Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony

Program Notes

   This patriotic concert will honor the men and women who have served and are serving in our armed forces. We will honor the sacrifices made for our freedom throughout history beginning with an overture based on the early American tune “Yankee Doodle” entitled Yankee Doodle Fanfareture. Then, a descriptive piece telling the story of the Civil War followed by a medley of WWI “tunes from the trenches.” To honor our WWII veterans, two film scores by John Williams: Midway March (from the 1976 film “Midway”) and Hymn to the Fallen (from the film “Saving Private Ryan”). We will then honor our current service men and women with a medley called Armed Forces Salute, featuring the six official songs of the US Armed Forces:

  1. Semper Paratus ("Always Ready", honoring the US Coast Guard)

  2. Semper Supra ("Always Above", honoring the US Space Force)

  3. The US Air Force (aka "Wild Blue Yonder", honoring the US Air Force")

  4. Anchors Aweigh (the fight song of the US Naval Academy and unofficial march song of the US Navy) 

  5. Marines' Hymn (the official hymn of the US Marine Corps)

  6. The Army Goes Rolling Along (the official song of the US Army)

In addition, we will be joined by the NSU Men’s Chorus with Battle Hymn of the Republic and God Bless America.

The full program is:

Star Spangled-Banner (arr. Marcus Grant for Brass Ensemble)

Semper Fidelis March by John Philip Sousa

Yankee Doodle Fanfareture (arr. David DeBoor Canfield)

American Civil War Fantasy by Jerry Bilik

Ashokan Farewell (J. Ungar/arr. Cerulli (used in Ken Burns’ PBS “Civil War” documentary)

Tunes from the Trenches: Songs from World War I (arr. Peter Lawson)          

Midway March by John Williams (from the 1976 film “Midway”)

Hymn to the Fallen by John Williams (from the 1998 film “Saving Private Ryan”)                              

Armed Forces Salute (arr. Bob Lowden)

Amazing Grace (arr. Matt Riley)                                                    

America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates (arr. Alfred Reed)

Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe (with the NSU Men’s Chorus)

God Bless America by Irving Berlin/arr. Bruce Healy (with the NSU Men’s Chorus)

The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa