Guest Composer & Conductor: Mark Surovchak

We are excited to welcome guest composer and conductor Mark Surovchak on our Fall Concert: Portraits of Grace and Courage. A music educator and freelance musician residing in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, he will take the podium to lead the band through three of his own evocative compositions: the vibrant ESPRIT NOUVEAU!, the deeply reflective ...LETTING GO, and the exuberant OVERWHELMING JOY.

When asked to share some background information about his works, Mark said:

"Esprit Nouveau!" (2007 / rev. 2017) was the very first piece that I attempted to compose for Symphonic Band back in 2007. I sat down at the piano one day and plunked out the opening trumpet fanfare. Following that, I worked to write a piece that echoed that of my undergraduate professor, Dr. Jack Stamp. The piece is dedicated to him as a thank you for all that he's done for me.

"...letting go" (2015) is, above all, an emotional journey. My hope and goal for this piece, as it was being composed, was to capture the emotions that we as humans experience through loss. Whether it be a relationship ending, the loss of a loved one or someone / something close to us, we all experience peaks and valleys as we journey through a sea of emotions, oftentimes fighting back in an effort to fully understand them. The most we can hope for in those times is to surround ourselves with the good people in our lives....those who can help us grow through the pains and become a better, stronger person in the end.

"Overwhelming Joy" (2026) was commissioned by the North Hills High School Bands, Len Lavelle & Lucas Beaver, directors. The North Hills High School Bands have an incredible commissioning series that dates back to 1965, making it the longest-running series of its kin in the United States. An immense moment of genuine excitement overcame me when Len reached out to me to be the 61st commission in their series, and "Overwhelming Joy" is a musical depiction of the genuine excitement and joy that I felt when asked to contribute to this commissioning series.

MARK SUROVCHAK has been an instrumental music teacher in the Belle Vernon Area School District in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania since 2004, where his position currently includes teaching instrumental music performance to students in grades 7 - 12. As a creator and composer, much of the writing that he has done has reflected his experiences in public school music education, with a few of those pieces written specifically for his students. Performances of his music have included venues such as elementary school gymnasiums to concert halls at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, The University of North Texas, and the Tempio Della Rotunda Church in Rovigo, Italy.