Waycross High Symphonic - Jubilation, an Overture

It was easy to decide on the opening piece to a concert festival performance; play a Sousa march. The closing piece usually surfaced pretty easily too. But, the middle piece was always tricky. At the 1987 GMEA festival, the Waycross Symphonic Band chose Robert Ward's 'Jubilation, an Overture' in the middle of the program. There's no doubt that '87 was a year for a contemporary (think 20th century) twist, but it worked. The piece was up-beat, and contrasted well with the dark sounds of McBeth's 'To Be Fed By Ravens', the final number on the program. Written in 1945, Ward wrote the piece while serving in the U.S. Army in WWII. The piece is a reflection of Ward's optomism about the nearing of the end of the world-wide conflict. A great American piece by a great American composer, enjoy 'Jubilation Overture'.