"Of Our New Day Begun" - Omar Thomas (performed by the JMU Wind Symphony)

"Of Our New Day Begun” was written to honor nine beautiful souls who lost their lives to a callous act of hatred and domestic terrorism on the evening of June 17, 2015 while worshipping in their beloved sanctuary, the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (affectionately referred to as “Mother Emanuel”) in Charleston, South Carolina. My greatest challenge in creating this work was walking the line between reverence for the victims and their families, and honoring my strong, bitter feelings towards both the perpetrator and the segments of our society that continue to create people like him. I realized that the most powerful musical expression I could offer incorporated elements from both sides of that line - embracing my pain and anger while being moved by the displays of grace and forgiveness demonstrated by the victims’ families.

Historically, black Americans have, in great number, turned to the church to find refuge and grounding in the most trying of times. Thus, the musical themes and ideas for “Of Our New Day Begun” are rooted in the Black American church tradition. The piece is anchored by James and John Johnson’s time-honored song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (known endearingly as the “Negro National Anthem”), and peppered with blues harmonies and melodies. Singing, stomping, and clapping are also prominent features of this work, as they have always been a mainstay of black music traditions, and the inclusion of the tambourine in these sections is a direct nod to black worship services.

This work received its premiere on February 20, 2016 at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Conference, held at The Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Members of the Mother Emanuel AME congregation were in attendance.

This work was commissioned by a consortium led by Dr. Gary Schallert & Dr. Jeff Bright of Western Kentucky University to honor the nine victims and families of the June 17, 2015 terrorist attack on Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC.

The members of the consortium are as follows:

Arkansas State University - Dr. Tim Oliver, Director of Bands
Castle HS, Castle IN - Tom Dean, Director of Bands
Centennial HS, Las Cruces, NM - Joseph Flores, Director of Bands
Charleston Southern University - Dr. Marshall Forrester, Director of Bands
Cleveland HS, Cleveland, TN - Jim Burton, Director of Bands
Colorado State University - Dr. Rebecca Phillips, Director of Bands
Dobyns Bennett HS, Kingsport, TN - Lafe Cook, Director of Bands
Eldorado HS, Albuquerque, NM - Brad Dubbs, Director of Bands
Franklin HS, Franklin, TN - David Aydelott, Director of Bands
Franklin Central HS, Indianapolis, IN - Audrey Peterson-Torres, Director of Bands
Georgia Institute of Technology - BJ Diden, Assistant Director of Bands
Goose Creek HS, Charleston, SC - Jenny Collins, Director of Bands
Iowa State University - Dr. Michael Golemo, Director of Bands
James Madison University - Dr. Stephen Bolstad, Director of Bands
Klein Oak HS, Spring, TX - Todd Clearwater, Director of Bands
La Cueva HS, Albuquerque, NM - John Converse, Director of Bands
Marywood University - Dr. Fred David Romines, Director of Bands
Michigan State University - Dr. Kevin Sedatole, Director of Bands
Mountain Ridge HS, Glendale, AZ - George Hattendorf, Director of Bands
Murray State University - Dennis Johnson, Director of Bands
New Mexico State University - Dr. Christopher Hughes, Director of Bands
North Carolina State University - Dr. Paul Garcia, Director of Bands
Oldham HS, LaGrange, KY - Brad Rogers, Director of Bands
Ravenwood HS, Brentwood, TN - Mark Kinzer, Director of Bands
Sacred Wind Ensembe - Dr. Scott Bersaglia, conductor
Sam Houston State University - Dr. Matthew McInturf, Director of Bands
Santa Clara University - Dr. Douglas Harris, Director of Bands
Tennessee State University - Dr. Reginald McDonald, Director of Bands
Texas A&M University - Dr. Timothy Rhea, Director of Bands
University of Missouri - Dr. Brad Snow, Director of Bands
University of New Mexico Wind Symphony - Eric Rombach-Kendall, conductor
University of Northern Colorado - Dr. Kenneth Singleton, Director of Bands
University of Toledo - Dr. Jason Stumbo, Director of Bands
University of Wisconsin, Madison - Dr. Scott Teeple, Director of Bands
Vanderbilt University, Blair School of Music - Dr. Tom Verrier, Director of Wind Ensembles
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"Of Our New Day Begun"

composed by Omar Thomas
performed by the James Madison University Wind Symphony
Dr. Stephen Bolstad, director
Omar Thomas, guest conductor

April 6, 2016

Aaron Robinson, oboe
Adam Gough, alto saxophone

video by Dr. Eric Guinivan
audio recording, mixing, and mastering by Tom Carr
videography by Frankie LeRoux

www.omarthomas.com