Wind Ensemble Concert Series

2025-2026

In a time when we may all feel disconnected or fractured, the 2025–2026 Catawba College Wind Ensemble Concert Series, Finding Belongingness, offers a space to reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us.

Featuring a mixture of contemporary and classic works for concert band, the series will explore many layers of what it means to belong. The series looks at how empathy and shared stories build connection, how personal growth and collective memory shape our sense of place, and how love and nature thread belonging into our everyday lives. Each concert presents a curated angle, inviting audiences to reflect, celebrate, and find belongingness through music.

Through Each Other’s Eyes (October 7, 2025)

Explore belongingness through the lens of shared experience. This opening concert journeys through emotion, culture, history, and myth; inviting us to create connection and empathy by seeing the world through each other's eyes.

Words to Live By (November 24, 2025)

Discover the power of resilience and transformation. Works included in this concert reflect personal and communal contexts of belonging, illustrating how individual growth and shared truths help us find our place.

Visions on Past (March 5, 2026)

Honor tradition while embracing new voices. This concert reveals how belonging is shaped by history, heritage, and the bravery to move forward together.

Love & Nature (April 27, 2026)

Celebrate the intimate ties between human emotion and the natural world. Selected works on this final concert experience remind us that belonging is not only about community, but also our connection to the earth which sustains us.

Love and Nature

April 27, 2026

This concert closes the Finding Belongingness series by inviting us to witness the powerful ties between human emotion and the natural world. We begin with Letters, a deeply intimate reflection on communication and the yearning for connection, setting the emotional foundation for the evening. The music carries us through personal stories etched in time and distance. Next, Love and Nature expands the lens—drawing parallels between human intimacy and the natural environment that surrounds us. It blurs boundaries, reminding us that belonging often spans both heart and habitat. The Northern Pines offers a warm, nostalgic breath—a moment of quiet reverence for the landscape that shapes our identities and memories. Ballenas plunges us into the depths, where the haunting calls of whales echo ancient patterns of migration and belonging far beyond human borders. It invites reflection on the vastness of connection. Finally, Deciduous closes the program—and the series—with a meditation on change and renewal, embodying the cycles that govern both nature and our lives. Through these pieces, we experience belonging not just as a social or cultural condition, but as a profound and ever-evolving relationship—with each other, and with the natural world that sustains us.

Program

Porter Ridge High School Wind Ensemble

Mr. Brett Farris

The Washington Post - John Philip Sousa (1889)

Bayou Breakdown - Brant Karrick (2004)

Into the Joy of Spring - James Swearingen (2001)

Catawba College Wind Ensemble
Dr. J. Ben Jones, Conductor

Letters - Kelijah Dunton (2021)

Love and Nature - Gala Flagello (2024)

The Northern Pines - John Philip Sousa (1931)

Ballenas - Josh Rodriguez (2024)

Deciduous - Viet Cuong (2023)

Program Notes:

Program note written by Mackenzie Jackson

Kelijah Dunton is an emerging composer from Brooklyn, New York. Born in 1999, Dunton grew up as a self-proclaimed “weird kid,” a nerd who loved to read comic books and watch anime. Like many artists, Dunton felt he was often misunderstood and spent his younger years detached from those around him and as somewhat of a loner. A pivotal moment in his life occurred, however, when he was approached on his first day of high school by the school’s band director. Dunton found his “home” within his high school’s band program and, in fact, credits music with saving his life. He has stated that music was “a small light in my childhood chapters of darkness and loneliness.” Dunton moved from place to place during his childhood and was exposed to different genres of music from people of different backgrounds and cultures. In high school, he began to play the saxophone and continues to actively play within New York City’s metropolitan music community today. Kelijah Dunton began his composing career in 2019 with the piece Stillwater and continues to draw inspiration from his own life experiences for his musical works.

Letters is a dynamic piece for wind ensemble, which was composed by Kelijah Dunton in 2021. The work takes listeners through a whirlwind of emotions and concepts as it tells a story of romantic betrayal from the perspective of the scorned. Different periods of time in the relationship are explored through letters that are sent back and forth, detailing the ups, the downs, the pretty, and the ugly of their relationship. The piece moves through several iterations of the same melody, but each time it is different, taking on a new identity entirely. As Dunton states, “Each tone shift in Letters gives the audience a vivid glimpse into which part of the letter the character is reading. Is it the nostalgic part where they recall the fondest of memories—the fun dates, the connection, the shared visions, the special experiences? Or are they reading the part that makes the character angry, bitter, and resentful, full of malice and blistering with rage?” Letters takes both the audience and musician on an emotional and musical journey that reveals the true nature of love. Love isn’t always beautiful. Love can be painful, too.

Program note written by Summer Floyd and Lila Rhodes

Gala Flagello (b. 1994) is a composer and educator whose work is inspired by a passion for lyricism, rhythmic vitality, and fostering meaningful collaboration. Her music, described as "at times endearingly whimsical, at times ominous, but always moving" (Cleveland Classical), resonates with audiences through its emotional depth and dynamic expression. With over 150 performances of her music each year, Flagello's collaborations with leading ensembles, artists, and institutions on national and international stages are impactful to audiences and performers alike. She has collaborated with many notable conductors, including Earl Lee, Fouad Fakhouri, Timothy Muffitt, Arian Khaefi, Bruce Kiesling, and Na'Zir McFadden. Flagello’s music has been programmed in seven countries and 39 states. Her pieces are featured at conferences around the world, including the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), the Midwest Clinic, the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), the Thailand Tuba Euphonium Conference (ThaiTEC), and several state music educator conferences.

Love and Nature, composed by Gala Flagello, was published in 2024 and first performed in October of that year. This piece was commissioned by a consortium of wind bands led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and explores themes of love, as well as different elements found throughout nature and our world. The work consists of three movements: “Flower Power,” “Star-Crossed,” and “Slow Burn.” Each of these movements contains a different message contributing to the theme of the piece as a whole.

The first movement, “Flower Power,” takes inspiration from the social movements of the ’60s and ’70s by exploring themes of unity and peace. This composition uses instrumentals to express the beauty of the relationship between fragility and strength. As this movement progresses, the audience witnesses the shift between calm and intense moments, symbolizing the juxtaposition between the use of force and peaceful nature. The music is also heavily inspired by the iconic photograph The Ultimate Confrontation: “The Flower and the Bayonet”, taken by Marc Riboud, which depicts a flower facing a bayonet and acts as a metaphor for using peace to protest war. This theme of love and peace persists throughout Love and Nature as the other movements build upon it. The second movement, “Star-Crossed,” dives deep into themes of fate and separation, taking inspiration from the idea of star-crossed lovers first seen during the Shakespearean era, such as in Romeo and Juliet. The music in this movement explores these themes by capturing hope and longing. The third and final movement, “Slow Burn,” is an example of dual symbolism of romance and anger. The movement focuses on intensity and transformation, reflecting themes of a slow-burning relationship and mimicking controlled fires, which support the health of the forest. The music within this movement builds a great deal of intensity, but does so slowly and gradually.

Taken all together, the three movements of Love and Nature are full of beautifully written parts that connect ideas of the natural elements of the world—such as earth, air, and fire—with themes of love.

Program note written by William Power

John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor who has been known as the “March King” because of his propensity for composing marches. He was born on November 6, 1854, in Washington, D.C., as one of the ten children of John Anthony Sousa and Maria Elisabeth Trinkaus. Sousa's music education began around 1862, when he was taught solfège; he also learned to play piano, flute, violin, and multiple brass instruments. He wrote his first composition around this time and was also found to have perfect pitch.

When he was about thirteen, his father enlisted him as a minor in the United States Marine Corps in 1868, where he became an apprentice musician. He later learned to conduct as a member of the Marine Band, and in this role, he steered the band—and himself—into a more symphonic route. He left the Marine Corps in 1892 to organize his own traveling band, the Sousa Band, where he conducted thousands of performances until 1931, one year before his death. Some of Sousa’s best-known and widely played works include The Stars and Stripes Forever, The Liberty Bell, and Semper Fidelis. He lived until he was 77, dying on March 6, 1932.

The Northern Pines was composed shortly before Sousa's second visit to the National Music Camp at Interlochen in Michigan, the name of the piece coming from the magnificent pine trees around the camp, which is located in the northern region of the state. He dedicated the piece to the camp and its founder. He was presented with a medal after the premiere performance of the piece at the camp, where he also conducted it. All of the royalties from The Northern Pines were also donated to the Music Camp at Interlochen.

Program note written by Chase Cope and Kara Kelly

Ballenas is a modern band piece composed in 2024 by Josh Rodriguez. The name of the work comes from the Spanish word for “whales,” as the piece was composed as a tribute to Rodriguez’s love for the sea. Specifically, this piece is a homage to his memories and experiences in Colombia, the home of his father. The work was premiered on May 5, 2024, by the Elmhurst University Wind Ensemble under the direction of James Hile. Throughout the composition, Rodriguez uses very specific writing and instrumentation to simulate the sounds of the ocean. Ballenas is able to create vivid imagery, from the crashing waves of the sea to the whisper of the wind. Within the piece, there are moments of key clattering and toneless rushes of air, used to create the scenery of wind. The composer also mentions in the performance note that staggered harmonic swells and the melodic lines need strong balance, but the melody voices need to “bring out of the texture.” Josh Rodriguez explicitly mentions in his personal program note that this piece is not meant to replicate the sounds of whales exactly, but rather to emphasize their importance. This piece serves as a reminder of how whales are an “important part of our fragile ecosystem and their continued need of protection.”

Born in 1982 in Argentina, and later living in Guatemala, Mexico, and now the United States, Rodriguez had a very diverse and multilingual cultural experience growing up, which heavily influenced his musical and compositional style. Rodriguez earned his Master’s degree in music at the Cleveland Institute of Music, later going on to earn his doctorate at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he worked with film composers such as Bruce Broughton and Paul Chihara. He is currently employed as Associate Professor of Music Theory at Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, Illinois, and is a composer-in-residence with the Corona Symphony Orchestra. Along with wind ensemble works, Rodriguez has also written movie scores, choral pieces, and live musical theater scores. Examples of this include multiple theatrical and film scores he composed for different adaptations of Shakespeare’s works. He frequently contributes blogs to both the arts and cultural communities and is a high-ranking member of Deus Ex Musica, an organization that aims to bring religious individuals, artists, and non-musically inclined people together while highlighting the connections and intertwinements of the two subjects.

Program note written by Pop Asbury

Deciduous, a piece composed by Viet Cuong, begins with a layered rhythm, shaped and developed by gradual change as it progresses. Viet Cuong is a contemporary composer known for his music’s focus on color and the allure of rhythm. After Cuong’s father passed away, he felt like he had “lost his leaves” and struggled to write for months. However, while creating Deciduous, he found inspiration and realized that healing is not linear, but a cyclical journey of renewal.

Still, isolated tones begin to be heard, and the emerging notes sound like separate fragments rather than a full resonance. A sense of hope may be gained from these fragile pulses and the importance of these lone, emerging notes. Through intertwining and overlapping patterns, the arrangement develops in complexity, creating a fuller sound that slowly absorbs and dissipates the lone tones. Bringing out the layers of the rhythm develops a more energized texture, built by the constant addition of layers. Continuing to build, the focus shifts from individual gestures to the entire ensemble, putting the emphasis on the blended sounds. Sporadic changes begin to occur in the rhythms, staying repetitive yet varying in where one enters. This builds momentum while maintaining precision. It feels almost as if you’re experiencing the healing Cuong was going through. As the composition approaches its climax, a saturated, full texture forms from many layers interchanging simultaneously. Overlapping gestures make the ensemble sound more immersive rather than transparent. Dynamics grow, and rhythms become more alluring, revealing the density and tension present. The turbulence of these rhythmic structures also creates a sense of urgency, leading to an intense, climactic moment. The piece reaches its peak complexity before releasing tension, disguising the individual lines and making the overall sound of the ensemble more apparent.

Deciduous, in a musical context, means to slowly strip or shed away parts of the piece. This is revealed when the layers reach a point where they begin to thin, reintroducing the space and agile rhythms heard earlier in the piece and reducing the tension. As the layers dissipate and the ensemble’s sound is once again simplified, the calm textures return. The recognizable patterns, reshaped from earlier ideas, blend back in with the calm, dissolving tones. As the sound continues to resonate and comes to a stop, you can hear the subtle echoes of the rhythm. The colors and tones are sustained, and the focus remains on the ensemble’s sound as a whole. Leaving you with a sense of openness, the music seems to extend beyond the final note. As Cuong states, healing is not a linear path, but rather a cyclical journey of renewal. As we resolve, the ending feels suggestive instead of final. The final note, leaving behind a trace of its fading resonance, symbolizes that healing is not yet complete.

Conductors and Guest Artists

Dr. J. Ben Jones is Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Catawba College where he serves as conductor for the Wind Ensemble, director of the Marching Band and Pep Band, and administers the entire Catawba College bands program. Prior to this appointment he served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Elon University from 2020 to 2022 and as interim conductor of the Duke University Wind Symphony during the fall of 2021.

Ben earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2021. While at UNCG, he served as the principal conductor of the University Band and was the co-conductor of the Symphonic Band during the 2018–19 school year. He was also a frequent guest conductor with the Wind Ensemble, Casella Sinfonietta, and served as an instructor in undergraduate instrumental conducting.

Prior to his graduate studies Ben taught in the public school system of North Carolina as the Director of Bands at Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, where he oversaw marching and concert bands and collaborative efforts within the community. An advocate for music education and building leaders in school music programs, Ben has presented leadership training workshops, worked with young music educators, adjudicated, and served as a guest clinician for many band programs around the Carolinas.

Ben is a native of Gastonia, NC, and holds a BME from the University of South Carolina and an MM in Instrumental Conducting from UNCG. He has studied with Dr. Kevin Geraldi, Dr. John Locke, and Dr. Jonathan Caldwell, and is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the College Band Directors National Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Mr. Brett Farris is a graduate of Western Carolina University where he earned a B.M. and B.S. Ed in Music Education. While at WCU, Mr. Farris studied bass trombone and performed with their Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Trombone Ensemble, Brass Quintet, AIR Orchestra, and has performed with the Brevard Philharmonic. He was also a member of the prestigious “Pride of the Mountains” marching band where he served as the Low Brass Caption TA, and the Drum Corps International group Spirit of Atlanta where he performed on contra. Mr. Farris served as the director of bands at East Rowan High School from 2020-2024 where he established a successful program both on the marching field and in the concert halls frequently earning high ratings during fall and winter marching shows, and Superior ratings at MPA. Mr. Farris is the current director of bands at Porter Ridge High School in Indian Trail NC where he continues to grow and expand the program. Mr. Farris is a resident of Concord, North Carolina alongside his dogs, miniature dachshunds named Otis and Peppa, and his wife, Mason. Mr. Farris also enjoys spending his free time with video games, disc golf, and spending time with his family.

Ensemble Personnel

Catawba College Wind Ensemble

Flute

Pop Asbury, First-Year, Biology, Mocksville, NC
Grace Atkinson, First-Year, Elementary Education, Salisbury, NC
Izzy Bracken, Junior, Music Education, Mocksville, NC
Rafael Caballero, First-Year, Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Counseling, Salisbury, NC
Jaylin Fahnbulleh, Sophomore, Natural Resource Management, Concord, NC
Mackenzie Jackson, Junior, Music Performance, Kannapolis, NC
Madeline Ubry, Sophomore, Environment and Sustainability, New Castle, PA

Oboe

Taiki Azuma, Catawba College Woodwood Instructor, Coral Springs, FL
Summer Floyd, First-Year, Administration of Justice, King, NC

Bassoon

Christopher Allpress, Special Guest, Pittsboro, NC
Iain Bass, Sophomore, Environmental Science, concentration in Policy and Advocacy, with minors in Music and Botany, Lucia, NC

Clarinet

Ashley Baker, First-Year, Music Education, High Point, NC
James Pineda, First-Year, Music Education, Gastonia, NC
Marlin Ludwig, Catawba College Marching Band Staff, Gastonia, NC
Elliot Richardson, First-Year, Music Education, Elkin, NC
Eli Yates, Sophomore, Music Education, Denton, NC

Bass Clarinet

Kara Kelly, First-Year, Music Education, Concord, NC

Alto Saxophone

Kenny Chavarria, Sophomore, Music Education, Salisbury, NC
Isabella McCutcheon, First-Year, Music Education, King, NC
Yessy Paredes, Junior, Music Performance, Winston-Salem, NC

Tenor Saxophone

Mitchell Caudle, First-Year, Popular Music, Pinnacle, NC
Alan Rosales-Aveldanez, Junior, Information Systems and Technology, Concord, NC

Baritone Saxophone

Josh Harnois, Alumni Class of 2023, Salisbury, NC

Trumpet

Chase Cope, Sophomore, Music Education, Rural Hall, NC
Sam Santiago, Catawba College Trumpet Instructor, West Friendship, MD
Connor Sisk, Sophomore, Environment and Sustainability, Gaffney, SC
Cameron Warner, First-Year, Music Education, Lincolnton, NC

Horn

Miles Funderburk, First-Year, Music Education, Gastonia, NC
Barry Sang, Catawba College Professor Emeratis, Salisbury, NC
Amanda Friedman, Catawba College Trumpet Instructor, Winston-Salem, NC

Trombone

Tyler Looney, First-Year, History, Mt. Ulla, NC
BJ Maroney, Sophomore, Music Education, Winston-Salem, NC
Sacha Witt, Administrative Assistant - Shuford School of Performing Arts, Trombone and Euphonium Instructor, Salisbury, NC

Euphonium

Iain Bass, Sophomore, Environmental Science, concentration in Policy and Advocacy, with minors in Music and Botany, Lucia, NC
Katie Roberts, First Year, Community Member, Salisbury, NC
Abiail Harnois, Catawba College Marching Band Staff - Color Guard Instructor, Alumni Class of 2023, Salisbury, NC

Tuba

Austin Lowery, Catawba College Marching Band Staff - Assistant Director of Athletic Bands and Tuba Instructor, Lincolnton, NC
Lila Rhodes, First-Year, Undeclared, Monroe, NC
Devin Seely, First-Year, Music Performance, Walkertown, NC

Percussion

Seth Blevins, Director of Bands, West Rowan Middle School
Mikhiel Breeden, Sophomore, Music Education, Gastonia, NC
Parker Cox, Director of Bands, Jesse Carson High School
Justin Johnson, Catawba College Marching Band Staff and Percussion Instructor, High Point, NC
Molly Meyerhofer, Sophomore, Middle School Education - Math, Traphill, NC
Will Power, Sophomore, Music Business, Washington, DC
Simon Wordsworth, First-Year, Music Education, Salisbury, NC

Bass

Jaydon Sanchez, First-Year, Business, Salisbury, NC