Together, they have a daughter named Rebecca and a son named Cristian. Denis is a member of the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Texas Music Educators Association and Phi Mu Alpha. Denis attended The University of Texas at Austin earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. Denis is serving as TMEA Region 31 Wind Symphony Organizer and was a former TMEA All State Jazz Organizer, Region 24 Jazz Chair and 5A Varsity Band Organizer and past Collegeboard AP reader for Music Theory. The Wind Symphony has earned Sweepstakes in Marching, Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, as well as been awarded an Encores’ Winner and Maestro Award recognition for the 2023 Creekview Full Orchestra as well as previous “National Winner” of the Foundation of Music Education Mark of Excellence Honors project and has been selected as a featured band in the 2018 Music for All National Concert Band Festival, including receiving an invitation for the percussion ensemble to perform at the National Percussion Concert in Indianapolis, IN.Ĭurrently Mr. His responsibilities include direction of the Creekview Wind Symphony, Full Orchestra and the Creekview Marching Band. Denis is the Director of Bands at Creekview High School in Carrollton Farmers-Branch ISD. The brass give a loud proclamation that the couple are to be wed and a celebratory theme concludes the happy scene as the curtains close.Īrturo J. Chirps from the woodwinds denote the start of gossip by the village women in response. Suddenly, our nobleman sees a beautiful courtesan and the two converse in a gentle interlude that becomes quieter as the conversation gets more personal. One can imagine the theater curtains opening to two trumpet fanfares followed by a stately march as the residents of that grand city rush to welcome the large entourage of a nobleman, with flowers thrown by the crowd to the procession. Similar to Sousa’s Free Lance March, The Florentiner is seemingly an operetta in condensed form.
Much like John Philip Sousa, the hundreds of compositions written by “The Bohemian Sousa” stretch far beyond mere marches, with Fučik having also written operettas, masses, chamber music, and a symphonic suite. The Florentiner bears the subtitle Grande marcia Italiana, with the main title giving homage to Florence, Italy Fučik’s original title for the march was, in fact, "La Rosa di Toscana." This seemingly incongruous set of particulars can be explained by the musical trends of the time – many European composers were writing in styles that implied the exoticism of other lands, including Russia, Spain, and in this case, Italy.
The Florentiner March, “Grande marcia Italiana,” was written in 1907 by the prolific Bohemian (Czech) composer and bandmaster Julius Fučik, in Budapest, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The movement depicts multiple artists in the market square, with the climax containing features from Berlioz’s Te Deum.įlorentiner March / Grande Marcia Italiana Les Halles / The fourth and final movement is big and bold with the bells triumphant and celebratory. Pere Lachaise / The third movement unfolds depicting the largest cemetery in the city, the spirit of Satie’s Gymnopedies being shown before the movements’ conclusion and the bells a gentle, wistful timbre. Pigalle / The second movement is a burlesque that depicts the vibrancy of city life in Paris, with the bells as car horns and police sirens.
Saint - Germain - de - Pres / The first movement tells of the morning bells and the city's awakening. Each movement tells its own story, paying homage to some part of the French capital, utilizing the different colors from each instrument to depict the beautiful city: “Paris Sketches” was written as a tribute to the city of Paris and the composers that came from the city. The piece you will hear next is “Paris Sketches” by Martin Ellerby.