SM论坛 music professor Jean Henderson knew she wanted to write an emotional piece.
Something with a lot of harmonic shifts.
Something that would highlight each instrument in the orchestra, especially the violin. After all, Henderson was writing a piece in memory of one of her favorite violinists.
Henderson鈥檚 long-time friend and colleague Larry Maupin was the orchestra director at Grand Island Senior High School for 38 years. He died of pancreatic cancer on December 15, 2009.
Henderson went to kindergarten with Maupin and remained close friends all the way through college, graduating together from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1965. They followed similar career paths in music education. Maupin played an instrumental role in adding an honors orchestra to the university鈥檚 annual high school honors festival.
Maupin had a successful music career. In addition to his job at Grand Island Senior High, he was a member of the Hastings Symphony Orchestra for 40 years, a member of the Hastings Symphony String Quartet, and the founder and conductor of the Tri-City Youth Symphony for 25 years. He was also instrumental in bringing public radio to central Nebraska.
鈥淎 lot of people knew him,鈥 Henderson said of her decision to write In Memory. 鈥淚 wrote it on my own not knowing what would come of it.鈥
She spent most of her winter break writing a piece that was reflective and interesting for musicians. She admits it鈥檚 not an easy piece to perform.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 write anything easy,鈥 she said, laughing.
鈥淭he ending didn鈥檛 end up as I had planned but that鈥檚 how these things work. It鈥檚 like writing a story; it just takes off,鈥 she said.
In Memory was performed for the first time in February at Nebraska Wesleyan鈥檚 High School Honors Festival. It caught the attention of Kearney High School orchestra director, Dave Klein, one of Maupin鈥檚 former music students.
鈥淗e inspired me to be teacher, he was my idol, he meant a lot to me,鈥 said Klein. 鈥淚鈥檓 honored to be able to play this.鈥
Klein鈥檚 21-piece orchestra ensemble has been practicing In Memory for nearly two months. They will perform it at a couple of upcoming concerts.
But perhaps the most meaningful and emotional performance will be at the district music contest. The annual competition will be hosted at Grand Island Senior High.
鈥淲e鈥檙e taking the piece home to the very auditorium where Larry spent all of his years,鈥 said Klein.
鈥淭here will be a lot of emotion,鈥 Klein continued. 鈥淢y students knew him and knew what he meant to me.鈥
Henderson is also looking forward to hearing the ensemble鈥檚 performance.
鈥淚t went well when I first heard it played at the honors festival,鈥 said Henderson. 鈥淎nd I look forward to hearing it again.鈥