“The President’s Own” kicks off its 2025 chamber music series with selections by Jessie Montgomery, Jenni Brandon and Libby Larsen, along with Vaclav Nelhybel's Ludus for Three Tubas. Paul Juon’s Trio-Miniaturen, Opp. 18a, 24a and Suite from La Revue de Cuisine round out the program. Coordinated by Gunnery Sgt. Robert Bonner, the free performance will take place at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Program and Notes

The program begins with Jessie Montgomery’s “Peace,” commissioned by violinist Elena Urioste and pianist Tom Poster as part of their #UriPosteJukeBox series inspired by and recorded during the period of social distancing due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Following “Peace,” Jenni Brandon’s The Sequoia Trio uses quotes from John Muir’s The Yosemite, as well as the composer’s own visit to Sequoia National Park in California to inspire the music.

Libby Larsen’s Ridge Runner, An Uninterrupted Suite is part of the artist’s Grammy award-winning body of work totaling over 50 albums. Larsen said the following about Ridge Runner,

“The term ‘ridge-runner’ is American slang referring loosely to a number of characters—the southern farmer, the mountaineer, the moonshiner—people of wit, perseverance, and self-reliance, people who don’t mind dealing with the elements. It struck me that solo trumpet performers are akin to ridge-runners in their spirit, energy, and daring. So I set about composing this piece by basing its personality in abstract vernacular music—banjo picking, ballad, jazz, harmonica—and treating it as a serious concert piece.”

Perhaps the most unique piece on the program is Vaclav Nelhybel’s Ludus for Three Tubas. As the name implies, this piece will be performed by Marine Band tuba players Gunnery Sgts. Landres Bryant and Simon Wildman and Staff Sgt. Benjamin St. Pierre. Nelhybel spent the second half of his life teaching and composing in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he was exposed to the American wind band tradition. In the words of Bonner, “who doesn’t love a good tuba trio?”

The concert concludes with Paul Juon’s Trio-Miniaturen, Opp. 18a, 24a and Bohuslav Martinů’s Suite from La Revue de Cuisine. Both Juon and Martinů rose to prominence in the early 1900s, composing a variety of music.

 “There is no clever thread that ties all the pieces together to tell some broader story,” Bonner said. I simply wanted to create an enjoyable experience for the audience. Patrons can expect to hear a wide variety of different composers and ensembles, showcasing the immense talents and versatility of the musicians of ‘The President’s Own.’  From music about moonshiners to images of the daily lives of kitchen utensils, I think that the programming will stimulate the listeners imagination.”

This performance will take place at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. The concert is free and open to the public.