The journey began with a melody and will end with a world premiere. The Allentown High School (AHS) Symphonic Band, under the direction of Jeff Santoro, commissioned New Jersey composer Chris M. Bernotas to write a piece for the band to perform. Bernotas took the challenge, and the band will present the world premiere of “Ride On” as part of its winter concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 in Allentown High School.
Chris M. Bernotas, a New Jersey composer commissioned by the Allentown High School Symphonic Band to write a score for the winter concert, conducts “Ride On” during rehearsal on Oct. 28. “Ride On,” which will be published by Alfred Music Publishing as part of its 2011- 12 Concert Band Series, “celebrates the wonder and excitement of train travel,” Bernotas said. The piece begins with a melody that evokes the feelings of pulling into train stops along a transcontinental railroad and continues with music comparable to exploring new destinations and majestic views across the American landscape.
Bernotas, who holds a Bachelor of Music degree from William Paterson University, has been an instrumental music teacher at Mountain Lakes High School in Mountain Lakes for many years. When he took the helm of the AHS Symphonic Band class on Oct. 28, many of the 64 students couldn’t stop talking about how similar his and Santoro’s teaching styles are. The two band directors worked together for three years at Mountain Lakes High School and were happy about collaborating again for the benefit of the AHS Symphonic Band.
Top photo: Allentown High School seniors (l-r) Morgan Marsicano, Katelyn Richmond and Jessica Siegel play the French horn during a practice of “Ride On” on Oct. 28. Bottom photo: Sophomore Michele Prendergast plays the flute. While atop the conductor’s podium, Bernotas, who was recognized as Educator of the Year in 2005 and who has been listed several times in “Who’s Who Among American Teachers,” asked the band to sustain one note together.
“Listen around you and see if you can match it,” he told the students as the room swelled with sound. “Everything else is relative to that.”
Once he had them focus on the individual sounds they were making and how they worked together, Bernotas encouraged students to think of an adjective to describe what they heard. When students replied that the noise sounded tense, dissonant and hollow, he told them that he was trying to convey something unresolved when he wrote that particular piece of the music.
Bernotas told each student to know the role they are supposed to play with their instruments in each composition.
“Make these decisions and don’t wait for someone to tell you,” he said.
One of his suggestions for learning their roles was to play while thinking of pictures that describe the music. For example, he described one section as a rubber ball bouncing erratically around the room.
Beyond playing the right notes, musicians have to concentrate on articulating their sound to fully capture an audience, according to Bernotas. To generate the sound of a train curving around a bend, Bernotas told students to slur their notes.
“Slurs in music create a subrhythm,” he said.
Above: Allentown High School sophomore Zach Nelson practices “Ride On”during symphonic band practice Oct. 28. Left: Senior Rodger Smith plays percussion. Students also learned about Lydian sound and accidental notes during the class. Those attending the winter concert will hear the band’s use of accidental notes to denote a traveler exploring the antiques shops in Boulder, Colo.
Freshman Madison Schubert, who will play second trumpet on the piece, said she liked hearing Bernotas’ take on the piece that the band has been working on since the beginning of the school year.
“It definitely helps when you get different opinions about the music,” she said. “And, he wrote it and knows how it is supposed to sound.”
Santoro noted that student musicians rarely have the opportunity to connect with the person behind the music they learn to play.
“It has been a really great experience having a composer write something special for them,” Santoro said.
Bernotas said Santoro was very generous to bring him in to work with the students.
“It’s not common for teachers to give up their control to have students hear ideas from other teachers,” Bernotas said.
The composer said the symphonic band sounds very confident about “Ride On” and exceeded his expectations.
“They were very well prepared,” he said. “You can tell that they grasp the concepts by the looks on their faces and their changes in sound.”
Bernotas has served as an arranger for a number of bands and drum corps through- out New Jersey and New York. He has also adjudicated for Drum Corps International, Bands of America and several state marching band championships throughout the United States. He served as president and vice president of the North Jersey Area Band (NJAB) and conductor of the NJAB Symphonic Band in 2006. He has also served on the executive board for the New Jersey School Music Association Region I and as manager of the New Jersey All-State Band.
Playing an instrument in a band provides many life lessons, according to Bernotas.
“These students may not play for the rest of their lives, but they will learn to work with others and to be part of a team,” he said. “They also learn how to make important decisions working in an ensemble.”
He also said music is an important aspect of life.
“Music helps people communicate and express emotion,” he said. “Music puts us in touch with something bigger than all of us.”