2009 - 2010 SEASON CONCERTS

The Prairie Wind — Issue 8, April 2010 — Page 2 The Prairie Wind — Issue 8, April 2010 — Page 3

Member Spotlight - David & Kris Stewart

We are going to start a series of Member Spotlights on several of the married couples in the band, some of which are charter members having performed with the group since its inception. This issue we feature David and Kris Stewart. Both are members of our clarinet section with Kris occasionally performing on the piano. Both have been featured soloists with the group several times and David has served as guest conductor

Tell us about your family -- Dave and Kris’s family includes two grown children Jeff and Kate, daughter-in-law Ali,and grandson Elliott. Jeff, Ali, and Elliott reside in Houston, Texas, and daughter Kate resides in Peoria.

Tell us about your careers and education. -- Dave and Kris both received Bachelor of Music Education Degrees from Western Illinois University in 1974. Dave also received a Master of

Music Education Degree from Indiana University in 1983. Kris’s public school teaching career has included positions in LaHarpe, Elmwood, Hanna City, and Princeville, Illinois. Most of Kris’s music education work has been in the general music and chorus areas. She currently is a retired public school music educator. Dave’s public school teaching career began with a position for District 50 Schools in Washington where he taught band and some chorus. This was followed with a position in the Princeville school district where he taught band, chorus, and general music to various ages during the years he was there. Dave is also officially a retired public school music educator, but he currently is teaching band part-time at Good Shepherd and St. Joseph Schools in Pekin.

What got you started in music? -- Kris’s father, Bill Vandeveer, was an important musical influence in her life as he was also a career music educator. Kris made the decision to follow in her father’s footsteps. Dave found a place in his grade school band program at Rolling Acres School and at that time began thinking that being a school band director might be an interesting career choice.

How, when, and where did you two meet? -- Dave and Kris met around the end of their senior year in high school at a time when Kris’s dad was the high school band director in Farmington. Dave’s grandfather, who also lived in Farmington, arranged a meeting with the Vandeveers so they could hear his grandson play the clarinet. So, one evening, Dave, fulfilling this arrangement, went to the Vandeveer’s home and played a clarinet selection in their living room. Dave and Kris both attended Western Illinois the next school year after this experience and began dating in the spring of their freshman year. They will be celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary in June of this year.

What other groups have you performed with? -- Dave and Kris have been members of the Peoria Municipal Band for around 40 years. Dave was also a member of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra for 27 years. They both have been involved in performances with the St. Martin Chamber Players and both are members of the Grace Presbyterian Symphonic Winds. Kris served as church organist at First Presbyterian Church of Peoria for over 25 years and is currently serving as church organist at Grace Presbyterian Church. She is also active as an accompanist throughout the area. Dave served as a music director at First Presbyterian Church of Peoria and later United Presbyterian Church of Peoria for 30 years. Dave also performed as a member of the All American College Marching Band at Walt Disney World for 11 weeks during the summer of 1972.

Why did you choose to perform with the PWE? -- Dave and Kris both had a wonderful experience performing with the wind ensemble at Western Illinois University and they saw the Prairie Wind Ensemble as a way of continuing that wind ensemble experience.

What has been your PWE highlight? -- Performing at the IMEA state convention.

What will we always find in your refrigerator? -- Diet Cherry Coke

What actors would you choose to play you in a movie? -- Kris - Meryl Streep; Dave - Steve Martin

What is your Walter Mitty Fantasy? -- Kris - to be a French interpreter in Paris; Dave - to sing on stage as a famous crooner - perhaps in Paris

Thursday May 13th at 7:30 pmIllinois Central College Performing Arts Center

This concert will feature the winner of the Earl Barnes Student Soloist Contest, Michael Archer. Five very talented Peoria area high school musicians auditioned on President’s Day for this honor. Michael will be performing the Lars-Erik Larsson “Concertino for Trombone.” He is a member of the Richwoods High School Band under the direction of Mark Jirousek and is a private student of Carl Anderson and Ryan Miller. We will also feature Guest Conductor, Ed Winkler. Ed is a life long Peoria area resident, is a retired music educator and performs on the bassoon with the PWE. Ed will be conducting “Lament” by Spittal.

Other concert selections include: Atlantis: Lost City of the Ancients - Barry Milner, Danzas Cubanas - Robert Sheldon, March of the Belgian Paratroopers - Pierre Leemans, El Camino Real - Alfred Reed, Paris Sketches - Martin Ellerby.

Musical Passports to Other Lands

This has been a most enjoyable year of music-making with the PWE. Great music, outstanding performances and lasting friendships made through doing what we all love to do - make music. I am so grateful to the dedicated members of the PWE and the loyal audiences who turn out to hear us perform, and look forward to another exciting season next fall. -- Bob Sheldon

PWE to perform at ISU in June

For the third time the PWE has been selected to serve as the performance ensemble for the Young Composers/Young Conductors Mentoring Workshop presented by the National Band Association at Illinois State University on June 21st. In conjunction with the Music for All Summer Symposium this event pairs up young aspiring band conductors and composers with more experienced mentors for a weekend of workshops. The PWE will spend the day rehearsing several works, each under the direction of a different composer, with a concert that evening.

It is always a thrill and an honor to be able to perform as part of this wonderful event [the NBA Workshop]. The PWE has had terrific experiences playing the music of the guest composers who conduct their own works, and also has enjoyed the music of the young composers, and working with the young conductors as well. I know that the NBA has been very pleased to have the PWE as part of the event. It is certainly something everyone looks forward to. -- Bob Sheldon

Quarterly Newsletter of the Prairie Wind Ensemble — Issue 8, April 2010THE PRAIRIE WIND

WELCOMEThis is our second year of a quarterly newsletter that will inform the public about Central Illinois’ premier adult concert band, the Prairie Wind Ensemble. This group of 70 professional and semi-professional musicians, established in 1978, performs four times each year on the campus of Illinois Central College and presents to its audience only the best of concert band music. Our mission is to:

1) Contribute positively to the musical environment it serves whether local, state, national or international; 2) Provide an opportunity for individual musical expression and growth among membership; 3) Provide an opportunity for contact between and among musicians of advanced proficiency; 4) Reaffirm the community concert band position in American music.

Each of our concerts generally represents a theme and this year we have four wonderful programs planned for our audience. Each concert will also feature a soloist. Our first three soloists of the year come from the members of the band or selected area adult musicians

and the fourth is the winner of our Earl Barnes Student Soloist Contest, featuring a talented high school musician on our concert in May. A guest conductor from the group is also selected for each concert. Since the membership of the PWE is for the most part area music educators, we encourage them to front the group and share their musicianship from the podium as well.

Our DirectorRobert Sheldon has been the director of the PWE for the past five years, succeeding our founder Dr. Donald Lewellen. Bob is internationally recognized as one of the world’s finest band music composers and conductors. Bob’s primary position at this time is chief editor of the band music division of Alfred Music. He has experience teaching at all levels and you can read more about him on our website, www.prairiewindensemble.com.

Bob’s spring and summer schedule includes:Western Michigan University Honor Band, Kalamazoo MIAll-New England Intercollegiate Honor Band, Boston MAPennsylvania Music Educators, Pittsburgh PASousa Foundation HS Honor Band, Harrison ARMiller School of the Arts, Akron OHUniversity of Dayton, Dayton OHNBA Summer Convention, Normal ILUniversity of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City MOShattinger Music, St. Louis MOStanton’s Music, Columbus OHThe Music Shoppe, Normal and Champaign ILJWPepper Summer Symposium, Valley Forge PATexas Bandmasters Association, San Antonio TXArkansas Bandmasters Association, Ft. Smith ARVictoria Band Festival, Melbourne, Australia

The Prairie Wind — Issue 8, April 2010 — Page 1

Prairie Winds CalendarMarch 25 – Rehearsals begin for fourth concert Other dates April 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6 May 13 – Final Concert of 2008-09 Season, 7:30 pm PACC May 21 – PWE Spring PartyJune 21 - PWE Performs at NBA in Bloomington

We have a Website!!!! Our latest news and information can also be found at the PWE website:

www.prairiewindensemble.com

TicketsThe Box Office at the ICC Performing Arts Center (309/694-5136) is open for ticket sales Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 3 PM. On concert days, the box office is also open starting 90 minutes before the concert. There is a nominal charge for adult tickets and a reduced rate for students and seniors. Children under 12 are free.

Know of someone that should be on our mailing list? Email names and addresses to

ddietrich@ivcschools.com

Prairie Wind Ensemble on the RadioPrairie Wind Ensemble concerts can also be heard as rebroadcasts on WCBU – FM89.9, and on wcbufm.org. Our thanks to Public Radio for the support of local arts programs.

The March 18th concert will be rebroadcast on Wednesday, April 21 at 8 PM and Sunday, April 24 at 7 PM.

The May 13th concert will be rebroadcast on Wednesday, June 16 at 8 PM and Saturday, June 19 at 7 PM.