London Concert Band presents:

PORTRAITS OF COURAGE

With A.B. Lucas Senior Band and flute soloist Xaden Hebb

Conductors: Eric Heidenheim, Kaleigh Campbell, Andrew Virtue

May 25, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

A.B. Lucas Secondary School

PROGRAM ORDER

First Set: London Concert Band

O Canada - Calixa Lavallée, Arr. Vincent Roy

Symphony No. 5 — Finale, Opus 47 - Dmitri Shostakovich

• Composed under the shadow of Stalin’s threats, Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony is an act of quiet defiance wrapped in the guise of triumph.

Portrait of Terry Fox - Q. H. Le

• This delicate and moving piece shows us that courage isn’t about finishing the race—it’s about persistence in the face of overwhelming odds.

Lincoln - John Williams, Arr. Jay Bocook

• Lincoln blends tenderness and resolve, echoing the courage of a president who never stopped believing in unity.

Second Set: A.B. Lucas Senior Band

Arts du Cirque - Bill Calhoun

• An energetic homage to those who risk it all for wonder, Arts du Cirque turns bravery into music.

Fate of the Gods - Steven Reineke

• Through fire and ruin, this music tells a story of courage that dares to believe in rebirth.

Third Set: London Concert Band

The Purple Twilight - Robert Longfield

• Composed in remembrance, this piece echoes the bravery of those who looked to the stars and dared to reach them.

Theme from Schindler’s List - John Williams, Arr. Calvin Custer

• This theme gives voice to sorrow, but more than that, it sings of the strength it takes to stand against injustice.

• Featuring Xaden Hebb as flute soloist.

Halcyon Hearts - Katahj Copley

• This warm and beautiful piece was written in dedication to those who love no matter which negativity is in the world.

This Cruel Moon - John Mackey

• With aching beauty, this music honors the bittersweet bravery of choosing the happiness of someone you love over your own.

Fantasy on an African American Spiritual - Arr. Bruce Preuninger

• Full of grace and light, this spiritual reminds us of the strength found in joy, faith, and community.

Fourth Set: London Concert Band with A.B. Lucas Senior Band

The Pines of Rome - Otorino Respighi, Arr. James Curnow

• Respighi’s vision unfolds in sound, as quiet footsteps rise into a bold march of triumph and pride.

Defying Gravity - Stephen Schwarz, adapted for band by Jay Bocook

• This song captures the bittersweet, powerful courage of rejecting a false hero and becoming your own.

FEATURED SOLOIST: XADEN HEBB

Xaden Hebb is a talented musician and passionate flutist. She has been playing the flute since the age of eleven and is currently working towards her Level 8 RCM certification.

Throughout her musical journey, she has been a valued member of numerous school instrumental ensembles, attended the Young Winds program at Western University, participated in several London Kiwanis Music Festivals and has competed in the Ontario Provincial Music Festival. Professionally, Xaden spent two years playing music and hosting performances at Amica Retirement Home.

Currently, Xaden studies music under the tutelage of Mr. Andrew Virtue at A.B. Lucas Secondary School and she currently studies flute with Mrs. Kaeleigh Campbell.

London Concert Band Members 2024/2025

*Section Leader

CONDUCTORS

Eric Heidenheim

Eric Heidenheim retired from the Thames Valley District School Board in 2018, after 30 years of teaching instrumental music. He started the band program at J.P. Robarts Elementary School and at the secondary level, Eric was a member of the Montcalm, Clarke Road and Westminster Music Departments. The last 13 years of his career were spent conducting the wonderful bands at H.B. Beal Secondary. Eric was as an active musician during his teaching career and he has played in many community ensembles over the years. He also conducts Once A Quartet and The Saturday Morning Brass, 2 ensembles that are affiliated with the New Horizons program at Western University. Eric has also enjoyed serving as clinician and guest conductor at several elementary school band clinics in recent years.

Kaeleigh Campbell

Kaeleigh Campbell has been conducting musical ensembles since graduating from Western University in 2010. She has been a performer in the London Concert Band since the late 2000s and, in 2020, joined the ensemble’s conducting team. Kaeleigh is currently the middle school music teacher at Matthews Hall Independent School where she conducts a variety of choirs and bands and has been musical director for the school’s productions of Annie, Seussical and Newsies. Other highlights of her conducting experiences include leading a steel pan ensemble in Trinidad and conducting intermediate youth choirs of 300+ students at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Guest Conductor: Andrew Virtue

Andrew Virtue is a secondary school teacher with the Thames Valley District School Board, serving as Department Head of Music at A.B. Lucas Secondary School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education, a master’s in music performance, and a bachelor’s of education from the University of Western Ontario. A passionate music educator, he inspires students to engage with the academic, introspective, and collaborative lessons taught through music. His ensembles have received numerous awards at both local and provincial festivals, including 1st place at the provincial level.

Outside his role at A.B. Lucas, Andrew is a brass band enthusiast and performs as Principal Cornet and Deputy Bandmaster of the London Citadel Band of The Salvation Army. He has been featured as a soloist with several elite brass ensembles and has performed with world-renowned musicians such as Mark Ridenour (Chicago Symphony), Patrick Sheridan (tuba soloist), and Jens Lindemann (Canadian Brass).

WITH THANKS

Thank you to Matthews Hall for generously providing space for our music library.

We acknowledge that the London Concert Band is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapeewak, and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be the home to diverse Indigenous peoples (First Nation, Metis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.

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