Upcoming Crane Symphonic Band Concert Also Features Brooklyn High School Band

POTSDAM, NY (04/09/2015)(readMedia)-- SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music will present an upcoming concert featuring the Crane Symphonic Band and special guests -- the Grand Street Campus High School Band from Brooklyn.

The performance will be offered on Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater.

The Crane Symphonic Band program features works by Nelhybel, Chance, Gregson and Strauss, with a consortium premiere of Joel Puckett's new work, "Emory's Barcarolle."

Conducted by Jeff W. Ball, the Grand Street Wind Ensemble will perform David Maslanka's "On This Bright Morning," and the Ralph Vaughan Williams classic, "English Folk Song Suite."

About the conductors & ensembles:

Jeff W. Ball received his bachelor's degree in music education and jazz studies from Ithaca College in 2003 and his master's degree in music education from the same institution in 2008. After moving to Brooklyn in 2004, he became the director of bands at John Phillip Sousa Middle School 142. Currently, he is the director of bands for the Grand Street Campus High Schools in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Under his leadership, the Grand Street Bands have grown to serve over 180 students in five bands, along with several chamber ensembles, and have received numerous "Gold" and "Gold with Distinction" ratings at the New York State School Music Association Festival. Ball also serves as principal director of the New York City All-City Marching Band and as assistant director for the Intermediate School 318/Eugenio Maria De Hostos Marching Band. In 2008, he founded the Grand Street Community Band with 30 fellow instrumentalists. Having grown to over 75 members, the group has since become the Brooklyn Wind Symphony, and has performed in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, with Ball serving as conductor/artistic director. He became director of the Brooklyn College Conservatory Wind Ensemble in 2011.

Conducted by Dr. Brian K. Doyle, the Crane Symphonic Band is SUNY Potsdam's oldest wind band. James Garfield, a 1905 Potsdam Normal School graduate, established the band as the Normal Band in 1926. Although Garfield referred to the group as the Symphonic Band as early as 1940, the ensemble went through several official name changes before Professor Harry Phillips settled permanently upon the current name. Guest conductors have included Percy Grainger, Edwin Franko Goldman, Vincent Persichetti, Captain William J. Stannard (founder of the U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own") and Colonel William Santlemann (U.S. Marine Corps Band, "The President's Own"). The Crane Symphonic Band has premiered numerous works, particularly by Crane faculty members Arthur Frackenpohl, Robert Washburn and Elliot Del Borgo.

This concert will be broadcast live on the SUNY Potsdam website at the performance time. To view the program and see other upcoming streaming performances, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/Crane/streaming.

For more information about SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, please visit www.potsdam.edu/crane.

Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York's only All-Steinway institution.

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