SUSQUEHANNA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
http://www.ssorchestra.org
Comments From Sheldon Blair, Music Director



A number of years ago we were pleased to have Maryland composer Theldon Myers and his wife Christine move to Bel Air. Theldon soon became a part of the musical 'scene' here in Harford County , becoming an SSO board member and sharing his music with us. The SSO and a number of school orchestras have played his compositions and arrangements. The SSO was pleased to have Theldon compose Fanfare for a New Millenium for the orchestra, and have it dedicated to the orchestra. The SSO has played this innovative, short work many times, both outdoors and indoors. Theldon has also written some works for Christmas and Holiday concerts that fit the SSO well. Although they contain well-known (and sometimes lesser-known) holiday tunes, Theldon has arranged them in such a way as to make them his own. These arrangements are very cleverly done and show a fine understanding of theory and orchestration. Theldon is a wonderfully warm and generous human being whose support of the SSO and the local school orchestras has been unwavering, and appreciated by those of us who have benefited from his work and presence here.

Sheldon Blair
March 29, 2005

Music From Six Continents, 1993 Series
Symphony 1969, composed by Theldon Myers
Polish Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Jose Maria Florencio, Jr.

…In Symphony 1969 Theldon Myers contains no self-consciously dissonant idioms, has a good feeling for orchestral sound, and clearly strives to produce coherent musical structures. This three-movement Symphony 1969 is so chromatic as to be practically non-tonal, but his use of invervallic motifs (notably the ascending fourth and ascending major third) gives at least an impression of short-term tonal anchoring. The orchestration is exceptionally skilled, in terms of both choices of timbre and clear balances. Especially well done are the crisp pizzicato punctuations under the irregular woodwind phrases in Movement II, and a long, circuitous, expressive flute solo in Movement III…”


Review Of Concertino For Orchestra (VMM3017)
by The American Record Guide
Concertino For Orchestra , composed by Theldon Myers

…In a review of VMM3017 by the American Record Guide Concertino For Orchestra was heard as a fine "piece of American neo-classicism" and the Vienna Kultur reviewed it as one of "...the most appealing..." pieces on the CD... Myers conjures up the American West in a non-folkloric manner."

Configuration, reviewed by the American Record Guide, found the work to me a "...mostly slow-tempoed, evocative fantasy in a chromatic, dissonant idiom with a prominent piano part...that adds...profile to this dramatically-shaped...piece."

Composer Nancy Van de Vate wrote that the Myers' Symphony 1969 "...is a very strong work, impressively crafted."

Theldon Myers' Cadenza and Lament (VMM3034) for solo clarinet with band has been described as "...striking in its juxtaposition of a rather atonal vocabulary...with a traditionally romantic approach to chromaticism in others..." Composer Marshall Ocker wrote that "Cadenza and Lament is a superb piece of music which should recei e fine reviews and...performances. I just think the piece is great!"

Conductor JoAnn Falletta of the San Francisco Women's Philharmonic and the Long Beach Symphony wrote "...I am impressed with your (Myers') superb music."

THELDON MYERS’ THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS COMPOSITIONS
Fanfare For A New Millennium was written for the Susquehanna (Maryland ) Symphony Orchestra and was premiered under their Music Director Sheldon Bair. The piece combines by title, tune, and text, characteristics of faith, love, and respect for all mankind and undiminishing pride in one's country. It incorporates material from Praise For Peace, (Integer Vitae), Old Hundredth (The Doxology), Harvest Home, Now Thank We All Our God, and America the Beautiful.
A short fantasy on America the Beautiful carries the piece to a chorale-type statement of Praise for Peace. This is presented by the brasses as a background for a collage-like treatment of Now Thank We All Our God in the upper woodwinds. The Doxology is heard in a less related tonality in the glockenspiel and harp, and Harvest Home, also fragmented and tonally displaced, appears in the low strings and woodwinds. Continued variation on America the Beautiful brings the Fanfare to a climactic close.

Theldon Myers