley Swindal, Marine GySgt. James Wallace

Mistress of Ceremonies and Solo Vocalist for The National Anthem
Haley Swindal

Early Stages Inspiration &  Support
Army SFC Liesl Whitaker, US Army Blues Band
The President’s Own Chamber Orchestra, Marine Baracks, Washington, DC, Major Jason Fettig, Asst. Conductor
The 2010 USMC Silent Drill Platoon, Marine Barracks, Washington, DC
Commander of The 2010 USMC Silent Drill Platoon, Capt. John McLaughlin
Drill Master of The 2010 USMC Silent Drill Platoon, Cpl. (now Sgt.) Robert Dominguez
Gunnery Sergeant with The 2010 USMC Silent Drill Platoon, GySgt Jeremy Johnson
Bubba Lennerton
The Jazz Knights, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
The Next Wave Jazz Ensemble, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

Additional Musicians (Rehearsals & Previews)
Army MSG Scott Arcangel, Army SFC Scott Drewes, The Jazz Knights of USMA West Point, NY, New York Musicians Rob Jacoby, Chris Bacas, Rob Derke, Shelagh Abate, MaryAnn McSweeney, Tanya Darby, Kerry MacKillop, Bob Suttman, Rodney Lancaster, Brandon Moodie, Marc Phaneuf, Jason Rigby, Kenny Lavender, RJ Kelley, Jeff Neslon, Pete McCann, Mike Holober, Kurt Masur, Alex Aviles, Bud Burridge, Max Seigel, Alexis Cuadrado and Paul Pizutti.

Production Personnel
Executive Producer: Anita Brown
Associate Producer: Major Mark Bubba Lennerton, USMC Retired
Production Consultant: Chiz Schultz
Website Design & Administration:  Paul Croteau, Rackspace Management
Production Assistance: Kelly Axelrod, Jason Miller, Mark Patterson, Marsha Bowe, Darren Denman, Kari Musil, Steve Panza, Cathy Harary, Natasha Padilla, Jim Crowley, Jr.
Cover Art and Program Design: Anita Brown
Production Artwork: Abbott & Abbott
Executive Assitant: Craig Sherman
Music Preparation: Evan Barker
Band Contractor: Jami Dauber
Stage Management: Rebecca Monroe, Jake Andrews
Sound/Recording: Ken Jablonski & Tim Brady, Aero Sound
Live Audio Production: Marsha Bowe
Event Food Service: Ann O’Donoghue
Staging Logistics:  Bubba Lennerton, Tommy Curran, Keith Shearn
Silent Drill Platoon Transport Liaison: Tommy Curran

• Rockland County Officials

Mayor Richard Kavesh
Jen Laird-White, Village Trustee (Nyack’s newly sworn Mayor on 1/1/12)
The Nyack Village Board
The Nyack Parks Commission
The Nyack Department of Public Works
The Office of Harriet Cornell, Chairwoman of The Rockland County Legislature

• Headquarters Marine Corps Pentagon

Office of The Commandant, General James F. Amos
Division of Public Affairs, Col. Bryan F. Salas
SSgt. Matt Shelato
Sgt. Leslie Palmer

• Marine Barracks, Washington, DC

Silent Drill Platoon Operations, Capt. Artem Agoulnik
Capt. Brian J. Wilson
GySgt. Jeremy Johnson
Capt. John McLaughlin
Cpl. Robert Dominguez

• Marine Corps 6th Communications Battalion, Brooklyn, NY

First Sgt. Rafael Najera
SSgt. William M. Redmon

• Marine Air Group 49, Det. B, Newburgh, NY

LtCol. Peter Meyer, Guest of Honor, attending on behalf of General Amos
Maj. Daniel Colvin
SgtMaj. Jason Green

• Marine Barracks, Washington, DC

Public Affairs Office, Capt. Lisa Lawrence
The Offices of The President’s Own Marine Band
Master Gunnery Sgt. William Browne, Drum Major, The President’s Own

• Marine Corps Offices of Public Affairs, NY State

Watervliet, Sgt. Tim Parish
Garden City, Capt. Adrian Rankine-Galloway &
SSgt. James Wallace, MAT/MEOP
New York, Capt. Eric Tausch

• Marine Corps Recruiting Sub-Stations

Middletown & White Plains, NY

•  Headquarters Marine Corps, Quantico, VA

Sgt. Carl Swenson, Funeral Honors

• Additional Local Support

Nyack College
American Legion, Charles & Robert Blauvelt, Post No. 310 – Mike Longuil, Post Commander; Ken Wanamaker, House Manager
Mazeppa Fire Company
The Nyack Center
Nyack High School
O’Donoghue’s Tavern
Reality Bites Café
The Veterans of Foreign War
The Marine Corps League
The Orangetown Police Department
The Rockland County Jazz & Blues Society
The Jazz Knights, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
Susan Winthrop
Susan Riley Abbott

• The many area-restauranteurs and merchants that contributed monetary and/or product donations:

Liberty’s American Grill & Sports Bar, Valley Cottage, NY
The Clarksville Inn, West Nyack, NY
Eat Sweet, LLC,Pine Bush, NY
Tropicana, Whitestone, NY
Mike Ritchie
Subway, Nyack, NY
Dr. Davies Farm, Congers, NY
Anna’s Bakery, Congers, NY
Patisserie Didier Dumas, Nyack, NY
Valley Cottage Deli, Valley Cottage, NY
Tarantella Pizzeria, Nyack NY
Reality Bites Cafe, Nyack, NY
Casa Del Mare, Upper Nyack, NY
Congers Wine & Liquor, Congers, NY
Palmieri Spirits, Nyack, NY
Bee Alive, Nyack, NY
Rivertown Magazine, Rockland County, NY
FDNY, Bronx, NY
DRASH/DHL Systems, Orangeburg, NY
Sign of the Times, Nyack, NY
Nyack Gourmet, Nyack, NY

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A Legislative Proclamation bestowed on 10 September 2011 by Ms. Harriet D. Cornell, Chairwoman of The Rockland County Legislature, proclaims “September 10, 2011 A Day In Honor of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra by Anita Brown”.

My deepest gratitude to Ms. Cornell for this great honor, without whose support the vision for my event would not have been brought to fruition.  Many thanks also to her assistant, Ms. Suzanne Barclay, who listened without interrupting, heard and understood my vision and intention, and worked beyond the scope of normal business hours to accommodate my deadlines as they changed.

~AB

A Proclamation by The Rockland County Legislature

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Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra

Presents
The World Premiere of

Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra

featuring

The United States Marine Corps
Silent Drill Platoon

from Marine Barracks, Washington, DC

and

Marine Color Guard & Firing Detail

from The 6th Communications Battalion, Brooklyn, NY

September 10, 2011, 2:00pm

Memorial Park, Nyack, NY

The program began with Ms. Haley Swindal singing our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner in front of a Marine Color Guard from the 6th Communications Battalion.  This was followed by two other pieces of mine I thought appropriate for the occasion entitled Elegia and Remembrance. 

Functioning also as Mistress of Ceremonies, Ms. Swindal began with some opening remarks, including introducing Ms. Harriet Cornell, the Chairperson of The Rockland County Legislature.  Ms. Cornell presented me with a legislative proclamation in honor of Stand.  Its text will be posted in due time.

Following this, I said a few words, introduced the members of the orchestra and read the official introduction of The Silent Drill Platoon.  Haley then read three excerpts rom Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, which I chose for their particularly accurate reflection of my sentiments before beginning the premiere performance of Stand.  The videos of the first segment of the concert will be uploaded following distribution of those included here for a number of business purposes.

Please download the concert program in the right margin and try to watch contiguously at least once so as to gather the full intent and effect of the work.    My thanks to all involved in this endeavor.   ~AB

Band Personnel, L to R (*section leader, +auxiliary player):
Reeds: Tim Armacost, Matt Hong, *Dave Pietro,  Ralph Lalama, Ed Xiques
Trumpets: +Tony Kadleck, Tatum Greenblatt,  *Jon Owens, Evan Barker, Jami Dauber
Trombones: Mike Christianson, *Mark Patterson,  Jason Miller, George Flynn
French horn: Theresa MacDonnell
Rhythm: Kenny Wessell, guitar; *Ray Marchica, drums; Jim Ridl, piano; +Lee Finkelstein, percussion
Vocalists: Holly Durniak Castle, Lee Finkelstein, *Nina Hennessey, Louise Rogers, Nicole Pasternak, Haley Swindal, GySgt James Wallace

Stand: Movement I. The Homeland

A blues, this cyclical, American form, treated in the definitively American swing tradition, allows some of our nation’s most accomplished jazz artists to speak freely through their unique voices. Pre-dating 9/11/01, we are reminded of the security we enjoyed as a nation on 9/10/01. The melody for this blues was derived from manipulation of the melody in Movement V.

Solos: Dave Pietro, alto sax; Ed Xiques, baritone sax; Kenny Wessell, guitar; Jim Ridl, piano; Mike Christianson, trombone;
Ralph Lalama, tenor sax; Tatum Greenblatt, trumpet

*  *  *  *

Stand: Movement II. Tuesday Morning

The World Premiere of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra, 9/10/11.
As the human heart beats in groupings of three, so begins Tuesday Morning in ¾ time. A lilting melody first representing the heartbeat of the individual at first light on a beautiful, late summer morning, it grows into the heartbeat of the city. Following improvised solos the harmony begins to shift. Unsuspecting, we feel an undercurrent of threat evocative of airplane engines in the trombones. The two impacts upon The Twin Towers are depicted in the rhythm section. Chaos ensues. In the wake of this horror, a momentary, emotional paralysis followed by the solo soprano saxophone of Dave Pietro playing Amazing Grace over twenty-one occurrences of dark, biting harmonic underpinnings, tolling the magnitude of the day’s loss of life.

Solos: Matt Hong, alto sax; Tatum Greenblatt, trumpet;
Dave Pietro, soprano sax

*  *  *  *

Stand: Movement III. Benumbed

The World Premiere of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra, 9/10/11.
Benumbed opens with improvisations painting an expression of pain. Taking liberties by elongating and breaking up its phrases, it sets the melody of a Victorian-Era hymn against a harmonic backdrop wavering between grief, confusion and glimmers of fond reflection, expressing a broad spectrum of human emotions we were forced to assimilate.
Familiar to many as the US Navy Hymn honoring the fallen, Eternal Father Strong To Save serves to depict a combination of honor and personal grief.

Solos: Jim Ridl, piano; Kenny Wessel, guitar; Mark Patterson, trombone; Theresa MacDonnell, French horn

*  *  *  *

Stand: Movement IV. Valor

The World Premiere of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra, 9/10/11.
Valor begins with a firing detail of seven Marines firing three volleys (shots) followed by two versions of Taps flanking the performance of The Silent Drill Platoon. Taps is first performed as a stark trumpet solo by Tony Kadleck, as per traditional military funeral honors. An orchestration of the familiar bugle call follows The Silent Drill Platoon’s performance. In its reprise, lush harmonies transfigure grief to strength as it now functions as a lullaby sounding the end of a day’s work; putting our loved ones and our grief to rest, making it possible to forge ahead, smile again and to Stand strong.

This melody was composed during the remarkable window of time immediately following September 11, 2001, when New Yorkers and all Americans joined together as one people. My intention in composing this piece is to invite and inspire you, the audience, to reflect, heal and Stand together, united as one; to view each others’ perspectives as valid and to honor the diversity that makes us who we are.

The United States Marine Corps
6th Communications Battalion
Firing Detail
SSgt William M. Redmon, Commander

Solo Trumpet: Tony Kadleck

The United States Marine Corps
Silent Drill Platoon
Cpl. Michael Hintz, Drill Master

*  *  *  *

Stand: Movement V. Stand

The World Premiere of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra, 9/10/11.
Crafted in this segue to seemingly grow out of Taps, the melody for this finale is stated several times in the orchestration before inviting you, the audience, to sing in unison, six times with the vocalists. In unison there is strength; out of many, one; E Pluribus Unum. This melody, composed on September 17, 2001 was created without inner dialogue, complete with lyrics and title. The inspiration to incorporate The Silent Drill Platoon into the fabric of this work is a result of connections I sensed between the needs of this melody and the profound strength their performances offered me. Were it not for my discovering their videos online, this piece would not have taken on a structure akin to a symphony.

This melody was composed during the remarkable window of time immediately following September 11, 2001, when New Yorkers and all Americans joined together as one people. My intention in composing this piece is to invite and inspire you, the audience, to reflect, heal and Stand together, united as one; to view each others’ perspectives as valid and to honor the diversity that makes us who we are.

Solos: Tim Armacost, tenor; Dave Pietro, alto
Vocalists: Holly Durniak, Lee Finkelstein, Nina Hennessey, Nicole Pasternak, Louise Rogers,
Haley Swindal, Marine Gunnery Sergeant James Wallace

*  *  *  *

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October 1, 2011
Dear President Obama,

I’m writing to tell you about a unique event that occurred on 10 SEP 2011 in Memorial Park, Nyack, NY  commemorating the American experience surrounding our national tragedy on 9/11.   My newest composition, Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra in five movements was rendered a ground-breaking work of performance art as a result of The United States Marines Corps Silent Drill Platoon’s participation in its world premiere.  With the ability to be performed in a concert hall setting, my choice was to premiere the work as inspired and conceived, utilizing The Silent Drill Platoon in the fabric of the piece, representing all first responders within my musical depiction of this American story.

The premiere was a wonderful success, celebrating the resiliency of our American spirit and honoring the victims, families, first responders, our military, including all who were inspired to answer the call to arms since our national tragedy on September 11, 2001.  I believe the extensive Marine presence was as moving and inspiring to the audience as it was to my band members and myself.

Enclosed please find a program, two photographs and a copy of my letter to General Amos outlining significant details of the event.  You may be surprised to learn, as is cited in the enclosed letter, that no regional press attended the event in this Hudson River town, twenty miles north of Manhattan.

While I know you have many pressing issues on your plate, I simply wanted to make you, your staff and Mrs. Obama aware of this unique event, designed to bring the audience together to symbolically Stand as one in song; a musical embodiment of E Pluribus Unum.

It has been a great privilege getting to know so many Marines over the past eighteen months in pursuit of this endeavor. My respect for General Amos and his Marines has been raised to a level more commendable than words can describe.  Their honor, commitment, demeanor and pride, in addition to their resolve to serve and protect is definitively American.

Only in retrospect do I realize just how appropriate pairing them with jazz was:  As the first movement opens with the American-born blues form, several players exercise “free speech” through improvised solos.  In the second movement, the depiction of horrific threat to our way of life manifests, inflicting inconsolable grief.  The ceremonial representation of our nation’s first responders enter on command to offer us their strength and protection of the freedom portrayed through the jazz idiom.  In this piece, The Silent Drill Platoon illustrates each Marine’s decision to put aside their individuality in order to function as a team; the well-oiled machine that is The United States Marine Corps.  I hope Stand illustrates that the freedoms we hold so precious require a highly trained security detail to guard the perimeter.  At the same time its intention is to inspire all Americans to Stand as one.  The whole is the sum of its parts: individualism and teamwork are part of the same machine.

In reflecting upon my increased awareness of Marine culture, I realize another thread common to the lives of Marines and jazz musicians;  that we are both required to do more with less.  Although we may appear to occupy opposite ends of society’s spectrum, we are joined by our pay grades.  It is my sincere hope that our nation will come to value the contributions of Marines, particularly the enlisted, and jazz musicians, particularly the lesser known artists, so as to afford us a clear and noble path to live up to our respective commitments while earning a living free of undue obstacles.

I look forward to future performances of Stand and would be honoured for your audience.

Respectfully,

Anita Brown, Composer/Arranger

www.standsymphony.com

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Commandant of the Marine Corps
General James F. Amos
Headquarters Marine Corps
Washington, DC

September 30, 2011

Dear General Amos,

I would like to thank you for your support in sending LtCol. Peter Meyer of MAG 49 Det B, Newburgh, NY in your behalf for the premiere production of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra, in Nyack, NY on 10 SEP 2011.  I must tell you that he brought with him twenty-four exemplary Marines in uniform, and another fifteen in the audience, who were all helpful and friendly to my crew, family, guests and the public.

One of the greatest honors of my life was to be retrieved from our American Legion Hall Hospitality Center atop the park by Major Daniel Colvin (MAG 49 Det B) and escorted around the perimeter of the park to the band shell.  Another great privilege was reading The Silent Drill Platoon’s standard introductory text to my audience, while looking out to see so many Marines, veterans and two bus loads of poolees (from RSS Peekskill and RSS White Plains, NY).

The greatest honor of all was to have The Silent Drill Platoon of Washington, DC participate in tandem with members of the 6th Communications Battalion, Brooklyn, NY and my band, Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra, (which included, among the vocalists, GySgt. James Wallace, First MCD, Garden City, NY) in executing a truly flawless world premiere performance of Stand.

Ms. Harriet Cornell, Chairwoman of the Rockland County Legislature, presented a Legislative Proclamation citing the participation of The Silent Drill Platoon and concluding with “…on behalf of the entire Legislature do hereby publicly and formally proclaim September 10, 2011 A Day in Honor of Stand: A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra by Anita Brown.”

I am deeply grateful for the support of The United States Marine Corps in this most unusual endeavor.  What began as a brief conversation in March 2010 about 9/11 with a friend, Retired Major Mark Bubba Lennerton, came to fruition on 10 SEP 2011 as a result of being inspired and supported by Marines from Albany, NY to NAS Pax, MD, which doesn’t include active and EAS’d Marines who have followed the project’s progress online from around the globe.  One Marine, EAS’d Sgt. David Hammer from the State of Washington sent me one of his EGA’s, which was on stage with me during the performance.  Another, Cpl. James Krantz, who served in the 1950’s drove out from Iowa with his son to shoot photographs.

Words cannot describe the pride I felt, to have been granted the opportunity to bring so many fine Marines, our nation’s first responders, to my small, artsy village on the Hudson River, together with poolees, veterans, stellar musicians and local citizens for this event.  Reports from the audience indicate many were brought to tears through the musical depiction of that lovely Tuesday morning turning to horror, the subsequent integration of the Navy Hymn, Eternal Father Strong to Save, the presentation of funeral honors cuing the Silent Drill Platoon in the most dramatic of silences during their routine, and ending with their remaining “standing” in the long line as the vocalists and members of the audience stood and sang in unison the lyrics I composed on 17 SEP 2001, “We will Stand, We will Stand tall. We will Stand and never fall. We will Stand, We will Stand strong. We will Stand united one and all.” 

In addition to the joy of working with your Marines both in preparation and execution of this event, it was a grand moment in my life and career.  I am humbled and deeply grateful for this privilege.  In following a small, inspired idea to fruition–at times acting only on gut instinct–this event was designed to inspire The People to heal and Stand together, honoring each others’ roles in our rich and diverse American culture, as was the case in the weeks immediately following September 11, 2001.  At the same time, it marks the first time an American jazz composer/band leader ever conceived of joining with The Marine Corps for the purpose of telling an American story together in a piece of performance art. 

While nothing can ever detract from the success of the event, it is surprising that there was no coverage in the regional press.  I imagined the spectacular imagery that goes with such a heavy Marine presence and the unveiling of a unique piece of “art” in commemoration of our national tragedy would speak loudly to our local newspaper and TV station.  A number of photographers did manage to capture some wonderful shots.

I have enclosed a program and two photos in this correspondence.  I will send additional related materials shortly for your archives.

I hope you might consider extending my gratitude to General Conway, whom I had the privilege of saying hello to at Center House on 13 Aug 2010 following the Evening Parade and under whose tenure my research began.

My deepest gratitude to you General Amos, for your support, commitment to serve and to command our nation’s first responders, The United States Marine Corps. 

Respectfully,

Anita Brown, Composer/Arranger
www.standsymphony.com

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I would like to thank everyone who participated in making the Premiere Production of Stand a huge success.  There are so many people who were involved that it is impossible to name them all.  At a later date, I will try!  I’m still reeling from it all, and trying to tie up loose ends while attempting to move back into my fall schedule of teaching private lessons.  There is still so much to do, but that sense of every task being urgent is not there, for which I am grateful.

Many thanks to all the folks mentioned on the personnel pages of the concert program, without whose hard work and support the premiere would never have happened.  I am deeply grateful to The United States Marine Corps, and all the units cited, and then some, as their support was instrumental in making this come to fruition.

I am also deeply grateful to all the friends, Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen and their family & friends who I met online through Facebook.  Your undying support in times of my need for strength was truly remarkable and your words were frequently ringing in my ears in moments of distress and anguish–of which there were many.

Most particularly, I would like to thank the following Marines who have already EAS’d:  Cpl Jim Krantz (IA) who drove all the way out to be here and take photos, not to mention his many monetary contributions, Sgt. David Hammer (WA), for all his encouraging words and for sending me his EGA which attended the performance with me, Sgt. Jordan Keesler (OK), without the Pulitzer Prize-Winning photo of him stuck to the wall next to the piano, I might still be sitting at the piano composing, Cpl. Patrick Stevens (AZ), my dear friend who kept me centered last September through January and assisted in finding images to influence my drawing/logo, J. Allen Brakel, Steve Panza, SSgt David Davis, Cpl Scott DeMunn, and so many more.  And to the Marines who are still active who have been so supportive, and continued to check in during deployments: Cpl. Courtland McCullough (AZ), for the use of the beautiful photo on the “Origin/Intention” page of this website (foreground), for his incredibly generous donation on a Corporal’s salary and for his friendship and assistance with a little inside info every once in a while, Cpl Ken Hadley (CA) for a shot of confidence in the arm exactly when needed, and for rendering opinions via cell phone from the dressing room at Ann Taylor regarding which dresses to buy and not to buy   thanks Hadley!  Sgt. Carl Swenson, (PA), currently at Quantico and responsible for pointing me in the right direction to secure funeral honors rendered by the firing detail out of Brooklyn, NY, Jared Maxwell (FL) (whose rank I don’t know but it should be at least Sgt), for encouraging words and friendship,  Don Jillio (CA) and Bobby Fischer (SSgt?) (NY)  for checking in and encouraging me.  And to my friend, The BK, Retired Gunny from TN.  You’ll never know how much you helped me through.

There are many more, including friends and family of service personnel, including Teresa Woody who drove out from IN to be here, Lynn Hallman Hayes (ME) a contributor and the mom of a Marine, now a DI at Parris Island and my friend Ramona McLeod, (IL) for hearing me out and listening to a whole bunch of stuff, and encouraging me to the end.

With profound gratitude, I thank you all for your encouragement and assistance.  I know there are some I have left out.  Please accept my apologies.  So many of you were so very helpful along the way.

~Anita

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Here is the official concert program. Click on the image below to view and/or download it. 

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As of last night, August 10, 2011, all edits to my full score were complete and handed over to Evan Barker to edit the parts in finale, the notation software program.

We are still in dire need of your contributions!  Please click the CONTRIBUTE button to learn more!

Thanks for visiting…

~AB

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Contact: Anita Brown
E-mail: ABrownJazzOrch@aol.com
URL:  www.standsymphony.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Announcing the Premiere Production of

Stand:  A Symphony for Jazz Orchestra
by Award-Winning New York Jazz Composer
Anita Brown

NYACK, NY — On Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 2:00pm, Stand, a uniquely original piece of performance art by Nyack’s Award-Winning Jazz Composer, Anita Brown will be premiered in Memorial Park (entrance at Depew & Piermont Aves.) Nyack, NY 10960.

The piece commemorates and depicts the American experience surrounding our national tragedy on 9/11 and will be premiered during the weekend of its tenth anniversary by Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra featuring The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon from Marine Barracks, Washington, DC (confirmed), representing all first responders.

An additional thirty Marines from Brooklyn and White Plains, NY units have also been tasked to participate.  Ms. Haley Swindal, of New York’s Steinbrenner family, will perform The Star Spangled Banner.

“I plan to bring a Legislative Proclamation on September 10 which will laud your symphony for the unique way it commemorates the American experience surrounding 9/11.”

                        –Congresswoman Harriet Cornell, Rockland County, NY

“General Amos requested that I respond in his behalf regarding your request…  Thank you for your desire to include the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon in this debut performance of Stand [and] for your efforts in composing this piece of music…”

                        –Col. Salas, Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps Pentagon

Constructed as a symphony in five movements, the first, subtitled The Homeland, is a blues in the style of America’s own classic tradition of swing jazz, conveying a sense security pre-dating 9/11/01.  The second, Tuesday Morning opens with the depiction of a lovely morning and moves through the events of that tragic day, followed by Benumbed, an expression of grief and confusion. Inspired by traditions of military funeral honors , the fourth movement, Valor, simultaneously offers the most dramatic effect in music–silence, a moment of silence/reflection, representation of all first responders and renewal of strength, as The Silent Drill Platoon takes its cue from a solo trumpet. In the final movement, Stand, the audience is invited to join in song in an anthem-like, unison melody as the on-stage vocalists are cued in. The intention of the composer is to inspire her audience to Stand, united in strength as one people.

All are invited to bring lawn chairs for this FREE performance honoring victims, families, first responders, military and our collective resilient spirit as a nation.  For information, pdf flyers & updates regarding tax-deductible donations, online streaming and inclement weather location visit www.standsymphony.com

“Stand is at once a major musical composition and an important landmark in the history of art that expresses what a people feels.”   – Larry Kart, Jazz In Search of Itself  (Yale University Press)

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