Samantha Baldwin, conductor of the Schoharie Valley Concert Band
COBLESKILL – The Schoharie Valley Concert Band (SVCB) will be performing its 44th annual Spring Concert on Sunday, April 26th at 3 PM in the Cobleskill-Richmondville HS Auditorium. The concert is open to the public with free admission for students.
Conductor Samantha Baldwin’s wonderful program includes “American Riversongs” by Pierre LaPlante. This piece is a tribute to the time when rivers and waterways were essential to America’s development. It weaves together four folk songs: “Down on the River”, Shenandoah”, “The Glendy Burk”, and a Creole bamboula tune. You can almost hear the calliope playing on a Mississippi steamboat.
In “A Ship in the Mist” you will experience a dynamic oceanic adventure with sea shanty style in one of the more than 80 pieces Rossano Galante has composed for wind ensembles. Galante also has done music orchestrations for over 60 Hollywood movies.
“Tha Mi Sgith” is a traditional Gaelic folksong arranged by Brian Beck. The piece is written like a “Scots Snap” combining eighth notes followed by dotted-sixteenth notes in a syncopated, slow graceful strathspey and reel dance style.
“Pop and Rock Legends: Chicago” is John Wasson’s energetic medley of four of Chicago’s 1960‘s and 1970’s big band favorites: ”Does Anybody Know What Time It is?”, “25 Or 6 To 4”, “Make Me Smile”, and “Saturday in the Park”.
“Malaguena” is the recognizable Latin-style piece written by Ernesto Lecuona and arranged by Marian Banks in 1928. Vibrant rhythmic intensity and melodic flairs pervade the piece which builds to a climactic accelerating ending.
“Strike Up the Band” is Warren Barker’s wind ensemble arrangement of the music written by George Gershwin with wording by Ira Gershwin for the “Strike Up the Band” 1930 Broadway musical and the 1940 Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney “Strike Up the Band” film musical.
“Tribute to the Count” includes big band swing themes from 4 pieces performed by the Count Basie Orchestra. The Sammy Nestico arrangement includes “April in Paris”, “Lil’ Darlin’, “Shiny Stockings”, and “One O’clock Jump”. Founder Count Basie passed in 1984, but the Count Basie Orchestra has continued under various leaders and celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2025.
A John Philip Sousa composition, the well-known “Golden Jubilee March” rounds out the program, which should be a real crowd-pleaser.
The Schoharie Valley Concert Band is open to area residents including high school and college students. Four concert series are performed each season. Thursday evening 7 – 9:15 PM rehearsals are held in the Cobleskill-Richmondville HS band room. The SVCB’s 45th season will begin in September with Fall Concert rehearsals. To join the band, contact Conductor Samantha Baldwin at svcbconductor@gmail.com.
