Fantasy on an African-American Spiritual arranged by Bruce Preuninger
"My Lord! What a Morning" is one of the best known examples of the African-American song form known as the "spiritual." Inspired by the spontaneous emotions of African-derived slave and plantation songs, spirituals took on a unique identity during the post Civil War era through the incorporation of European musical influences.
While spirituals are often thought of as music of a singular time and place, African-American composer Harry T. Burleigh (b.1866) describes the essence of a more timeless aspect: " for through all these songs there breathes a hope, a faith in the ultimate justice and brotherhood of man."
-Program Notes from the musical score published by Alfred Music
Dr. Lisa C. Eckstein (aka "Dr. Ecks") is an Associate Professor of Music, Band Director, and Collegewide Music Dept. Chair at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).
Under her direction, the NOVA Alexandria Band, a combined college and community ensemble, has enjoyed collaborations with renowned professional musicians as soloists (many from the D.C. area military bands), the George Mason University Wind Symphony, music faculty from Radford University, and area K-12 school music pro-grams. In addition, she teaches music theory, history, and appreciation classes.
Before becoming faculty at NOVA, Dr. Eckstein taught at Manassas Park Middle and High Schools in Virginia from 2002-2012. Under her leadership, Manassas Park school bands consistently achieved Superior ratings at music competitions, performed at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, and marched in The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington D.C. In 2011, Dr. Eckstein received a Virginia Governor's School Certificate of Appreciation for Exemplary Service and Dedication to Education. She was one of four winners of the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) Graduate Student Conductor Workshop competition in 2017.
Dr. Ecks is sought out as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician. She plays bassoon in the Morpheus Woodwind Quintet and the American Festival Pops Orchestra. She holds music education degrees from Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) and Temple University (Philadelphia, PA), and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from George Mason University (Fairfax, VA). Her dissertation is titled, The Wind Band Music of Mark Camphouse: A Study of Twelve of His Musical Compositions, His Characteristic Sound, and the Inspiration Behind His Works.
The NOVA Alexandria Band was formed to provide a forum for the NOVA’s music students to gain experience performing and to reach out to the community. The band was founded in the fall of 1977. The current director is Dr. Lisa Eckstein.
Performance Recorded Live at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, on the 27th of October, 2022.
NVCC Concert Band
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