June 11

June 11th – Opening Concert: "ATribute to the Maestro"       

Jay Gephart, Guest Conductor - Director of Bands, Purdue University

Stacy Maugans, Alto Saxophone

Sally Duke, Vocalist

In May, 2008, he traveled with the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band to Beijing, China to perform in the “Meet in Beijing” International Arts and Music Festival prior to the Olympic Games and in 2006 his Purdue Symphonic Band performed at the New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall. Professor Gephart has conducted All-State Bands in Indiana and Arkansas and served as a clinician at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. In 1997, he was selected to conduct the music camp honor band for the Department of Education in the Northern Region of Queensland, Australia. In his career he has been the recipient of many awards and honors including the Indiana Outstanding Bandmaster Award and the Purdue University New Professional Award.

Mr. Gephart received a Master of Music Degree in Performance with High Distinction from Indiana University in 1988 and a Bachelor of Music Education Degree with Distinction from Indiana University in 1983. Under his direction, the Purdue Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra have shared the stage with some of the nation’s outstanding soloists and have represented Purdue at the Indiana Music Educator’s Association state convention on two occasions. In February of 2012 the Purdue Wind Ensemble performed a concert at the national convention of the American Bandmaster’s Association, held in Indianapolis. He has also served as a guest conductor, clinician, lecturer and adjudicator both nationally and internationally. He has commissioned numerous works for wind band, including “Anthem” by Steven Bryant which was premiered in 2011 celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Purdue Bands.

Jay S. Gephart joined the faculty of Purdue University in the fall of 1995 after having completed 12 years as a public school band director. In July of 2001, he was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure and in 2009 was promoted to Full Professor. In November, 2006, Professor Gephart was appointed the Al G. Wright Chair of University Bands and Orchestras. He currently serves as Director of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band & the Purdue University Wind Ensemble. He is also coordinator of the concert band program. From 1995-2006, Professor Gephart served as the music director for the Purdue Symphony Orchestra.

PROGRAM

American Legion March…………………………………………Charles Parker                           

Resplendent Glory……………………………………………. Rossano Galante                             

Funiculi Funicula Rhapsody……………………………………….arr. Yo Goto                                        

Radio Waves………………………………………………… .Fred Jewell/Rhea                             

Serenade………………………………………………….....Frank Bencriscutto                               Stacy Maugans, Alto Saxophone  

            

A Copland Portrait……………….…………………………….Clare Grundman 

Sweet Georgia Brown….................................Maceo Pinkard /arr. Rhodes

            featuring The Retired Rum-Runner’s Dixieland Jazz Band

Abbey Road: A Symphonic Portrait……………………....... arr. Ira Hearshen 

Someone to Watch over Me………………........George Gershwin/arr. Barker

                                Sally Duke, Vocalist

“Galop” from ‘First Suite for Band’……………………….......…….Alfred Reed 

Star Spangled Banner……………………………………arr. Sousa- Damrosch

Dr. Stacy Maugans joined the Valporaiso University faculty in 2001, teaching saxophone, woodwind chamber music, musicianship, and humanities. She has presented solo and chamber music recitals in Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Arizona, California, Georgia and Florida as a guest artist and as a participant of regional and national conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance. As a member of the Arizona State University Saxophone Quartet, she won the Coleman Award for Woodwinds or Brass at the national chamber music competition in Pasadena, California. For four years, Dr. Maugans performed as a member of the Texas Wind Symphony and substitute in the Dallas Wind Symphony. An active recitalist, adjudicator and lecturer on the history of saxophone in Russia and the former Soviet Union, Dr. Maugans is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, College Music Society, and Mathematical Association of America. She has received grants from the United States Department of Education and Social Science Research Council for studies in Russian. She earned the Doctor of Music in Saxophone Literature and Performance at Indiana University under the guidance of Dr. Eugene Rousseau and Master of Music at Arizona State University with Dr. Joseph Wytko. Her hobbies include training and showing her German Shepherd Dog in obedience trials and volunteering as a Delta Society Pet Partner.

Mr. Gephart has been very active in various professional organizations including Music Educator’s National Conference, National Band Association, College Band Director’s National Association, Indiana Bandmaster’s Association, Indiana Music Educator’s Association and Phi Beta Mu. From 2010-12, he served as President of the Big Ten Band Director’s Association and currently holds the position of Treasurer of the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He is also a member of the NBA Revelli Composition Contest selection committee. In 2012, he was elected to a position on the board of the National Band Association, serving as the Collegiate Representative. Professor Gephart was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmaster’s Association in 2008 and has served as President of the Indiana Bandmaster’s Association. He, his wife Jana and their family reside in Lafayette, Indiana.

Sally Duke grew up in Greentown where she still lives with her husband of 30 years Bobby, and their 9-year old son Samuel.  Sally played clarinet in her high school band, under the direction of Mr. Terry Stiner and Mrs. Jennifer Kirkman.  She graduated from Eastern High School with a Music Major.   

She enjoyed singing and acting in high school musicals, and after graduation she went on to perform in Kokomo Civic Theater productions, as well as Lamplighter Christian Dinner Theater in Tipton and Ole Olsen Theater in Peru.  

 

Sally has recorded four gospel music CD's, as well as a CD of old standards and one of Christmas music.   She was influenced by great contemporary singers such as Karen Carpenter, Anne Murray, and Barbara Streisand, but growing up as a "preacher's kid" her greatest influence came from gospel music singers Amy Grant and Sandi Patty.    

 

Sally provides gospel concerts for local churches and charitable organizations on a regular basis.  She is a featured soloist each January at a Gospel concert series in Tucson, Arizona, called "Harmony in the Desert."   She also provides a concert in Greentown each year as part of their "Music at the Fountain" series.   She is a member of the Greentown Community Choir which performs a Good Friday service each year, as well as opening the Howard County Fair with a concert. Sally has been a featured soloist for the choir, under the direction of Mr. Mike Buck.  

  

Sally now works for CommunityFirst Bank in Kokomo where she is the escort for a group travel program.  She has visited 45 states and 22 countries.  Her goal is to visit all 50 states before she is 50 and 100 countries before she is 100.  On each trip Sally takes the time to sing the Hymn "How Great Thou Art" at some awe inspiring spot.  She has sung in a cave in New Zealand, a castle in Ireland, at the rim of the Grand Canyon, in the National Redwood Forest, and on famous stages such as the Hollywood Bowl.  

 

Wherever her travels take her, it is always good to come back home to Indiana.