In just 10 days, the Cadets will gather in Johnstown, Pa., for more than four weeks of Spring Training. As the corps comes together on a full-time basis, they are thrilled to announce final details on their field program, and a name change that recognizes a glorious 75-year history.
The Cadets will present West Side Story: Celebration and Conflict, featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein, and arrangements by Jay Bocook. Musical selections in the program include:
- Rumble
- Prologue
- Boy Like That/I Have a Love
- Cool
- Tonight
“As the Cadets enter their 75th Anniversary, the corps this summer returns to the field as the Holy Name Cadets, celebrating their past with a revisit to the corps’ favorite source for musical inspiration, Leonard Bernstein,” said Cadets Director George Hopkins. “The Cadets have performed the music of “Lenny” nine times since 1983, and West Side Story has been the centerpiece of their 50th and 60th anniversary shows in 1984 and 1994, respectively. Add to this the fact that West Side Story re-opened on Broadway this Spring, and the union of Leonard Bernstein, West Side Story, the Cadets and the summer of 2009 is simply a natural and much anticipated reunion.”
Hopkins continues:
“The Cadets will celebrate the musical thrill and excitement of the classic Bernstein selections while also exploring, in non literal fashion, the conflict that was part of Mr. Bernstein’s life, as well as his orchestrations. From his relationships, to his marriage and throughout his career, Leonard Bernstein struggled with the choices he made. And of course, West Side Story, an avant-garde production first staged in the late 1950s used as its base - the conflict of immigrant Puerto Ricans and teenagers from the West Side of New York.
This is not a staging of WSS but rather, the music serves as a foundation for the Cadets to explore the ideas of conflict and celebration in the creation and performance of this year’s production.
- The use of the well known opening theme as the corps begins on different sides of the field
- Opposing blocks
- Two different ensembles performing different themes
- Brass against percussion
- The battery percussion to the front percussion
- Weapons versus silks
These and other ideas are representations of conflict communicated within the framework of the music of West Side Story. And as for Celebration, in true Cadet fashion, music is movement this summer and the Holy Name Cadets will move with a grace, speed, and determination unlike most corps in history.
Happy Birthday Cadets! Welcome Back to Broadway Mr. Bernstein!
For 2009, the Cadets present arguably the greatest musical of the American theater, Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story!”
The Summer of 75!
The Cadets Move-In on May 15th and will spend more than four weeks in Johnstown, Pa., as they put their program on the field. They will leave Johnstown for Memorial Weekend festivities in North Jersey, which includes three parades and an alumni-hosted Pizza Party.
The corps first competitive event in on June 19th when the Cadets host Music In Motion in Chambersburg, Pa. With more than 30 DCI competitive events this summer, the Cadets will travel the Midwest, Texas and East Coast this summer, landing in North Jersey on Aug. 1-2 to celebrate their 75th Anniversary during the Cadets Summer Diamond Bash and Music In Motion home show in Clifton, N.J.
Alumni, supporters and fans are welcome to attend the celebrations as tickets to the Summer Diamond Bash and Music In Motion are now on sale.
Click here for information on the Cadets Summer Diamond Bash.
Click here for information on Music In Motion events.
Stay close to http://www.cadets.org/ for Cadets updates and special features.
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Cadets leave Lenny for the West Side
What happened? Why the programming changes?
By George Hopkins
When the summer of 2008 was winding down, the Cadets’ staff would talk about the program for 2009 and within short order, Lenard Bernstein leaped to the front of the pack. The Cadets 75th Anniversary was coming, West Side Story was on Broadway, Bernstein was celebrating his 90th birthday and the entire New York City cultural world was alive with reincarnations of Mr. Bernstein’s works. It was a natural!
At the suggestion of Jay Bocook, we selected the name “LENNY” as a space-holder. Who knew what we were going to do or what shape the production would take? But we needed to keep other corps away from the most sacred ground of Leonard Bernstein.
During fall 2008, I looked for creators to come on board to assist the process. I even started in a direction with a talented gentleman from the Midwest but; well, I reversed field as the direction seemed to be a bit convoluted, at least for this old drummer.
I reacquainted myself with Marc Sylvester, we actually went to Carnegie Hall to see the San Francisco Orchestra perform Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, and we stood and talked for hours.
At that juncture, LENNY became an exploration of Bernstein’s compositions from the standpoint of theme: BRAWLING; BALLET; and BROADWAY!
We forged into the world of Mr. Bernstein and the first effort in December featured a three minute piece that merged into one, THE RUMBLE, ON THE WATERFRONT, and PROFANATION, from the Jeremiah Symphony. And indeed, the orchestration and arrangement were amazing but somehow, it just seemed that something was missing. The piece was intellectually stimulating but emotionally; well, we were not so sure.
After a few weeks of consideration and debate, the decision was made to work more towards West Side Story. The music was fabulous, the historical value of the selections and the connection to the Cadets was clear. We began with an adaptation of “COOL” we found some years ago on a CD called “the Songs of West Side Story.” As it turned out, the production was a good one. The gym was rocking, folks were happy, and it was pretty clear this was the pathway we were going to travel.
After meetings, we found the angle needed, (CONFLICT) and we proceeded through the programming and creation of the show. We did NOT move in a linear fashion; not the best of ideas, but as “COOL” grew in intensity, it felt more and more like a production and less like an opening. So, we needed to adjust!
It was a process but at the end of the day, the decision was to play the music that worked, and not to be confined by a STORY! All corps seem to be telling a story these days and if you have been around the activity for a bit, it is true that eventually trends die and new ones rise. From the theme show, to the world of minimalism, to concert band literature and back again, there seem to be trends and tendencies. Perhaps, and this is a perhaps, in our quest to be true to the historical value of the HOLY NAME CADETS, we could indeed be ahead of the curve by accidently being well, let’s call it behind the curve?
And finally, there will be, and have been many questions about the use of narrative. As has been said, the use of narrative is dependent on the show. If it is thought that the voice is of benefit to the show, we have used narrative. But, as was always the case, if it is not needed, well … why use it? So, if we can suggest conflict, if we can communicate intent and we can create excitement and joy in the stands well then ….. all is good. The Cadets Move In for five weeks of fun on May 15th. The summer of 2009 has arrived! |
