Brevard High School and Brevard Middle School bands showed a crowded auditorium Tuesday evening how you can travel the world through music.
The Brevard Bands Fall Concert, themed "Expeditions: Music from around the World," featured the BMS 8th and 7th grade bands, the BHS Percussion Ensemble, and Wind Symphony. Each student musician on stage played a role in a musical journey that crossed continents without anyone needing a passport. Students introduced each composition throughout the show, explaining its significance and context.
The musical expedition started at home. Eighth graders opened with the national anthem before trekking into "The Raiders March" from Indiana Jones. The John Williams piece, arranged by Paul Lavender, set the tone for an evening of adventure.
The 8th grade band then transported the audience to East Asia with a piece built around traditional instruments and folk songs from Japan, China, and Korea. Next came "Too Much Percussion" by Randall Standridge. Every musician on stage set aside their instruments to join the percussion section, clapping hands and stomping feet in rhythm.
The 7th grade band went on second, and middle school band teacher Topher Kane explained the unusual order to the audience. Several 7th graders had spent their afternoon giving it their all in the cross country conference championship in Cullowhee. After the race, they drove all the way back to Brevard, just in time to swap running shoes for instruments, sparking applause from the audience and their peers on stage.
Their performance continued the journey across the map. "Aztec Dance" by Michael Story transported listeners to Mesoamerica with rhythms and melodies inspired by Aztec culture. The piece required many instruments but emphasized the trumpets and clarinets to capture the power and grandeur of the music.
The band then traveled to Scotland with a piece that wove together multiple Scottish folk melodies, including "Scotland the Brave."
The 7th graders closed their portion of the concert with "Brace for Impact" by Christina Huss.
High school band teacher Andrew Jimeson took the stage to introduce the Brevard High School students. "If you were at the football game when we had eighth-grade night," he began, "Mr. Justice over the announcer booth said 'the future is looking very bright for music in Transylvania County.' And after that middle school concert, I believe it 100%." The crowd applauded in agreement.
The BHS Percussion Ensemble opened with what most people know as the "Tetris" theme, a piece with Russian origins. The complex arrangement required precision timing, and the percussion section made it all fall into place.
The BHS Wind Symphony followed, opening their set with a piece that honored Eastern sounds and culture. The students blended Western instrumentation with intricate rhythms and scales found in Indian music to build a bridge between Eastern and Western sounds.
Their next piece was dedicated to anyone in the audience who served in the armed forces during the Korean or Vietnam wars, or had a family member who served, a student explained on stage. The student then asked veterans in the audience to stand. Several did, and the auditorium responded with applause. The composition told the story of the Battle of Inchon, escalating with rhythmic intensity to symbolize the amphibious landing led by General Douglas MacArthur.
Another Brevard High School musician introduced the next piece, explaining how the next composition reflects on finding peace, comfort and hope after loss.
As the final notes faded and applause filled the auditorium, the musical journey came to an end. The bands will have their next major combined concert in the Spring.