
Heritage Landing Concert Series in July
Sunday, March 30, 2025 4 PM
Fruitport Performing Arts Center
357 N. 6th Avenue, Fruitport, MI 49415
Tickets: $5 Adults, 18 & younger FREE
Presented by
West Michigan Concert WINDS
Gail A. Brechting, Conductor & Artistic Director
Concert Program
AMERICAN SALUTE, Morton Gould
(transcribed by Philip J. Lang)
based on "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"
SÒLAS ANÉ, Samuel R. Hazo
Gaelic: Yesterday's Joy
TUEBOR, Andrew David Perkins (ASCAP)
II. "SIREN SONGS"
I."THE PROMISED LAND"
with Grand Haven High School Musicians
Mr. Iain Novoselich, Conductor
Commissioned in 2020 by a consortium of music educators dedicated to promoting the composition of wind band literature, and preserving the folk music of the great lakes state.
BASSOONISTS HOLIDAY, LeRoy Anderson
(Arr. Fraser Jackson)
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, Freddie Mercury
(Arr. TD Ellis)
WINDS Bassoon Quartet
Jane Holt, Michael Hanley,
Evan Peterson, Nick Verbanic
Dan Cole – Percussion
——————— INTERMISSION ———————
(10 minutes)
CHILDREN'S MARCH "Over the Hills & Far Away", Percy Aldridge Grainger
(Revised by Frank Erickson)
ST. LOUIS BLUES, WC Handy
(Arr. Bill Holcomb)
WINDS Bassoon Quartet
IN FLIGHT, Samuel R. Hazo
with Fruitport High School Musicians
Mr. Tim Priest – Conductor
KING COTTON, John Philip Sousa
Meet Our Guest Conductors
Mr. Iain Novoselich, Grand Haven Bands
IAIN NOVOSELICH was named the Director of Bands at Grand Haven in 2011. He is the Director of the Buccaneer Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, the Buccaneer Big Band, and the Pep Band. He also co-teaches at White Pines Intermediate School. Under his direction, Grand Haven High School Bands continue to earn high marks and perform at numerous festivals, invitationals, and competitions throughout the state. The Buccaneer Big Band makes annual appearances at the TAC Jazz Festival and regularly performs at the MSBOA State Jazz Festival. In 2017, the band was featured on the radio show "Forte" on NPR affiliate WKAR of Michigan State University. Mr. Novoselich earned his Bachelor in Music Education from Michigan State University and his Master’s from the University of Michigan. He is happily married to his wife Erika. They reside in Grand Haven with their sons, George and Douglas.
Mr. Tim Priest, Fruitport Bands
Tim Priest is the Director of Bands at Fruitport High School in Fruitport, Michigan. Tim instructs two high school concert bands, an after school high school jazz band, an after school marching band, and assists at Fruitport Middle School teaching beginning woodwinds and percussion and team-teaching the developing 7th and 8th grade band. Tim enjoys taking part in professional music organizations outside of Fruitport. Some roles he has held include the Music Advancement Director for the North Central District Alumni Association of Kappa Kappa Psi and the High School Honors Band Coordinator for District 7 of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association from 2019-2024 . Tim received his Bachelor of Music Education from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan as well as his Master Degree in Music Education from the American Band College through Central Washington University. Tim would like to thank Gail Brechting and the Winds for allowing him the privilege of conducting them on this concert.
Meet the West Michigan Concert WINDS Conductor
Gail A. Brechting, Conductor & Artistic Director
Gail Brechting is in her twenty-ninth year as the conductor of the award-winning West Michigan Concert WINDS. Under her direction, the WINDS received the John Phillip Sousa Foundation’s
Sudler Silver Scroll Award, America’s most prestigious community concert band award. She has organized five international tours with the WINDS, most recently to Scotland and Ireland. She
has had the privilege of conducting the WINDS in Chicago’s Symphony Hall, as well as the historic Carnegie Hall in New York City. Before becoming conductor, Mrs. Brechting was principal trombone with the WINDS and performed with many area music ensembles including the Traverse City Symphony, the Lansing Concert Band, The Lake Effect Brass, and the West Shore Symphony.
From 1996-1999 Mrs. Brechting represented MSBOA as the State Representative for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. For forty years, she has been an active district and state level adjudicator for low brass, band and orchestras as well as teaching private trombone and tuba lessons to students of all ages.
She has been the guest conductor with the Acadia Winds in Louisiana, Hot Springs Community Band in Arkansas, was the featured conductor with the Louisiana Middle School Honors Band, and served as guest clinician and conductor with the Winter Park High School in Florida. She is the 2019 & 2022 recipient of the Harry Begian Conductor Scholar Award, through Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
Mrs. Brechting is the Past President of the Association of Concert Bands, an international organization serving adult community bands, serving two previous terms on their board of directors. She is the Lifelong Arts Program Director with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, serving since 2019. She is a member of the National Band Association, the College Band Directors Association, an Emeritus member of Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, P.E.O. and the Women Band Directors Association. She is the first woman selected by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to serve on the Sudler Silver Scroll Award selection committee, and presently chairs this committee. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University and a Master of Arts degree from Western Michigan University. Mrs. Brechting is a past music faculty member of Muskegon Community College. She retired in 2019, after a 40-year public school music education career, 34 of those with the Reeths-Puffer Schools in Muskegon, MI. In her spare time, she trains to compete as a US Masters swimmer, loves to play golf and travel.
Mrs. Brechting lives in Spring Lake with her engineer/pianist husband Frank. Their daughter Annelise, is a Physician Assistant in Greenville, SC.
Guest High School Musicians
Grand Haven High School Students
Paige Howland, Flute
Miles Riker, Clarinet
Alex Deters, Tenor Saxophone
Jeremy Thayer, Trumpet
Vincent Fett, French Horn
Kristin Tlachac, Trombone
Domenick Fett, Tuba
Fruitport High School Students
Julia Hawkins, Flute
Bailey Norkus, Oboe
Emily Grossenbacher, Clarinet
Kaiden Lockwood, Alto Saxophone
Azlynn Depung, French Horn
Rachel Hines, Trombone
McKenna Belasco, Euphonium
Ian Sherrill, Tuba
Jayden Szymanski, Timpani
* Indicates Principal Player
Flute/Piccolo
Kelyn Celeskey
Sarah Graham
Marijo Johnson
Kathleen Johnston
Stella Liang
Anita Lauterberg*
Susan Lavin
Rachel Martineau
Jenny VanDen Heuvel
Jillaena Weesies
Oboe
Michele Wheeler*
Susan Stoltzfus
English Horn
Michele Wheeler
Bassoon
Michael Hanley
Jane Holt*
Evan Peterson
Nick Verbanic
Clarinet
Jane Bednarz
Jim Brunner
Carolyn Buboltz
Cathy Lintula
Matthew Lintula
Laurie Lubbers
Terri Jo Parker
Lynne Paul
Tom Schurino
Amy Towell
Angela Vis
Paula Whisman*
Alto Clarinet
Tom Oatmen
Bass Clarinet
Judy Hardenburgh
Mike Hill*
Alto Saxophone
Justin Auten*
Martin O’Toole
Shaun Skibinski
Tenor Saxophone
Rebecca Gierhart
Amanda Serocke
Baritone Saxophone
Dave Lintula
French Horn
Judy Fuller
Terrie Hampel
Elizabeth Johnson
Ken Kloet
Jennifer Reeths
Amber Russell
Carrie Sorensen
Amy VanderLaan*
Judith Wagley
Trumpet
Kim Brayton
Thom Lemon
Gary Oberlin
Gary Smith*
Sean Sweany
Trevor Watrin
Ian Wright
Trombone
Sara Adams
Thomas Allport
Ryan Bouman
Keith Danielson
Chuck Hornung
Dale Smith*
Bass Trombone
Klay Woodworth
Euphonium
Jennifer Carey
Teresa Dunn*
Dan Horton
Robert Tuttle
Stephen Westfield
Tuba
Rob Hardenburgh
Kim Reynolds*
Richard Rothe
Bret Wazny
Bass Guitar
David Martin
Percussion
Frank J. Brechting III
Emily Cihos
Emma Greenwood
Nolan Johnson
Margaret Shay
Andrew Susalla
Support the WINDS
Please consider supporting the the West Michigan Concert Winds by making a donation.
Upcoming Concerts
with Shoreline Community Orchestra
Frauenthal Center, Muskegon