Brevard Public Schools Administration
Dr. Mark Rendell Superintendent of Schools
Minnie Orr Music Content Area Specialist, K-12

Viera High School Administration
Heather LeGate Principal
John Rusch Assistant Principal
JR Hanson Assistant Principal
Chris Higginbotham Assistant Principal
Dr. Kimberly Humphrey Assistant Principal
Lesley Cosgrove Assistant Principal

Viera High School Feeder Chain Music Teachers
Christopher Morgan - String Specialist
Michael Sperr - formerly Kennedy MS
Jack Carr - formerly DeLaura MS
Mason Taylor - Johnson MS
Nick Gallesgos - Viera MS
Shannon Sexton - Manatee Elementary
Laura Morrison - Suntree Elementary
Jana Doss - Williams Elementary
Elizabeth Rouse - Quest Elementary
Leann Hasker - Viera Elementary

Special Acknowledgements
Michael Coppola
Francine Barnhill
Chris Gaines
Dr. Robert Grover
Dr. Michael Hudson
Ian Schwindt
Jim Matthews
Daniel Walker
Mark Sunderland
Robin Ryon
Jessica Hoppenbrouwer
John Wilkerson
Phebe Nipper
Jay Garey
Welsey Fleishmann
Dr. John Southall
Dr. Kyle Prescott
Dr. Scott Lubaroff
Dr. Douglas Phillips
Dr. Matthew McCutchen
Kevin Albright
Wayne Bresette
Viera HS Faculty & Staff
Viera HS Parents & Supporters

Slava! - Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)/arr. Clare Grundman (1913-1996)

First Suite in E-Flat Major, Op. 28 No. 1, H. 105 - Gustav Holst (1874-1934)/ed. Colin Matthews (b. 1946)

Dum Spiro Spero- Chris Pilsner (b. 1986)

Until the Scars - John Mackey (b. 1986)

Funiculi-Funicula Rhapsody - Luigi Denza (1846-1922)/arr. Yo Goto (b. 1958)

Slava! - Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)/arr. Clare Grundman (1913-1996)

When Mstislav Rostropovich (“Slava” to his friends) invited Leonard Bernstein to help him launch his inaugural concert as Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra, he also asked him to write a rousing new opening piece for the festivities. This overture is the result, and the world premiere took place on October 11, 1977, with Rostropovich conducting his orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The first theme of Slava! is a vaudevillian razz-ma-tazz tune filled with side-slipping modulations and sliding trombones. Theme two, which prominently features the electric guitar, is a canonic tune in 7/8 time. A very brief kind of development section follows, after which the two themes recur in reverse order. Near the end they are combined with a quotation (proclaimed by the ubiquitous trombones) from the “Coronation Scene” of Mussorgsky’s Boris Goudonov, where the chorus sings the Russian word “Slava!”, meaning “glory!” In this way, of course, the composer is paying an extra four-bar homage to his friend Slava Rostropovich, to whom this overture is fondly dedicated.

- Program Note by Jack Gottlieb

First Suite in E-Flat Major, Op. 28 No. 1, H. 105 - Gustav Holst (1874-1934)/ed. Colin Matthews (b. 1946)

2024 marks the 115th anniversary of the First Suite in E-flat by Gustav Holst, now considered one of the masterworks and cornerstones of the band literature. Although completed in 1909, the suite didn't receive its official premiere until 11 years later on June 23rd, 1920, by an ensemble of 165 musicians at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall. However, the work was originally conceived to be performed by ensembles significantly smaller than the one at Kneller Hall. During this time period there was no standardized instrumentation among the hundreds of British military bands of the day, and as a result no significant literature had been previously written for the band medium; most British bands up to then performed arrangements of popular orchestral pieces. In order to ensure the suite would be accessible to as many bands as possible, Holst ingeniously scored the work so that it could be played by a minimum of 19 musicians, with 16 additional parts that could be added or removed without compromising the integrity of the work.

There are three movements in the suite: Chaconne, Intermezzo, and March. Holst writes, “As each movement is founded on the same phrase, it is requested that the suite be played right through without a break.” Indeed, the first three notes of the Chaconne are Eb, F and C, and the first three notes of the melody when it first appears in the Intermezzo are Eb, F, and C. In the third movement, March, Holst inverts the motive: The first note heard in the brilliant opening brass medley is an Eb, but instead of rising, it descends to a D, and then a G; the exact opposite of the first two movements.

The Chaconne begins with a ground bass reminiscent of those written by Henry Purcell or William Byrd. It is performed by tuba, euphonium and string bass and is repeated throughout the ensemble sixteen full times as varying instrumental textures and variations of the theme are layered within it. Following a delicately scored chamber setting of the theme, the music steadily builds to a brilliant Eb Major chord that concludes the movement.

The Intermezzo is light and brisk and features soloistic passages for the cornet, oboe and clarinet. Holst prominently displays the agility and sensitivity of the wind band through transparent textures and passages where the melody and accompaniment are woven into a variety of instrumental settings.

The March begins suddenly. It consists of two themes, the first of which, performed by brass choir and percussion, is a march light in character. The second theme is dominated by the woodwinds and is composed of a long, lyrical line reminiscent of the original Chaconne melody. The movement concludes with both themes intertwining as the band crescendos to a climax.

- Program Note by Esmail Khalili

Dum Spiro Spero- Chris Pilsner (b. 1986)

Dum Spiro Spero takes its title from a Latin phrase meaning “While I breathe, I hope.” When I read that phrase for the first time, I was taken aback by the incredible amount of power it held and immediately knew it would be the basis for a new piece.

When I started writing, my goal was to write something as deeply emotional and human as the title was. The result was a series of simple melodies supported by some of the most colorful orchestration and harmonies I’ve ever written. From the lush opening, the gentle singing, and ultimately the triumphal climax, the human quality to the music is what I think gives Dum Spiro Spero a powerful sense of grace and splendor.

It is dedicated to Casey Cropp, the man who has served as a mentor and friend for much of my musical career.

Dum Spiro Spero was commissioned by director Casey Cropp and the Rocky Mountain High School Winds Ensemble in 2009. The piece premiered on January 28th, 2010, at the Colorado Music Educators' Association Conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., with the composer conducting.

- Program Note by composer

Until the Scars - John Mackey (b. 1986)

Until the Scars is an adaptation of the first movement of Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band, a work based on the ancient story of The Odyssey by Homer.

After ten years of bloody siege, the Trojan War was won because of Odysseus’ gambit: A horse full of soldiers, disguised as an offering. The people of Troy took it in as a trophy, and were slaughtered. Odysseus gave the Greeks victory, and they left the alien shores for home. But Odysseus’ journey would take as long as the war itself. Homer called the ocean on which Odysseus sailed a wine-dark sea, and for the Greek king it was as murky and disorienting as its name; he would not find his way across it without first losing himself.

In this section of the story, Odysseus, having filled his ship with the spoils of war, leaves for home, but he carried another, more dangerous, cargo: pride. This movement opens with his triumphal march, and continues as he and his crew maraud through every port of call on their way home.

- Program Note from publisher

Funiculi-Funicula Rhapsody - Luigi Denza (1846-1922)/arr. Yo Goto (b. 1958)

The words to Funiculi Funicula were written by journalist Peppino Turco and set to music by Denza in 1880, for the opening of the first funicular railway on Mt. Vesuvius. Although the song was composed in only a few hours, it has remained popular for over a century. Richard Strauss later included the tune in the fourth movement of his orchestral tone poem, Aus Italien, believing it to be a popular Neapolitan folk tune.

- Program Note by Edward C. Harris for the San Jose Wind Symphony

The famous melody Funiculi-Funicula was written in 1880 by Luigi Denza to lyrics by Peppino Turco to celebrate the opening of Mount Vesuvius’ funicular railway. A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope, the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalancing each other.

Yo Goto’s arrangement begins with bold fanfares that segue into a traditional tarantella. As the melody passes through each section of the ensemble, the polyrhythms eventually give way to a simple, slow, romantic rendering before the vibrancy of the original melody returns in the finale.

- Program Note from University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Wind Ensemble concert program, 21 April 2016

* = indicates principal player

^ = indicates senior member

# = Florida All-State honoree

~ = Brevard All-County honoree

Flute

*Maddie Sokol^~

Kiana Tieri~

Katherine Lee^

Sophia Bowen^

Oboe/English Horn

Katerina Thomas#~

Bassoon

*Marcus Palermo^#~

Chase Chapman~

Clarinet

*Jake Taylor~

Sadie Spellman^~

Kathit Kadakia~

Ava Monestine~

Joaquin Vandemark^

Haley Crawford

Sara Fentress

Jessica Schulman

Bass Clarinet

*Tyler Chen

Andy Mondello~

Baritone Saxophone

Camden Scott^

Alto Saxophone

*Alex Mabee^~

Ethan Boniello~

Isaac Vu^

Diego Abreu

Addy Elwell

Tenor Saxophone

*Leighton Hartwell^~

Mariana Sanford

Kaden Combs^

Trumpet 

*Tyler Blood#~

Michael De Marco~

Logan Siwicki~

Hans Hernandez^~

Ryan Stanaland~

Juliana Cruz^

Sam Donahue

Horn

*Landon Fowler^~

Stephen Evans^~

Carlie Grider^~

Liam Deasy#~

Trombone 

*Deven Miller^#~

Ethan Janning^#~

Reese Broffman^

Cole Carino~

Euphonium 

*Breon Warren^

Paloma Jenkins-Fernández

Tuba

*Riley Wetherington^~

Vinny Aliberti

James Roscoe^

Percussion

*Jack Marden^#~

Nick DiValerio~

Zach Hislop^~

Parker Kortman^

Isaac Moss~

Reilly Halsey^

Guitar
Nolan Diedling~

The Viera High School Wind Ensemble is the school’s premier performing ensemble, with membership determined by audition. They have earned superior ratings at both district and state MPA, earning the Otto J. Kraushaar Award numerous times. Viera students are consistently selected to the Florida All-State, Brevard All-County, and National (NAfME) honors ensembles. 

In 2023, the Viera Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at both the 2024 CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference and the 2024 FMEA Professional Development Conference Concert Hour. Viera High School instrumental ensembles have also performed at the 2012 FMEA Conference, 2014 FMEA President’s Concert, the 2017 Sugar Bowl Parade, the 2019 Lassiter Percussion Symposium, the McCormick Marimba Festival, the UCF Percussion Festival, the 2020 Music for All National Concert Band Festival, and both the 2022 & 2023 Music For All UCF-Orlando Concert Band Invitational.