London Concert Band presents:

ROCKETSHIP

With conductors: Eric Heidenheim & Don Clark

March 2, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School

PROGRAM ORDER

O Canada - Calixa Lavallée, Arr. Vincent Roy

Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity - Gustav Holst, Transcribed by James Curnow

• The most popular movement of The Planets, Jupiter conveys the astrological significance of its namesake as benevolent and generous.

The Warburton Arms - Jeff Christmas, with Riley Stevenson as Flugelhorn soloist

• London composer Jeff Christmas, drawing from his family's rich musical legacy, premiered The Warburton Arms in 2006 as a tribute to his grandfather, Art Christmas, a pioneering jazz musician.

Earthdance - Michael Sweeney

• Earthdance captures the natural rhythms of our planet, from the cycles of day and night to the powerful forces of nature in harmony and destruction.

Rocketship! - Kevin Day

• Rocketship! builds energy through rhythmic propulsion and powerful brass, culminating in a thrilling fusion of percussive and harmonic momentum.

Intermission

Sunburst - Erik Morales

• Depicting the breathtaking moment when sunlight breaks through post-storm clouds, Sunburst blends lyrical beauty with exhilarating musical intensity.

Starship - Yukiko Nishimura

• Inspired by the Japanese Tanabata legend, Starship conveys the longing and joy of star-crossed lovers through flowing melodies and lush harmonies.

Virtuosity - Kenny Baker, with Riley Stevenson as trumpet soloist and Sarah Bowker as accompanist

• A showcase of dazzling technique, Virtuosity celebrates the brilliance of brass playing, echoing Kenny Baker’s jazz and big-band legacy.

Songs of Erin - With Riley Stevenson as trumpet soloist and Sarah Bowker as accompanist

• Infused with traditional Irish spirit, Songs of Erin weaves lyrical folk melodies into a rich, expressive musical tapestry.

I.S.S. Flyover - Peter Meechan

• Inspired by a spacewalk over Manchester, I.S.S. Flyover contrasts the speed of the orbiting station with the astronaut’s slow, weightless journey.

Fly Me To The Moon - Bart Howard, Arr. Takashi Hoshide

• A timeless jazz standard, Fly Me to the Moon became an anthem of the Apollo missions and remains synonymous with the exploration of space and of love.

Space and Beyond - Arr. John Moss

• Space and Beyond blends iconic themes from Star Wars, Star Trek, The Planets, and Also Sprach Zarathustra into an exhilarating cosmic medley.

FEATURED SOLOIST: RILEY STEVENSON

Riley Stevenson is a graduate of H. B. Beal Secondary School, where he had the wonderful opportunity to work with Mr. Eric Heidenheim in his grade nine year.  Riley is excited to be reunited with Eric for Rocketship. Riley attended the Don Wright Faculty of Music and is currently freelancing in London and the surrounding area. Riley performs with a number of ensembles, including The Salvation Army London Citadel Band, The Salvation Army Impact Brass, the Sault St. Marie Symphony, Big Bandemic, and the Moonlighters. In addition, Riley has appeared as a guest soloist with Brassroots, London Citadel, Impact Brass, Salvation Army Meadowlands Corps, and other venues in and around London.

Accompanist: Sarah Bowker

London Concert Band Members 2024/2025

*Section Leader

OUR CONDUCTORS

Eric Heidenheim

Eric Heidenheim retired from the Thames Valley District School Board in 2018, after 30 years of teaching instrumental music. He started the band program at J.P. Robarts Elementary School and at the secondary level, Eric was a member of the Montcalm, Clarke Road and Westminster Music Departments. The last 13 years of his career were spent conducting the wonderful bands at H.B. Beal Secondary. Eric was as an active musician during his teaching career and he has played in many community ensembles over the years. He also conducts Once A Quartet and The Saturday Morning Brass, 2 ensembles that are affiliated with the New Horizons program at Western University. Eric has also enjoyed serving as clinician and guest conductor at several elementary school band clinics in recent years.

Don Clark

Don taught instrumental music and bands for 32 years with the Thames Valley District School Board and its predecessor the London Board of Education. For twenty years he was the department head of music at A. B. Lucas Secondary School. The bands under his direction received numerous awards and trophies from the Kiwanis Music Festival and Musicfest regional and national festivals. Several times the bands received recognition for their participation in the Ontario provincial music festivals as well. He is Adjudicator Chair and an active member of the board for the London Kiwanis Music Festival. Don continues to enjoy playing the trumpet and part time conducting with the London Concert Band. He is thrilled to sing in the Elmwood Avenue Presbyterian Church Choir directed by his wife Lorraine.

WITH THANKS

Thank you to Matthews Hall for generously providing space for our music library.

We acknowledge that the London Concert Band is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapeewak, and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be the home to diverse Indigenous peoples (First Nation, Metis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.

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