UNTIL THE NIGHT COLLAPSES (World Premiere)

Thursday night was the world premiere of UNTIL THE NIGHT COLLAPSES, performed by the Bowling Green State University Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Michael Thomas King. The piece is dedicated to the students, parents & staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland, Florida, and their Director, Mr. Alex Kaminsky was in attendance, having spent the day talking with the BGSU students and Ohio music educators about his experiences with the recent shooting in Parkland. Commissioned by an incredible consortium of ten directors across the midwest, this was the first of many premiere performances coming up in the next few months, and it was a profoundly moving experience. I can't say thank you enough to the directors in addition to Dr. King and Dr. Bruce Moss who made this possible, including:
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Dr. Michael Butler, Director of Bands - University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
Brad Davis, Director of Bands - Flushing High School Wind Ensemble
Brad Farynairz, Director of Bands - Woodhaven High School Bands
Russ Hilton, Director of Bands - L’Anse Creuse High School Bands
Bill Petersen, Director of Bands - Freeport High School Symphonic Band
James Ross, Director of Bands - East Kentwood High School Bands
Mark Stice, Director of Bands - Okemos High School Bands
John Szczerowski, Director of Bands - Grand Ledge High School Bands
David Uhrig, Director of Bands - Rochester High School Wind Ensemble

Alex made it clear that he and his students are embracing and living out the words of Leonard Bernstein, "This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before." My hope is that this piece can in some way contribute to healing, and begin more conversations about our uniquely American problem. My deepest gratitude to Mr. Kaminsky for engaging with all of us with this work and beyond. I'm looking forward to hearing his ensemble perform in Chicago in a few weeks.