Peter Wilson, artistic director and conductor of the American Festival Pops Orchestra (AFPO), has been hard at work preparing for the orchestra’s Armed Forces Day Celebration (5/17) with Bryan Kidd, AFPO arranger-in-residence. In addition to their shared love of music, both individuals have enjoyed extensive military careers. Wilson served 30 years as a Marine violinist and String Section Commander for “The President’s Own” U. S. Marine Band, while Kidd served 26 years as Chief Composer and Arranger with the United States Navy Band, Washington, D.C. We reached out to Wilson and Kidd and asked them to share their insights around the upcoming AFPO music tribute: Armed Forces Day Celebration (5/17).
“Music has been such an important part of the fabric of our nation, and often it is the soundtrack not only to our happiest times, but also in times of tragedy and war,” said Wilson. “American composers and band leaders have been inspired by the heroism of our American troops and have composed some of the most compelling and profound works, both during wartime and in films that have told the stories of battles long ago.”
The performance will include an original composition by Kidd titled Turning Point, which will be guest-conducted by AFPO Founder and Conductor Emeritus Anthony J. Maiello.
“Turning Point honors the Navy aviators, sailors, and Marines who tenaciously fought and achieved an astonishing victory against the Japanese Navy during the three-day battle of the Pacific Island of Midway in the very early days of World War II,” Kidd said. He composed the piece to commemorate the then 60th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Kidd continued: “Writing Turning Point was the culmination of everything I had learned since first trying my hand at writing music when I was 15. It was a challenging and emotionally rewarding project…and a satisfying way to ‘go ashore’ after 26 years of composing and arranging music for the U.S. Navy Band.”
The concert’s program will also include the Theme from Schindler’s List, the notable Steven Spielberg film with music composed by the iconic John Williams that tells the story of German industrialist Oskar Schindler and how he saved more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust.
“Perhaps the highlight of my career as a violinist with ‘The President’s Own’ U.S. Marine Band was when [John] Williams appeared as guest conductor for an entire concert, leading the Marine Band at The Kennedy Center in honor of the Band’s 205th birthday,” Wilson said. “I was tasked with playing the solo violin part to the Theme from Schindler’s List. Collaborating with Williams during rehearsals and in concert was a life-changing and thrilling experience. He was incredibly gracious and kind, encouraging me to make the solo my own. I will be forever grateful for that opportunity to learn and make music with such a gentle giant, and I am so pleased to reprise this solo with my dear friend Tony Maiello on the podium again.”
Wilson further shared some favorite pieces he’s looking forward to conducting at the AFPO’s Armed Forces Day Celebration (5/17): “I’m excited to lead the AFPO in William Schuman’s Chester from his New England Triptych. This short movement is a fantasy on the Revolutionary War patriotic hymn of the same name by William Billings. Samuel Barber’s Commando March is also one of my favorites, a riveting work and an unconventional march that became quite popular during World War II. Finally, I’m proud to introduce our AFPO audience to the orchestrated version of a song I wrote back in 2001. An American Pledge features—as its chorus —our Pledge of Allegiance, and while I wrote it for the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the bicentennial of the Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., the song took on a whole new meaning after 9-11. In it, I include as the closing lyric of the first verse words that appear on the Korean War Memorial: ‘FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.’”
Don’t miss these inspiring works by Wilson and Kidd, plus more patriotic programming performed by the American Festival Pops Orchestra in an Armed Forces Day Celebration on May 17 at 8 p.m. George Mason University’s Veterans and the Arts Initiative is a proud sponsor of this performance, providing free tickets for Veterans and Servicemembers.