WEST HILLS SYMPHONIC BAND

Featured Soloist: Justin Carson

Oct 15
2 min read

We are thrilled to feature Justin Carson as a soloist on our upcoming Fall Concert on Sunday, October 19th! He will be performing Hold Fast Your Dreams, Mvt. II. Allegro energico (Concerto No. 2 for Oboe and Wind Ensemble) (2010) by contemporary American composer Eric Ewazen.

Justin Carson is a freelance oboist from Bridgeville, PA, whose musical roots run deep in Pittsburgh. Born and raised in the city, he grew up surrounded by its rich artistic life and now finds himself performing with ensembles such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and the West Hills Symphonic Band. After studying at Pittsburgh CAPA High School and then onto Carnegie Mellon University with Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida, Principal Oboist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Justin is proud to share his love of music with the very community that inspired him.

When asked about his interpretation of the piece, Justin said:

I interpret the message as a celebration of human resilience. Ewazen seems to want the listener to feel the struggle and turbulence of life, but also to recognize the possibility of hope and renewal. The contrasting moments of tension and lyrical beauty suggest that even in difficulty, there are moments of clarity and connection. The central second movement, with its driving rhythms and dramatic interplay, emphasizes the intensity of life’s challenges before resolving into brighter harmonies that symbolize strength and perseverance.

Justin also shared the conductor's inspirations for this piece:

This concerto is inspired by real-life perseverance by the story of Ellen Strommen, mother of Linda Strommen (Professor of Oboe at Indiana University and former oboist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), whose life was marked by faith and resilience. The poem “Hold Fast Your Dreams” by poet Louise Driscoll (1875-1957) also inspired the piece. The final stanza of her poem reads: We see so many ugly things— Deceits and wrongs and quarrelings; We know, alast we know How quickly fade The color in the west, The bloom upon the flower, The bloom upon the breast And youth's blind hour. Yet keep within your heart A place apart Where little dreams may go, May thrive and grow. Hold fast—hold fast your dreams!

Featured Conductor: George Lepsch

Oct 12
2 min read

We are excited to feature George Lepsch as a conductor on our upcoming Fall Concert on Sunday, October 19th! He will be leading the band on Marche Hongroise (also known as Hungarian March or Rákóczy March) (1846) by French Romantic composer Hector Berlioz. This version for symphonic band was arranged by Leonard Smith.

George Lepsch is a graduate of Duquesne University, where he earned a Master of Music in Euphonium Performance following a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. George served as a music educator for 25 years, the majority of which were spent as Director of Bands at McKeesport Area High School and Serra Catholic High School. After completing a Master of Education degree from California University of PA, he spent 13 years as a member of the Counseling Department at McKeesport Area High School. Beyond a career in education, George has been involved in numerous community musical organizations, both choral and instrumental. He served as Assistant Musical Director for the Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra from 2006 through 2015. Currently, George is a member of the WHSB euphonium section and serves as Assistant Conductor for the Penn Trafford Community Band.

George has this to say about the piece:

Marche Hongroise, for me, is among the most exciting pieces within symphonic band repertoire. Thinking back to my days as a student at Duquesne University, I developed an interest in the works of Hector Berlioz. His orchestral scoring impressed me as bold, perhaps even brash when compared with his contemporaries. Perhaps Leonard Smith, a famed cornet soloist of the mid-20th century and founder of the Detroit Concert Band, shared a similar view. His brilliant adaptation of the march is such that it sounds as though it could have been originally composed for symphonic band as opposed to orchestra. In either instrumentation, the piece takes the shape of one long crescendo following the opening fanfare until the midway point, then once again gaining in intensity until its conclusion. The march, incidentally is based upon a Hungarian folk tune that found its way to the Hungarian army. (The tune is generally attributed to Ferencz Rákóczy II and is often referred to as the Rákóczy March.) Berlioz noted in his memoirs that the premier performance of the march in 1846 stirred its audience in Budapest to such a degree that he gave up any hope of making the orchestra audible in the final moments of the piece.

2025-26 Concert Season Announced

Sep 21
1 min read

Mark your calendars for our annual lineup of four indoor concerts, led by our newly appointed Principal Conductor & Music Director Tom Snyder and Associate Conductor Stephen Baldanzi. We will proudly feature a variety of wind band music from across different time periods and styles that everyone will enjoy.

More specific information about each concert will be available on our website, on social media, and through our email newsletters as we get closer to each date. For now, please save the dates and invite your family and friends along for an unforgettable season of music!

All concert dates, times, and locations are listed below. As always, all performances are FREE and open to the public! Livestreams for each concert will continue to be available on our YouTube channel.