May 9, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore… Guest Conductor Keith Brion returns to Portland to lead the Oregon Symphony and re-create his role as the “March King,” John Philip Sousa in a special Rose Festival Concert on Saturday, June 7, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
Brion, who has made numerous appearances as Sousa around the country, both with symphony orchestras and his own New Sousa Band, last conducted the Symphony in a Sousa program entitled “Stars, Stripes and Sousa!” in 1998. These Sousa programs are a fulfillment of Keith Brion’s long-standing ambition to recreate America’s musical traditions and are the result of extensive research in libraries, newspapers, museums, interviews with former Sousa band members, and the study of old recordings. Brion has given special attention to the original performance techniques of Sousa’s band, and his “portrayal” includes Sousa’s conducting mannerisms and stage appearance from the 1920’s, replicas of his baton, uniform and white gloves. Brion’s investigation of the Sousa band’s performance techniques has led to numerous modern editions of Sousa’s orchestral and band music, and several recordings.
Guest artist Lee Merrill, whose voice has been described by Variety as “dazzling,” has established herself as a versatile performer in several genres, including opera, musical theatre, and dramatic acting. She has appeared with Glimmerglass Opera and Houston Grand Opera, as well as Houston’s prestigious Alley Theater in a number of roles.
Brion begins the concert with a patriotic flair, bringing the audience to its feet with Sousa’s arrangement of “The Star Spangled Banner,” and continues with music of Offenbach, Grainger, Herbert, Pryor’s “Fantastic Polka,” featuring Symphony Principal Trombone Aaron LaVere and a Puccini aria performed by Merrill. The second half features two Gershwin songs sung by Merrill, but is otherwise devoted to Sousa’s music, including “The White Rose,” “Peaches and Cream” and the “Circus Galop” from “The Irish Dragoon,” among other works. Brion will also perform favorite Sousa marches as encores, which, in keeping with Sousa’s performance practices, will be announced during the concert with sign cards.
The performance is scheduled for Saturday, June 7 at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets range in price from $21 to $59 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at 503-228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Keith Brion has led his popular “Sousa in Concert” performances with most of America’s major and regional orchestras and in countless repeat performances. He also tours nationally with his own New Sousa Band. His authentic Sousa programs are a fulfillment of Keith Brion’s long-standing ambition to take a fresh look at America’s musical traditions. These modern recreations have proved to be as alive today as they were over a century ago. They are the result of extensive research in libraries, newspapers, museums, interviews with former Sousa band members, and the study of old recordings. Mr. Brion has given special attention to a revival of Sousa’s appealing and durable programming skills, and to the original performance techniques of Sousa’s band. His performances are authorized by John Philip Sousa Inc., John Sousa IV, President.
Keith Brion’s “portrayal” includes Sousa’s conducting mannerisms and stage appearance from the 1920’s, replicas of his baton, uniform and white gloves. His investigation of the Sousa band’s performance technique has led to numerous modern editions of Sousa’s orchestral and band music.
In May of 1986, Brion led a PBS-TV special, “The New Sousa Band on Stage at Wolf Trap.” He also appeared in the PBS-TV special “If You Knew Sousa” on the American Experience series. He has recorded Sousa with his own New Sousa Band and with the Rochester Philharmonic. Three volumes of a new series of Sousa’s orchestral music have recently been recorded on the Naxos label as well as three recordings of the music of Victor Herbert and one of Percy Grainger’s orchestral music. Brion has also recorded the music of Sousa, Percy Grainger and Alan Hovhaness for Delos. He is currently undertaking the recording of Sousa’s “Complete Wind Works” for Naxos, a sixteen-CD series with London’s Royal Artillery Band.
In addition to a number of performances with Canadian orchestras, Keith Brion has appeared overseas with the Gothenburg Symphony and Stockholm Symphonic Wind Orchestra in Sweden, the Concert Orchestra of London, and a concert and national television show with the New Zealand Symphony.
Mr. Brion is a former director of the Yale University Band, which he led at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. At Yale, in the spring of 1978, he conceived a re-creation of the historical sounds and sights of John Philip Sousa and his band. The concerts met with instant popular and critical acclaim, and were later taped for public television and National Public Radio.
Keith Brion has also been stepping out of his Sousa uniform, to appear with numerous orchestras as a pops conductor in “Patriotic Pops,” “A Fiedler Tribute,” “An Old Fashioned Christmas,” a Hallowe’en concert entitled “A Little Fright Music,” a Valentine’s Pops concert, a Leroy Anderson evening and “Viva Italia.” Mr. Brion maintains his studio and offices in New Haven, Connecticut. He may be contacted at WillowBlos@aol.com or via either of his web sites: “sousainconcert.com” or “newsousaband.com.”
Equally at home in opera, drama and musical theatre, the versatile Ms. Merrill’s credits include leading roles with Opera Omaha, Edmonton Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Texas Opera Theatre and the Chautauqua Opera. An alumna of the Houston Opera Studio, she has also performed extensively with the Houston Grand Opera, and her roles have ranged from Papagena in the Frank Corsaro/Maurice Sendak production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” to Johanna in Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd,” directed by Hal Prince. Variety has described her voice as “dazzling” and the Houston Chronicle has proclaimed it an instrument of “spine-tingling beauty.” At Houston’s prestigious Alley Theater she created the role of Lady Beaconsfeld in the Broadway hit “Jekyll and Hyde,” and her dramatic credits at the Alley include Phoebe in “As You Like It” and Peggy in “Front Page.” In 1989 famed opera star Beverly Sills presented Ms. Merrill with the “Spirit of the American Woman” award for her extraordinary contributions to the arts. She currently lives in Springfield, Ohio with her husband, coach/accompanist David Hapner, and their two children.
Recently appointed Principal Trombone of the Oregon Symphony, Aaron LaVere is emerging as one of the leading brass players of his generation. His most recent work with the New World Symphony had him performing under the batons of Michael Tilson Thomas, Hans Vonk, Sergiu Comissiona, Vladimir Spivakov, Don Runnicles, and Hugh Wolff. Mr. LaVere has worked with the Detroit Symphony under Neeme Jarvi, the San Antonio Symphony under Christopher Wilkins, the Kalamazoo Symphony, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ann Arbor Symphony, and the Flint Symphony.
A frequent soloist, Mr. LaVere has appeared throughout the Midwest, performing the Grondahl Concerto, the David Concerto, and the Jacob Concerto. As a chamber musician, Mr. LaVere has performed with the Detroit Chamber Winds, the Detroit Symphony Brass Quintet, the Michigan Chamber Brass, and the New World Brass Quintet.
A native of Flint, Michigan, Mr. LaVere began his musical studies at the age of nine in the public schools. His education took him to Interlochen, and on to the University of Michigan, where he earned both a BM and a MM in performance. He has studied with Jay Friedman, Sam Pilafian, James DeSano, Milt Stevens, Mark Lawrence, Ian Bousefield, and H. Dennis Smith, and received an invitation to the Tanglewood Music Festival. As a member of the Pacific Music Festival, Mr. LaVere toured throughout Asia performing under Christoph Eschenbach. At the National Orchestral Institute in Washington DC, he worked under the batons of Marin Alsop, Maximiano Valdes, and Peter Bay.