The 45th Annual Contemporary Music Festival Concert III
featuring the Eastern Mennonite School & JMU Symphony Orchestras & the JMU Wind Symphony
Sunday, November 1, 2026
7:00pm
Forbes Concert Hall
Please silence all electronic devices.
Unauthorized videotaping or any other recording of this production is strictly prohibited in adherence with Federal copyright laws.
Program
The Great Locomotive Chase - Robert Smith
Prairie Dance - Zachary Docter
Eastern Mennonite School Orchestra; Maria Lorcas & Zachary Docter, directors
All Out! - Texu Kim (commissioned by the JMU Symphony Orchestra)
Dub Sanjo - Texu Kim
Blow, Fly, Pop! - Texu Kim
JMU Symphony Orchestra; Kira Omelchenko, director
Opening Night - Brian Balmages
Pirates of the Caribbean - Klaus Badelt/arr. Ted Ricketts
Combined JMU & EMS Orchestras; Kira Omelchenko, conductor
---Intermission---
Symphony No. 2 ("The isle is full of noises") - John Mackey
JMU Wind Symphony; Chris Cicconi, director
Eastern Mennonite High School Orchestra
Gregory Conway, Band Director
Maria Lorcas, Strings Director
Violin
Elaina Stoltzfus (concertmaster)
Everett Brubaker
Lydia Brubaker
Emelia Clark
Aubrey Copeland
Simon Dula
Angel Gill
Sabine Huston
Nola Kratz
Leah King
Leo Kocabiyik
Max Miriello
Todd Reamer
Luke Rodriguez
Neve Schlabach
Finn Thompson
Martin Trotter
Nola Trotter
Ben Yoder
Viola
Eli Eaton
GB Fairfield
Rachel Loker
Cello
Sienna Kauffman
Fionn Kishbaugh
Sophie Kratz
Brendan Miller
Reed Shristi
Isaac Stoltzfus
Bass
James Fairfield
Sylvia Sachs
Desmond Wyse
Flute
Liv Doyle
Wendel King
Quinn McKee
Sam Tranum
Clarinet
Sydney Byler
Daniel Casteneda
Erin Northern
Mark Rankin
Stephen Wright
Bass Clarinet
Anderson Kratz
Alto Saxophone
Teo Diener
Joel Lantz
Charlotte Wright
Tenor Saxophone
Thomas Tennyson
Trumpet
Samuel Aponte
Grant Lehman
Dylan Lin
Trombone
Simon Blosser
Tyler Blosser
Sam Kempe
Percussion
Eli Halteman
Alexa Landis
Avery Lickey
Noah May
Hazel Shank
Olive Shank
JMU Symphony Orchestra
Dr. Kira Omelchenko, Director/Conductor
Noelle Singleton, orchestra manager/teaching assistant
Felicity Banner, librarian
Victor Winterstein, librarian
*indicates section leader/co-leader
#performers in Blow, Fly, Popp!!
Flute/Piccolo
Isabel Aviles*#
Vanessa Britton#
Emma Lisson
Oboe/English Horn
Cady Litteral*#
Mark Guillen#
Clarinet
Geneva Maldonado*#
Ian Graff#
David Kriete
Bass Clarinet
Ian Graff
Bassoon
Hannah Gerick*#
Miguel Resendiz-Perez
Horn
Chloe Starling*#
Jakob Fox#
Will Rapp
Isabel Ricciuto
Trumpet
Taylor Lowry*#
Noah Shea
Ian Krueger
Trombone
Toby Whitaker*
Will Shanahan
Bass Trombone
Blake Downs
Tuba
Andy Helvey
Percussion#
Josh Sheppard*
Tommy Crossley
Andrew Harper
Radley Hofmann
Zane Johnson
Lizabeth Stephan
Piano
Maria Clapp#
Harp
Elsbeth McNulty
Violin
Roman Rousek*#
Victor Winterstein*#
Erin Choi*#
Felicity Banner*#
Amy Poxon*#
Noelle Singleton#
Anniah Craun
Dani Patdu
Ariana Skyle Palmer
Elaina Stoltzfus
Lydia Brubaker
Viola
Elliot Drew*#
Julia Johnson*#
Thien Phan#
Claire Barnes
Rose Guevara
Rodrigo Amorim#
Cello
Hailey Hotek*#
John Meshreky*#
Marlie Dela Cruz*
Joey Montione#
Caleb Hicks#
Will Hayes
Antwan Bolden
Tessa Kuta
Theron Rath
Augusta McNulty
Bass
Gabriella Bieberich*#
Daniel Foote*#
Kaylin Yates
Grey Sheridan
Jolie Prasad
Nathan Wilkinson
Andrew Grogan
Eastern Mennonite School is a K-12 learning community in Harrisonburg, VA, serving the Shenandoah Valley with an academically challenging curriculum grounded in faith, personal integrity, and compassionate service. Combining strong academics with robust programs in music, arts, and athletics, EMS empowers students to belong, thrive, and lead.
The JMU Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Kira Omelchenko, is the premier orchestra within the School of Music at James Madison University. Membership is open, through the audition process, to all JMU students who attend the University. String sections include music majors, music minors, as well as other/non-major students. Wind, Brass and Percussion sections are comprised of primarily School of Music's top music majors. This select group of 60-70 musicians presents approximately six to eight performances during each academic year. Music programmed is challenging and covers a broad range of styles, including standard symphonic repertoire, contemporary works, world premieres, and collaborations with concerto/aria winners.
The JMU Symphony has made numerous appearances at VMEA, Virginia’s state Music Conference, and also participates annually, in conjunction with Carnegie Hall (NY) in their “LinkUp” Youth Concert series. Major works recently performed include Stravinsky Firebird Suite, Dvořák Symphony no. 9, Respighi’s Pines of Rome, Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4 and 5, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, Shostakovich Symphony 5, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana (with the JMU Choral Area) and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2.
Thanks for our generous Friends of the Arts & Design scholarship donors whose support allows our students to continue to create, perform, and inspire.
Arts & Design Hero ($5,000+)
- Patricia Gould & Hasan Karsiloglu
- Ann & Mark Siciliano
- Richard & Sue Orem
- Joshua & Trish Weinstein
Arts & Design Champion ($1,500-$4,999)
- Jonathan Fox
- Rubén Graciani & Matt Pardo
- Marilou Johnson
- Matthew & Sarah Von Schuch
Arts & Design Advocate ($500-$1,499)
- John & Susan Allemeier
- Jerry Benson & Martha Ross
- Beth Chandler Cahill & Jim Cahill
- Nancy Davis
- Patrick & Stephanie Driscoll
- Holly Haney & Bob Kolvoord
- Quillon Hall & Karin Tollefson-Hall
- Gina & Tom Holden
- Thomas McKenzie
Arts & Design Ally ($250-$499)
- Sue Agranoff
- Ellen & George Aschenbrenner
- Charles Boepple
- Reginald Bryson & Souha Khawam
- Eric & Jess Guinivan
- MiKyoung Lee
- Amy & Sean Myers-Payne
- Rebekah Noonan
- Cyndia & Dexter Taylor
- Heather & Theodore Tseng
- Bethany & Scott Vriesman
- Connie & Hugh Westfall
- Cecelia Wolf
- Diane & Leonard Young
Dear Patron,
Thank you for attending this School of Music performance; we appreciate your support! The JMU School of Music educates the most talented students from around the world to shape the fabric of society. We are ecstatic to showcase the talent and hard work of our students and faculty.
Scholarship contributions help young musicians blossom into mature artists. With your support, we will be able to offer our talented students more financial help in pursuing their goals. If you are interested in supporting our students' passion and dedication, please consider contributing to the Music Scholarship Fund at James Madison University by clicking the button below.