2009 - 2010 SEASON CONCERTS The Prairie Wind — Issue 8, April 2010 — Page 2 The Prairie Wind — Issue 8, April 2010 — Page 3 Member Spotlight - David & Kris Stewart We are going to start a series of Member Spotlights on several of the married couples in the band, some of which are charter members having performed with the group since its inception. This issue we feature David and Kris Stewart. Both are members of our clarinet section with Kris occasionally performing on the piano. Both have been featured soloists with the group several times and David has served as guest conductor Tell us about your family -- Dave and Kris’s family includes two grown children Jeff and Kate, daughter-in-law Ali,and grandson Elliott. Jeff, Ali, and Elliott reside in Houston, Texas, and daughter Kate resides in Peoria. Tell us about your careers and education. -- Dave and Kris both received Bachelor of Music Education Degrees from Western Illinois University in 1974. Dave also received a Master of Music Education Degree from Indiana University in 1983. Kris’s public school teaching career has included positions in LaHarpe, Elmwood, Hanna City, and Princeville, Illinois. Most of Kris’s music education work has been in the general music and chorus areas. She currently is a retired public school music educator. Dave’s public school teaching career began with a position for District 50 Schools in Washington where he taught band and some chorus. This was followed with a position in the Princeville school district where he taught band, chorus, and general music to various ages during the years he was there. Dave is also officially a retired public school music educator, but he currently is teaching band part-time at Good Shepherd and St. Joseph Schools in Pekin. What got you started in music? -- Kris’s father, Bill Vandeveer, was an important musical influence in her life as he was also a career music educator. Kris made the decision to follow in her father’s footsteps. Dave found a place in his grade school band program at Rolling Acres School and at that time began thinking that being a school band director might be an interesting career choice. How, when, and where did you two meet? -- Dave and Kris met around the end of their senior year in high school at a time when Kris’s dad was the high school band director in Farmington. Dave’s grandfather, who also lived in Farmington, arranged a meeting with the Vandeveers so they could hear his grandson play the clarinet. So, one evening, Dave, fulfilling this arrangement, went to the Vandeveer’s home and played a clarinet selection in their living room. Dave and Kris both attended Western Illinois the next school year after this experience and began dating in the spring of their freshman year. They will be celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary in June of this year. What other groups have you performed with? -- Dave and Kris have been members of the Peoria Municipal Band for around 40 years. Dave was also a member of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra for 27 years. They both have been involved in performances with the St. Martin Chamber Players and both are members of the Grace Presbyterian Symphonic Winds. Kris served as church organist at First Presbyterian Church of Peoria for over 25 years and is currently serving as church organist at Grace Presbyterian Church. She is also active as an accompanist throughout the area. Dave served as a music director at First Presbyterian Church of Peoria and later United Presbyterian Church of Peoria for 30 years. Dave also performed as a member of the All American College Marching Band at Walt Disney World for 11 weeks during the summer of 1972. Why did you choose to perform with the PWE? -- Dave and Kris both had a wonderful experience performing with the wind ensemble at Western Illinois University and they saw the Prairie Wind Ensemble as a way of continuing that wind ensemble experience. What has been your PWE highlight? -- Performing at the IMEA state convention. What will we always find in your refrigerator? -- Diet Cherry Coke What actors would you choose to play you in a movie? -- Kris - Meryl Streep; Dave - Steve Martin What is your Walter Mitty Fantasy? -- Kris - to be a French interpreter in Paris; Dave - to sing on stage as a famous crooner - perhaps in Paris Thursday May 13th at 7:30 pm Illinois Central College Performing Arts Center This concert will feature the winner of the Earl Barnes Student Soloist Contest, Michael Archer. Five very talented Peoria area high school musicians auditioned on President’s Day for this honor. Michael will be performing the Lars-Erik Larsson “Concertino for Trombone.” He is a member of the Richwoods High School Band under the direction of Mark Jirousek and is a private student of Carl Anderson and Ryan Miller. We will also feature Guest Conductor, Ed Winkler. Ed is a life long Peoria area resident, is a retired music educator and performs on the bassoon with the PWE. Ed will be conducting “Lament” by Spittal. Other concert selections include: Atlantis: Lost City of the Ancients - Barry Milner, Danzas Cubanas - Robert Sheldon, March of the Belgian Paratroopers - Pierre Leemans, El Camino Real - Alfred Reed, Paris Sketches - Martin Ellerby. Musical Passports to Other Lands This has been a most enjoyable year of music-making with the PWE. Great music, outstanding performances and lasting friendships made through doing what we all love to do - make music. I am so grateful to the dedicated members of the PWE and the loyal audiences who turn out to hear us perform, and look forward to another exciting season next fall. -- Bob Sheldon PWE to perform at ISU in June For the third time the PWE has been selected to serve as the performance ensemble for the Young Composers/Young Conductors Mentoring Workshop presented by the National Band Association at Illinois State University on June 21st. In conjunction with the Music for All Summer Symposium this event pairs up young aspiring band conductors and composers with more experienced mentors for a weekend of workshops. The PWE will spend the day rehearsing several works, each under the direction of a different composer, with a concert that evening. It is always a thrill and an honor to be able to perform as part of this wonderful event [the NBA Workshop]. The PWE has had terrific experiences playing the music of the guest composers who conduct their own works, and also has enjoyed the music of the young composers, and working with the young conductors as well. I know that the NBA has been very pleased to have the PWE as part of the event. It is certainly something everyone looks forward to. -- Bob Sheldon